Unaware
Encyclopedia
Unaware is a science-fiction horror thriller film directed by Sean Bardin and Robert Cooley. It follows a vacationing couple who discover something disturbing on a rural Texas ranch. Like the films Paranormal Activity (2007) and The Blair Witch Project
(1999), Unaware is an independent feature
presented in "found footage
" format. The producers have also followed in marketing the film to potential fans via Eventful
.
, fueling criticism towards the film.
According to the film's trailer and critic reviews, the film involves "evidence" relating to the 1947 Roswell UFO incident
. Audio from an original radio broadcast can be heard in the opening of the film's trailer and is used in the film as well. In addition, the film has no on-screen credits with exception to Sean Bardin, Robert Cooley, and Richard Allen Crook.
, on November 13, 2010. Subsequent premieres included the 12th annual Nevermore Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina
on February 18–19, 2011, and the 4th annual Indy Horror Film Festival in DeKalb, Illinois
on March 6, 2011. The film is currently scheduled to premiere at the Bare Bones International Film Festival
in Muskogee, Oklahoma
on April 25-May 1, 2011. The film has yet to receive a wide release; however, its producers have stated that they have several major distributors interested in a potential branding and theatrical deal.
, an "Orson Welles Award" in the California Film Awards, and "Honorable Mention" in the Los Angeles Movie Awards. It received the "Special Recognition Award" and was nominated for "Best Feature Film" and "Best Special Effects" at the Indy Horror Film Festival. It has also been awarded the prestigious "Official Best of Fest Award" in two categories by Rick Stevenson
's international competition, which places the film in the top 5% out of the 30,000 short films and 7,000 feature films considered by the committee that includes members of the Sundance Institute
.
Doc Rotten, a full-time critic who writes for numerous film review websites, including HorrorNews.Net, gave the film a 6.5 out of 10 rating and stated that it "provides intense thrills and chills leaving the film with an exciting, frightening conclusion."
In an effort to boost publicity and persuade other indie filmmakers to follow suit, the Unaware producers announced in March 2011 that they had teamed up with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
by committing a significant percentage of the film's profits to charity, having already made a donation to the William J. Clinton Foundation in the name of the film.
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...
(1999), Unaware is an independent feature
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
presented in "found footage
Found footage (genre)
Found footage is a genre of filmmaking, especially horror, in which all or a substantial part of a film is presented as discovered film or video recordings, often left behind by missing or dead protagonists. The events onscreen are seen through the camera of one or more of the characters involved,...
" format. The producers have also followed in marketing the film to potential fans via Eventful
Eventful
Eventful is a web service which aims to help users search for, track, and share information about events. Eventful is a service of Eventful, Inc. from San Diego, California...
.
Plot
In July 2010, a vacationing couple discovered something disturbing on a ranch in rural Texas. Armed with a home camcorder, they captured their experience on video.Cast
As of 2011, a cast has not been revealed. The producers have also protested speculation that the film is a mockumentaryMockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
, fueling criticism towards the film.
Production
Production details have also been closely guarded. The budget remains unknown.According to the film's trailer and critic reviews, the film involves "evidence" relating to the 1947 Roswell UFO incident
Roswell UFO incident
The Roswell UFO Incident was the recovery of an object that crashed in the general vicinity of Roswell, New Mexico, in June or July 1947, allegedly an extra-terrestrial spacecraft and its alien occupants. Since the late 1970s the incident has been the subject of intense controversy and of...
. Audio from an original radio broadcast can be heard in the opening of the film's trailer and is used in the film as well. In addition, the film has no on-screen credits with exception to Sean Bardin, Robert Cooley, and Richard Allen Crook.
Release
Unaware premiered in North America at the Wanderings Film Festival in Huntsville, AlabamaHuntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
, on November 13, 2010. Subsequent premieres included the 12th annual Nevermore Film Festival in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
on February 18–19, 2011, and the 4th annual Indy Horror Film Festival in DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....
on March 6, 2011. The film is currently scheduled to premiere at the Bare Bones International Film Festival
Bare Bones International Film Festival
The Bare Bones International Film Festival was founded in 1999 by the Darkwood Film Arts Institute in the city of Muskogee, Oklahoma to showcase low-budget independent movies...
in Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
on April 25-May 1, 2011. The film has yet to receive a wide release; however, its producers have stated that they have several major distributors interested in a potential branding and theatrical deal.
Reception
As of March 2011, Unaware has won 6 awards and received 2 nominations, including an "Award of Merit" from the AccoladeAccolade Competition
The Accolade Competition is an international, non-traditional, virtual awards venue. Awards go to those filmmakers who produce fresh, standout entertainment, animation and compelling documentaries....
, an "Orson Welles Award" in the California Film Awards, and "Honorable Mention" in the Los Angeles Movie Awards. It received the "Special Recognition Award" and was nominated for "Best Feature Film" and "Best Special Effects" at the Indy Horror Film Festival. It has also been awarded the prestigious "Official Best of Fest Award" in two categories by Rick Stevenson
Rick Stevenson
Rick Stevenson is a writer, director, and producer from Seattle, Washington. In 2006, his film Expiration Date won both Audience and Jury Award for Best Film at the Omaha Film Festival and took Best Film honors at the American Indian Film Festival...
's international competition, which places the film in the top 5% out of the 30,000 short films and 7,000 feature films considered by the committee that includes members of the Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute
Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization founded by Robert Redford in 1981 that actively advances the work of filmmakers and storytellers worldwide...
.
Doc Rotten, a full-time critic who writes for numerous film review websites, including HorrorNews.Net, gave the film a 6.5 out of 10 rating and stated that it "provides intense thrills and chills leaving the film with an exciting, frightening conclusion."
In an effort to boost publicity and persuade other indie filmmakers to follow suit, the Unaware producers announced in March 2011 that they had teamed up with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a private, non-profit organization established in 1984 by the United States Congress.-Establishment and overview:...
by committing a significant percentage of the film's profits to charity, having already made a donation to the William J. Clinton Foundation in the name of the film.