Continuing in the vein of riffs on the found footage subgenre, horror-comedy Deadstream (2022) tweaks the formula to fixate on a self-obsessed vlogger. No doubt modeled on the likes of Jake Paul and Dobrik, Shawn Ruddy (Joseph Winter) is an obnoxious YouTube prankster. He went too far, resulting in a momentary ban from the platform. Now he’s back, and in order to pull a stunt big enough to make people forget how he nearly killed a homeless man, he’s decided to pull off the creepiest livestream of his career. Shawn intends to spend the night in a haunted house infamous for a series of deaths people have chalked up to a vengeful spirit trapped inside. Decked out with a wearable camera rig, a ghost fighting kit, and all manner of recording tech, Shawn promises he’ll investigate every ghostly sound or his sponsors won’t pay up.
Found footage often gets a bad wrap. Low production costs have resulted in a tizzy of poor imitators of the likes of The Blair Witch Projects (1999). Yet, Deadstream joins recent successes like Searching (2018) and Host (2020) by leaning into a specific virtual medium to provide both framing and technical adaptations. Co-writer-directors Vanessa and Joseph Winter, yes the same Joseph who plays Shawn, make a meal out of the vlogger aesthetic. Deadstream’s first act methodically introduces each of the optical tools at Shawn’s disposal. There’s his headband camera as well as the rig supplying selfie mode. He places webcams outside and in rooms around the house that he can cut to through live-editing. The Winters even smartly incorporate the live chat function ubiquitous to livestreams. Their choice allows Shawn to interact with viewers through text, as well as the occasional photo or video they send along.
With the approach established the ghosts come out to play, and the Winters sequentially tick through each of these components. It quite effectively builds out the suspense inherent in having access to so many empty spaces just waiting for something to emerge. As the chills and fake-outs ramp up, Deadstream reveals that no matter the dollop of new tech, it is at heart a classic haunted house tale in the best sense. Flashes of apparitions, creaking old wood, and far too many doors to open craft a legitimately scary experience. Plus, they pull out the greatest hits of Ouija boards, mysterious old books, and hidden rooms to propel us through the wringer of creepy crawlies. If that wasn’t enough to get under your skin, the Winters and their production team also commit to practical effects that deliver in droves once we see them up close and personal.
Deadstream is also quite hilarious, due in large part to Winter’s dedication to playing Shawn as broadly as possible. From the opening sequence where he introduces himself and his channel through a teaser for the upcoming livestream, Shawn is an egomaniac prone to loud declarations and self-aggrandizing humble brags. Narratively, the script sets up a delicious bit of influencer satire that allows us to be afraid for Shawn, but also not feel bad when we’re rooting for things to go wrong. Winter is able to convey genuine fear when Shawn encounters the terrors lurking in the house, but can flip the switch to eye-rolling narcissism moments later. It allows for a succession of tight scares and equally taught laughs without the need to clear out space for one or the other. The result is a great deal of fun to behold.
In unsurprising news, streaming network Shudder acquired Deadstream before its premiere. The network has a track record of identifying exciting horror titles and snapping them up so they can push them to the horror community. Deadstream is a snappy treat of a haunted house film, and I recommend that you catch it on the service at your earlier convenience.
Deadstream was viewed in the Midnighters section of SXSW 2022.
Director: Vanessa & Joseph Winter
Writer: Vanessa & Joseph Winter
Rated: NR
Runtime: 87 minutes
Rating: 4 out of 5
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Devin McGrath-Conwell holds a B.A. in Film / English from Middlebury College and is currently pursuing an MFA in Screenwriting from Emerson College. His obsessions include all things horror, David Lynch, the darkest of satires, and Billy Joel. Devin’s writing has also appeared in publications such as Filmhounds Magazine, Film Cred, Horror Homeroom, and Cinema Scholars.
