The Final Project is a 2015 American found footagehorror film directed by Taylor Ri'chard. It stars Teal Haddock, Arin Jones, Leonardo Santaiti, Evan McLean, Sergio Suave, and Amber Erwin as student ghosthunters who fall prey to a vengeful spirit at a haunted Louisiana plantation. It premiered in April 2015 and received a theatrical release in February 2016.
After being told that they require extra credit to pass their film class, six college students investigate an abandoned plantation in rural Louisiana despite warnings from the locals that it is haunted. While making a documentary, they find the rumors of a hostile spirit are true.
After becoming dissatisfied with his corporate job, Ri'chard left it to pursue filmmaking.[1] The story, co-written by Ri'chard, was based on local stories about Chretien Point Plantation near Sunset, Louisiana.[2] When casting the film, Ri'chard looked for inexperienced actors, as he wanted the film to seem realistic and true to the "found footage" genre.[3] Shooting began in 2012, but not all of the sets were available until 2014.[1]Principal photography lasted six weeks and took place in Atlanta, Georgia.[4] Ri'chard said he wanted to build relationships in his new home, Atlanta, rather than shoot on location.[3]
The film screened in a one-night engagement in Louisiana, Texas and Georgia on April 16, 2015.[5] CAVU Pictures released it theatrically on February 12, 2016, in Atlanta and Houston. It will play nationally on March 4, 2016, starting in New York and Los Angeles.[6]
Dennis Harvey of Variety called The Final Project an amateurish knockoff of The Blair Witch Project.[7] Matt Boiselle of Dread Central rated it 1.5/5 stars and wrote that the film is "as color-by-numbers as the day is long".[8] Matt Donato of We Got This Covered rated it 1.5/5 stars and wrote, "The Final Project proves that anyone can make a found footage movie, but not everyone should."[9] However, Matiland McDonaugh of Film Journal International called it a "formulaic but atmospheric found-footage shocker" and wrote that the film "features strong performances across the board".[10] Troy Anderson of Anderson Vision rated it 3.5/5 stars and wrote, "...there is a place at the table for The Final Project."[11] Though he criticized the film's editing, Mark L. Miller of Ain't It Cool News wrote, "The environment the film is made in is really spooky."[12]Following Films on their website wrote of The Final Project, "With enough jumps and shocks to satisfy the Fangoria crowd this film will find its audience."[13]
