Talk:Paranormal Activity

Mockumentary?

I've noticed some minor edit warring over whether this film should be described in the lead as a "mockumentary". The style in which the film is portrayed is definitely a gimmick, but I'm not totally convinced if it should be called a "mockumentary" film, though I don't strong opinion either way. A case can be made that the film is indeed a "mockumentary" in the true sense of the word. I'm simply starting this thread in the hopes of generating a discussion to better help prevent the same type of potential discussion through edit summaries of reverts. Thoughts? - SoSaysChappy (talk) 20:42, 27 October 2009 (UTC)

I thought the same thing, until I read the entry for Mockumentary, and now I think it probably fits that description. Also note that Paranormal Activity is listed here. -Generica (talk) 03:13, 2 November 2009 (UTC)

• As a clarification, the film appears to have been removed from that list, and from being described as a mockumentary. IMHO, it can't be considered a proper mockumentary, which is a fictional film done in the style of a documentary. Just because it features hand-held cameras ala cinema vérité isn't enough of a qualification-- there is no actual "documentarian" involved as an observer, nor is there any attempt to provide context or other elements of documentaries. This is an example of fictionalized "found film" such as Cloverfield which no one has claimed as a mockumentary. --HidariMigi (talk) 15:56, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

Nope, hasn't been removed from the list, not sure where you got that idea. Oh, and Cloverfield is on that list too :) I agree with you that there needs to be a distinction between a 'found footage' movie and a 'mockumentary' although clearly the two characters in Paranormal Activity were attempting to document their activities via film. It's a grey area at best. -Generica (talk) 06:12, 16 November 2009 (UTC)

• Ah, you're correct -- I didn't scroll down far enough. I do think that List of Mockumentaries has quite a bit of Original Research. The best print source of calling Cloverfield a mockumentary I came across was from an article in the college newspaper of Midwestern State University in Wichita, KS. A list from About.com calls them "POV horror films." While the characters in Paranormal Activity were recording themselves, it wasn't ever clear that the intention was to create an actual "documentary" to a degree greater than any other home movies might be.--HidariMigi (talk) 04:14, 17 November 2009 (UTC)

• Found Footage is a term used when the filmmakers in the story are presumably dead or missing, therefore someone literally "found the footage" (Cloverfield, Troll Hunter). Mockumentary is a term used when the filmmakers are presenting a supposed documentary which is fictional (The Office, Parks & Recreation). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.98.197.240 (talk) 06:22, 16 June 2011 (UTC)

• In some ways it would be described as a mockumentary. A 'mockumentary' is practically a fictional documentary styled film. Paranormal Activity is a found footage film. Modern Family is a comedy show. But both are a 'mockumentary' in some way. Even though the film is more about a man trying to record his girlfriend and house being haunted by a Demon, he is trying to investigate it at the same time, and that's what Documentaries do; they investigate subjects. Charlr6 (talk) 12:56, 29 January 2012 (UTC)