found footage
/faʊnd ˈfʊtɪdʒ/
Meaning
Found footage is a film subgenre, most common in horror, where all or a key part of the movie is presented as if it were discovered video recordings. The characters often shoot the footage themselves using shaky, hand-held cameras to create a realistic, documentary-style feel. It is used to build suspense and make the fictional story feel authentic.
Examples
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The Blair Witch Project popularized the found footage genre in the late nineties.
The Blair Witch Project popularized the found footage genre in the late nineties.
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I find found footage horror movies much scarier because they feel so real.
I find found footage horror movies much scarier because they feel so real.
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The director used a found footage style to make the alien invasion look like a real news broadcast.
The director used a found footage style to make the alien invasion look like a real news broadcast.
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Some people get motion sickness from the shaky camera work in found footage films.
Some people get motion sickness from the shaky camera work in found footage films.
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They marketed the movie as actual found footage to generate mystery before its release.
They marketed the movie as actual found footage to generate mystery before its release.
Common Mistakes
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✗ The movie was shot in a found footage's style.
✓ The movie was shot in a found footage style.
Do not make 'found footage' possessive. It functions as a direct noun modifier: 'found footage style' or 'found footage film'.
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✗ They found a footage in the woods.
✓ They found some footage in the woods.
'Footage' is an uncountable noun. Do not use the indefinite article 'a' directly before it.
Related Expressions
Practice
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Cloverfield is a famous ___ movie that captures a monster attack from a survivor's perspective.
💡 A genre presented as discovered video recordings
Show answer
found footage
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The low-budget horror film relied on ___ to create a sense of realism.
💡 Uncountable term for discovered video recordings
Show answer
found footage