Also on the daily podcast: the stinking Seine and Blair Witch, 25 years on

Africa did not need cables to go mobile. To keep up with AI, now it does

The Intelligence - Africa did not need cables to go mobile. To keep up with AI, now it does | Podcasts | The Economist

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Down to the wires: Africa’s digital lag

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The dearth of fixed-line infrastructure that allowed the continent to leapfrog into the mobile-phone age now holds it back. We ask how to ensure the even spread of AI’s dividends. A stinking Seine has delayed the Olympic triathlon, but the river could one day help clean up Paris (7:09). And how “The Blair Witch Project” changed horror films (14:33). Runtime: 21 min

The dearth of fixed-line infrastructure that allowed the continent to leapfrog into the mobile-phone age now holds it back. We ask <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2024/07/25/how-to-ensure-africa-is-not-left-behind-by-the-ai-revolution?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" target="_blank">how to ensure</a> the even spread of AI’s dividends. A <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/07/25/the-seine-may-determine-athletes-success-at-the-paris-olympics?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" target="_blank">stinking Seine</a> has delayed the Olympic triathlon, but the river could one day help clean up Paris (7:09). And how “The Blair Witch Project” <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2024/07/23/how-the-blair-witch-project-changed-horror-films?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" target="_blank">changed horror films</a> (14:33). Runtime: 21 min

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The Intelligence 

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Rosie Blau [00:00:10] Hello, and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. I’m Rosie Blau.

Rosie Blau [00:00:10] Hello, and welcome to the intelligence from The Economist. I’m Rosie Blau.

Jason Palmer [00:00:14] And I’m Jason Palmer. Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Jason Palmer [00:00:14] And I’m Jason Palmer. Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Rosie Blau [00:00:25] Oh, Paris. The enchanting buildings, the tranquility of the sun. Or perhaps not. The Olympics has put the famous river in the news, and it’s making a bit of a stink.

Rosie Blau [00:00:25] Oh, Paris. The enchanting buildings, the tranquility of the sun. Or perhaps not. The Olympics has put the famous river in the news, and it’s making a bit of a stink.

Jason Palmer [00:00:39] And 25 years ago this month, The Blair Witch Project scared the crap out of me and a whole generation of cinema goers. Was it real if it wasn’t? Was the cast in on the ruse? We look at how one dirt cheap movie changed the whole genre. But first.

Jason Palmer [00:00:39] And 25 years ago this month, The Blair Witch Project scared the crap out of me and a whole generation of cinema goers. Was it real if it wasn’t? Was the cast in on the ruse? We look at how one dirt cheap movie changed the whole genre. But first.

Clip [00:01:10] Doing? Sending some MTN credit to my mum in Nigeria.

Clip [00:01:10] Doing? Sending some MTN credit to my mum in Nigeria.

Clip [00:01:14] So you send her the Pin number? Has a.

Clip [00:01:14] So you send her the Pin number? Has a.

Clip [00:01:16] Struggle. But no. I send the credit.

Clip [00:01:16] Struggle. But no. I send the credit.

Clip [00:01:18] Directly to her phone. She doesn’t have to do anything.

Clip [00:01:18] Directly to her phone. She doesn’t have to do anything.

Clip [00:01:21] It’s like magic.

Jason Palmer [00:01:27] Two decades ago, a digital revolution transformed the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. As mobile phones swept across sub-Saharan Africa. They allowed farmers to get weather forecasts. They allowed the unbanked to move mobile money around. They allowed people to just keep in touch. Now, artificial intelligence could spark another revolution that transforms lives. But weak digital infrastructure is holding the continent back. As you can hear, when we recently tried to speak to our newly minted Africa correspondent in Nigeria, my former co-host Ari Ogunbiyi.

Jason Palmer [00:01:27] Two decades ago, a digital revolution transformed the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. As mobile phones swept across sub-Saharan Africa. They allowed farmers to get weather forecasts. They allowed the unbanked to move mobile money around. They allowed people to just keep in touch. Now, artificial intelligence could spark another revolution that transforms lives. But weak digital infrastructure is holding the continent back. As you can hear, when we recently tried to speak to our newly minted Africa correspondent in Nigeria, my former co-host Ari Ogunbiyi.

Clip [00:02:07] No, no, that’s what happened. Okay. Oh. So. Okay.

Clip [00:02:07] No, no, that’s what happened. Okay. Oh. So. Okay.

Rosie Blau [00:02:13] We lost to you. At least here again. Okay.

Rosie Blau [00:02:13] We lost to you. At least here again. Okay.

Clip [00:02:17] You know what? Let me switch, internets. Give me a second. This is. This is the same moment I.

Clip [00:02:17] You know what? Let me switch, internets. Give me a second. This is. This is the same moment I.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:02:23] Unsec. Ever since moving back to Lagos, I’ve had to endure subpar internet speeds, freezing, and a whole lot of buffering. But it’s not just an annoyance that’s making streaming Netflix a bit difficult or just making my zoom calls a pain. These large infrastructure gaps in Africa are creating a new digital divide.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:02:23] Unsec. Ever since moving back to Lagos, I’ve had to endure subpar internet speeds, freezing, and a whole lot of buffering. But it’s not just an annoyance that’s making streaming Netflix a bit difficult or just making my zoom calls a pain. These large infrastructure gaps in Africa are creating a new digital divide.

Jason Palmer [00:02:46] Or paints a picture. What is internet service like in a general sense in Africa these days?

Jason Palmer [00:02:46] Or paints a picture. What is internet service like in a general sense in Africa these days?

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:02:50] More than two decades ago, The Economist calculated that all of Africa, the whole continent, had less international bandwidth than Brazil. And that was still true until just last year. So just to give you a sense of how behind things are, where I am in Nigeria, the average download speed of a wired internet is a 10th that of Denmark. And Nigeria has an even better than most other countries. I mean, I’m complaining, but at least I have fiber because most users are actually limited to mobile internet, which is even slower.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:02:50] More than two decades ago, The Economist calculated that all of Africa, the whole continent, had less international bandwidth than Brazil. And that was still true until just last year. So just to give you a sense of how behind things are, where I am in Nigeria, the average download speed of a wired internet is a 10th that of Denmark. And Nigeria has an even better than most other countries. I mean, I’m complaining, but at least I have fiber because most users are actually limited to mobile internet, which is even slower.

Jason Palmer [00:03:18] So why is it that far behind already?

Jason Palmer [00:03:18] So why is it that far behind already?

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:03:21] So one reason is actually the flipside of the success of the mobile boom. By prioritizing mobile, the phone operators prioritize connecting a whole bunch of people to landline. And so what happens is today, the continent still lacks a lot of that landline infrastructure. And it’s not because people need phones now, but those same cables, the telephone boxes that run into your house, can then be repurposed to give people fast fiber optic broadband. But in most African households, which have never had a landline, connecting people to fiber basically means starting from scratch.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:03:21] So one reason is actually the flipside of the success of the mobile boom. By prioritizing mobile, the phone operators prioritize connecting a whole bunch of people to landline. And so what happens is today, the continent still lacks a lot of that landline infrastructure. And it’s not because people need phones now, but those same cables, the telephone boxes that run into your house, can then be repurposed to give people fast fiber optic broadband. But in most African households, which have never had a landline, connecting people to fiber basically means starting from scratch.

Jason Palmer [00:03:52] And beyond, making it difficult to have an uninterrupted zoom call. What effects is that having on the continent?

Jason Palmer [00:03:52] And beyond, making it difficult to have an uninterrupted zoom call. What effects is that having on the continent?

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:03:59] Well, without good internet connectivity, Africa is going to miss out on most of the gains in productivity, employment and innovation and all the like. I mean, the AI boom that is taking the world by storm and all the economic potential that comes with it again could completely leave Africa behind. So consultancy reckons that I could add almost $16 trillion to the global economy by about 2030. McKinsey has a similar figure as well. But with Africa, even though it has 17% of the world’s population, its boost from AI is only going to be about 2.5% of its GDP. So that kind of gives you a sense of how much we could be losing out here.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:03:59] Well, without good internet connectivity, Africa is going to miss out on most of the gains in productivity, employment and innovation and all the like. I mean, the AI boom that is taking the world by storm and all the economic potential that comes with it again could completely leave Africa behind. So consultancy reckons that I could add almost $16 trillion to the global economy by about 2030. McKinsey has a similar figure as well. But with Africa, even though it has 17% of the world’s population, its boost from AI is only going to be about 2.5% of its GDP. So that kind of gives you a sense of how much we could be losing out here.

Jason Palmer [00:04:37] And that’s really down to a lack of infrastructure that the much of the rest of the world enjoys.

Jason Palmer [00:04:37] And that’s really down to a lack of infrastructure that the much of the rest of the world enjoys.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:04:42] Well, exactly. And it’s not just poor internet. It’s also data sensors, which are a vital piece, especially for AI, but also just for cloud computing and a bunch of other things that we need the internet for, like Netflix. Africa has far fewer of those than it needs. And without enough data centers, basically all the content that you’re trying to load up on your screen needs to travel even further. So cities like Marseille or Amsterdam and that then needs to lags. So if you build more of those data centers closer to users and host more data locally, then basically your bridges and loads a bit quicker. So you need more data centers. But all these new data centers will also need more energy, which adds to the burden that the continent already has when it comes to energy. I mean, Africa is so short of electricity that 600 million Africans have no power at all. Nigeria, where I am, suffers 4600 hours of outages on average a year. So sometimes my zoom calls are just cut off because there’s no power. And then you have renewables that could fill the gap, but then they’re a little bit too erratic to constantly supply a data center. So yeah it’s part of a bigger infrastructure problem basically.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:04:42] Well, exactly. And it’s not just poor internet. It’s also data sensors, which are a vital piece, especially for AI, but also just for cloud computing and a bunch of other things that we need the internet for, like Netflix. Africa has far fewer of those than it needs. And without enough data centers, basically all the content that you’re trying to load up on your screen needs to travel even further. So cities like Marseille or Amsterdam and that then needs to lags. So if you build more of those data centers closer to users and host more data locally, then basically your bridges and loads a bit quicker. So you need more data centers. But all these new data centers will also need more energy, which adds to the burden that the continent already has when it comes to energy. I mean, Africa is so short of electricity that 600 million Africans have no power at all. Nigeria, where I am, suffers 4600 hours of outages on average a year. So sometimes my zoom calls are just cut off because there’s no power. And then you have renewables that could fill the gap, but then they’re a little bit too erratic to constantly supply a data center. So yeah it’s part of a bigger infrastructure problem basically.

Jason Palmer [00:05:50] So an enormous shortfall in infrastructure the way you’re describing it here, I mean, what is to be done, do you think?

Jason Palmer [00:05:50] So an enormous shortfall in infrastructure the way you’re describing it here, I mean, what is to be done, do you think?

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:05:55] Well, there are a few things. Firstly, governments across the region need to chill out with regulation. And I think that’s a lesson that they can learn from the mobile boom cutting red tape for the private sector. So take Starlink for example, Elon Musk’s satellite internet. They could be a really useful tool, especially in connecting the more far flung rural areas. But regulators across the region just keep looking at even in South Africa, which is poised to be a frontrunner when it comes to this tech. In addition to that, government is also taxing this industry quite heavily, which drives up the cost of data for consumers and also discourages people from investing in it and providing it. Basically, governments need to just kind of get out of the way. But it’s not just governments. I mean, development institutions too, could definitely do a lot more to prioritize these parts and infrastructure because it has lots of developmental benefits as well. So investing in IT and encouraging investment in IT could help Africa catch up with rich countries instead of seeing them fall further behind.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:05:55] Well, there are a few things. Firstly, governments across the region need to chill out with regulation. And I think that’s a lesson that they can learn from the mobile boom cutting red tape for the private sector. So take Starlink for example, Elon Musk’s satellite internet. They could be a really useful tool, especially in connecting the more far flung rural areas. But regulators across the region just keep looking at even in South Africa, which is poised to be a frontrunner when it comes to this tech. In addition to that, government is also taxing this industry quite heavily, which drives up the cost of data for consumers and also discourages people from investing in it and providing it. Basically, governments need to just kind of get out of the way. But it’s not just governments. I mean, development institutions too, could definitely do a lot more to prioritize these parts and infrastructure because it has lots of developmental benefits as well. So investing in IT and encouraging investment in IT could help Africa catch up with rich countries instead of seeing them fall further behind.

Jason Palmer [00:06:52] Ore. Great to have you back on the show. Thanks for joining us.

Jason Palmer [00:06:52] Ore. Great to have you back on the show. Thanks for joining us.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:06:55] Thanks, Jason. It’s great to be back.

Ore Ogunbiyi [00:06:55] Thanks, Jason. It’s great to be back.

Sophie Pedder [00:07:11] It was an amazing event. It was just an extraordinary spectacle. It really was to me, the best of Paris, both past and future.

Sophie Pedder [00:07:11] It was an amazing event. It was just an extraordinary spectacle. It really was to me, the best of Paris, both past and future.

Rosie Blau [00:07:21] As the economist Paris bureau chief Sophie Pedder was lucky enough to watch the Olympic opening ceremony in person.

Rosie Blau [00:07:21] As the economist Paris bureau chief Sophie Pedder was lucky enough to watch the Olympic opening ceremony in person.

Sophie Pedder [00:07:28] It was timeless elegance against crazy, chaotic, disorderly, dancing, mad visual scenes we had. Marie Antoinette had chopped off. We had blood pouring out of the Conciergerie. Then we had the Republican Guard. Very formal defense of the French Republic. Dancing and swaying to eye in a camera. The French franc Kamali and singer. It was just a sort of burlesque, really. And it was fabulous. Off the went the boats down the sand, cheering from the sides of the rivers as each national team went by. And I watched all this from the rooftop right above the pond. And it really was, I thought, completely sensational.

Sophie Pedder [00:07:28] It was timeless elegance against crazy, chaotic, disorderly, dancing, mad visual scenes we had. Marie Antoinette had chopped off. We had blood pouring out of the Conciergerie. Then we had the Republican Guard. Very formal defense of the French Republic. Dancing and swaying to eye in a camera. The French franc Kamali and singer. It was just a sort of burlesque, really. And it was fabulous. Off the went the boats down the sand, cheering from the sides of the rivers as each national team went by. And I watched all this from the rooftop right above the pond. And it really was, I thought, completely sensational.

Rosie Blau [00:08:11] And it was very unusual, possibly unique, that Paris chose not to hold the opening ceremony in a stadium and instead use the whole city as a backdrop. Is that right?

Rosie Blau [00:08:11] And it was very unusual, possibly unique, that Paris chose not to hold the opening ceremony in a stadium and instead use the whole city as a backdrop. Is that right?

Sophie Pedder [00:08:21] That’s exactly right. The whole idea was to make Paris the backdrop, because there is hardly any other city in the world you can imagine that would provide such a stunning visual scene on which to enact this spectacle. And so the river became the stage.

Sophie Pedder [00:08:21] That’s exactly right. The whole idea was to make Paris the backdrop, because there is hardly any other city in the world you can imagine that would provide such a stunning visual scene on which to enact this spectacle. And so the river became the stage.

Rosie Blau [00:08:38] But in just a few short days, the sun has gone from being the subject of glory to something of an embarrassment, hasn’t it? The men’s triathlon that was due to be held this morning is being postponed until tomorrow at the earliest because of pollution.

Rosie Blau [00:08:38] But in just a few short days, the sun has gone from being the subject of glory to something of an embarrassment, hasn’t it? The men’s triathlon that was due to be held this morning is being postponed until tomorrow at the earliest because of pollution.

Sophie Pedder [00:08:51] But it’s obviously a huge disappointment for Paris. Is it really hoped to have that emblematic moment with the men’s swimming down the sand today? They’ve spent an absolute fortune on trying to clean this up. The total bill has come to €1.4 billion. It’s been a long time in the planning, but every time there’s heavy rain flow, there is still dangerous, often human fecal matter that is swept into the sand and it drives the levels of bacteria up to unsafe levels. The mayor of Paris herself and her dog, as she had swum in the sand only recently to show that it was possible to do. They want to make the city clean for residents in future to be able to swim at bathing sites. So it’s a lot of disappointment in Paris today about this.

Sophie Pedder [00:08:51] But it’s obviously a huge disappointment for Paris. Is it really hoped to have that emblematic moment with the men’s swimming down the sand today? They’ve spent an absolute fortune on trying to clean this up. The total bill has come to €1.4 billion. It’s been a long time in the planning, but every time there’s heavy rain flow, there is still dangerous, often human fecal matter that is swept into the sand and it drives the levels of bacteria up to unsafe levels. The mayor of Paris herself and her dog, as she had swum in the sand only recently to show that it was possible to do. They want to make the city clean for residents in future to be able to swim at bathing sites. So it’s a lot of disappointment in Paris today about this.

Rosie Blau [00:09:43] Well, let’s hope that the race does take place tomorrow, and that the vision of all these athletes in the river will banish all sort of shit in the sand. But after this Olympic River activity ends, we’ll be returning to a beautiful, tranquil tourist river. Is that right?

Rosie Blau [00:09:43] Well, let’s hope that the race does take place tomorrow, and that the vision of all these athletes in the river will banish all sort of shit in the sand. But after this Olympic River activity ends, we’ll be returning to a beautiful, tranquil tourist river. Is that right?

Sophie Pedder [00:09:56] Well, it’s interesting because that is the vision most people have of Paris. But in fact, the river basin has huge amounts of commercial traffic. If you go and look and stand on one of the bridges, you will see barges going up and down carrying sand, cement, cereal, barley, wheat that’s come down from the agricultural regions further upstream and gets transferred onto barges taken through the river and down the river for export. And I went on a container ship, actually from the Paris docks. So a huge container ship longer than a soccer field to see how the river is used for very different sorts of commercial activities.

Sophie Pedder [00:09:56] Well, it’s interesting because that is the vision most people have of Paris. But in fact, the river basin has huge amounts of commercial traffic. If you go and look and stand on one of the bridges, you will see barges going up and down carrying sand, cement, cereal, barley, wheat that’s come down from the agricultural regions further upstream and gets transferred onto barges taken through the river and down the river for export. And I went on a container ship, actually from the Paris docks. So a huge container ship longer than a soccer field to see how the river is used for very different sorts of commercial activities.

Rosie Blau [00:10:35] Sounds like fantastic tourism to go on a container ship on the sand. What did you see?

Rosie Blau [00:10:35] Sounds like fantastic tourism to go on a container ship on the sand. What did you see?

Sophie Pedder [00:10:40] Well, you know, obviously we got kitted out first with lifejackets as you do this. I don’t know, and were given a sort of security drill because these are big vessels that are taking cargo, all sorts. It can be cars, sometimes luxury goods, champagne, wine, anything that is destined for export. And it’s taken downriver to look at the channel port and then on to markets around the world. But what’s astonishing is that the port of Paris, where we set off from, is this vast port almost hidden. You wouldn’t know from the river. It’s there. It’s hidden behind sort of banks of grasses. If you look at some of the early 20th century paintings of the sun, you can see how much traffic they used to be that were barges filled with coal, with words, with wine moored end to end along the keys. And there was at one point before the Second World War, three times more cargo was transported up and down the river than is the case today. And there’s still quite an impressive amount of traffic that’s nearly 20 million tonnes of goods transported each year. But often when Paris thinks about how to create a greener city, it’s always about public metros. It’s about cycling more, it’s about walking. But it’s not often about the river. And that’s the bit of the puzzle that sometimes gets overlooked.

Sophie Pedder [00:10:40] Well, you know, obviously we got kitted out first with lifejackets as you do this. I don’t know, and were given a sort of security drill because these are big vessels that are taking cargo, all sorts. It can be cars, sometimes luxury goods, champagne, wine, anything that is destined for export. And it’s taken downriver to look at the channel port and then on to markets around the world. But what’s astonishing is that the port of Paris, where we set off from, is this vast port almost hidden. You wouldn’t know from the river. It’s there. It’s hidden behind sort of banks of grasses. If you look at some of the early 20th century paintings of the sun, you can see how much traffic they used to be that were barges filled with coal, with words, with wine moored end to end along the keys. And there was at one point before the Second World War, three times more cargo was transported up and down the river than is the case today. And there’s still quite an impressive amount of traffic that’s nearly 20 million tonnes of goods transported each year. But often when Paris thinks about how to create a greener city, it’s always about public metros. It’s about cycling more, it’s about walking. But it’s not often about the river. And that’s the bit of the puzzle that sometimes gets overlooked.

Rosie Blau [00:12:07] And could the river do more heavy lifting?

Rosie Blau [00:12:07] And could the river do more heavy lifting?

Sophie Pedder [00:12:08] Well, when I spoke to Stephan, who’s the director of rope, that’s the firm that links together the ports of Paris with River and love. He very much thinks that there could be a lot more done to transport goods along the river. It’s a very quiet form of transport, of course. And when they have more hydrogen fueled barges, it’ll be quieter still. I went upstream to the port to Bessy. Now, that used to be the center of wine distribution for France. These days it’s pretty quiet. There’s very little going on. But on the side there, I found a whole row of electric vans waiting for Ikea to deliver by barge. Entire pre-packed orders for home delivery within Paris. And every morning at about 5 a.m. before dawn, the barge arrives with these crates that put onto the electric vehicles and off they go. So it felt like a good example of what could be done in Paris to use the river more and make the transport greener.

Sophie Pedder [00:12:08] Well, when I spoke to Stephan, who’s the director of rope, that’s the firm that links together the ports of Paris with River and love. He very much thinks that there could be a lot more done to transport goods along the river. It’s a very quiet form of transport, of course. And when they have more hydrogen fueled barges, it’ll be quieter still. I went upstream to the port to Bessy. Now, that used to be the center of wine distribution for France. These days it’s pretty quiet. There’s very little going on. But on the side there, I found a whole row of electric vans waiting for Ikea to deliver by barge. Entire pre-packed orders for home delivery within Paris. And every morning at about 5 a.m. before dawn, the barge arrives with these crates that put onto the electric vehicles and off they go. So it felt like a good example of what could be done in Paris to use the river more and make the transport greener.

Rosie Blau [00:13:10] So the future is a working Cen with much more functionality then.

Rosie Blau [00:13:10] So the future is a working Cen with much more functionality then.

Sophie Pedder [00:13:15] Of course it depends, I suppose, how much more commerce you put on this. Then I think that there could be a conflict if it got to the point where tourists felt that every time they tried to take that photo from the bridge and under their feet was going a barge full of waste, it might not be the picture they wanted, but I think from listening to people who are working on exactly this subject, I got the impression that it could do a lot more without necessarily reaching a point where the sun felt too chockablock with commercial vehicles spoiling the view.

Sophie Pedder [00:13:15] Of course it depends, I suppose, how much more commerce you put on this. Then I think that there could be a conflict if it got to the point where tourists felt that every time they tried to take that photo from the bridge and under their feet was going a barge full of waste, it might not be the picture they wanted, but I think from listening to people who are working on exactly this subject, I got the impression that it could do a lot more without necessarily reaching a point where the sun felt too chockablock with commercial vehicles spoiling the view.

Rosie Blau [00:13:48] What, if any, city can get the esthetics versus functionality right? I’m sure it will be Paris that manages it. Sophie, thank you so much. Enjoyed the Olympics.

Rosie Blau [00:13:48] What, if any, city can get the esthetics versus functionality right? I’m sure it will be Paris that manages it. Sophie, thank you so much. Enjoyed the Olympics.

Sophie Pedder [00:13:55] Thanks very much, I will do.

Sophie Pedder [00:13:55] Thanks very much, I will do.

Rosie Blau [00:14:10] Have you already listened to the first four episodes of boom! Our new podcast on the generation that blew up American politics? If not, you’re going to.

Rosie Blau [00:14:10] Have you already listened to the first four episodes of boom! Our new podcast on the generation that blew up American politics? If not, you’re going to.

Rosie Blau [00:14:19] And sound really uncool. The first one is free. You’ll have to subscribe to listen to the rest. Go on. Listen. Boom! It’s brilliant.

Rosie Blau [00:14:19] And sound really uncool. The first one is free. You’ll have to subscribe to listen to the rest. Go on. Listen. Boom! It’s brilliant.

John Bleasdale [00:14:36] In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Bearcats Ville, Maryland while shooting a documentary. A year later, the footage was found.

John Bleasdale [00:14:36] In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Bearcats Ville, Maryland while shooting a documentary. A year later, the footage was found.

Jason Palmer [00:14:51] John Bleasdale writes about films for The Economist.

Jason Palmer [00:14:51] John Bleasdale writes about films for The Economist.

John Bleasdale [00:14:55] The tag line was designed to confuse fact and fiction, and create doubt in the viewer’s mind as to exactly what they were seeing. Was this a movie? Was this a documentary? Were the people involved actually harmed? When The Blair Witch Project premiered 25 years ago at the Sundance Film Festival. Fliers were distributed by the publicity department, featuring the faces of the protagonists, with a phone number asking anybody who had information to call a local sheriff’s office. Thus furthering the confusion. This campaign of posters and fliers and word of mouth, coupled with one of the earliest internet campaigns of any movie, was a huge success in creating massive buzz for a movie with an extremely low budget. The film had cost a mere $35,000 to shoot. Post-production boosted that budget by about ten times, a figure to $300,000, but the film would then go on to earn a whopping $250 million, making it dollar for dollar one of the most profitable films of all time. Not only was the film commercially successful, it became a cultural phenomenon. Arguably the first film to go viral. The Blair Witch Project is probably the most famous example of a found footage film that is a horror film which purports to be taken from existing footage filmed by people while things are really happening. The daily violence of the strong.

John Bleasdale [00:14:55] The tag line was designed to confuse fact and fiction, and create doubt in the viewer’s mind as to exactly what they were seeing. Was this a movie? Was this a documentary? Were the people involved actually harmed? When The Blair Witch Project premiered 25 years ago at the Sundance Film Festival. Fliers were distributed by the publicity department, featuring the faces of the protagonists, with a phone number asking anybody who had information to call a local sheriff’s office. Thus furthering the confusion. This campaign of posters and fliers and word of mouth, coupled with one of the earliest internet campaigns of any movie, was a huge success in creating massive buzz for a movie with an extremely low budget. The film had cost a mere $35,000 to shoot. Post-production boosted that budget by about ten times, a figure to $300,000, but the film would then go on to earn a whopping $250 million, making it dollar for dollar one of the most profitable films of all time. Not only was the film commercially successful, it became a cultural phenomenon. Arguably the first film to go viral. The Blair Witch Project is probably the most famous example of a found footage film that is a horror film which purports to be taken from existing footage filmed by people while things are really happening. The daily violence of the strong.

Clip [00:16:45] Overcoming the week. Jack.

Clip [00:16:45] Overcoming the week. Jack.

John Bleasdale [00:16:51] One of the first really influential found footage films was a 1980 shocker from Italian filmmaker Ruggiero Deodato called Cannibal Holocaust ready. Okay. This film is extremely gruesome and not for the faint hearted. And though appreciated by horror aficionados, many of the film covers were unaware of the film when The Blair Witch Project hit the cinemas. In some ways, The Cannibal Holocaust was a victim of its own success. The actors all signed contracts which forbade them from doing publicity for a year while the film was in cinemas. This led many to believe that the actors had in fact been killed during the film, and what was being shown was, in effect, a snuff movie. Oh my God, you look a little blurry.

John Bleasdale [00:16:51] One of the first really influential found footage films was a 1980 shocker from Italian filmmaker Ruggiero Deodato called Cannibal Holocaust ready. Okay. This film is extremely gruesome and not for the faint hearted. And though appreciated by horror aficionados, many of the film covers were unaware of the film when The Blair Witch Project hit the cinemas. In some ways, The Cannibal Holocaust was a victim of its own success. The actors all signed contracts which forbade them from doing publicity for a year while the film was in cinemas. This led many to believe that the actors had in fact been killed during the film, and what was being shown was, in effect, a snuff movie. Oh my God, you look a little blurry.

Clip [00:17:48] Now let me zoom out on you. Okay.

Clip [00:17:48] Now let me zoom out on you. Okay.

John Bleasdale [00:17:50] The Blair Witch Project tells the story of three student filmmakers who decide to go into the woods to discover the facts around a local legend involving the titular Blair Witch.

John Bleasdale [00:17:50] The Blair Witch Project tells the story of three student filmmakers who decide to go into the woods to discover the facts around a local legend involving the titular Blair Witch.

Clip [00:18:04] How to stay alive.

John Bleasdale [00:18:05] However, things soon start to go wrong as strange noises are heard. At night, small piles of stone start to appear, and the gang of three intrepid explorers can’t find their way back to the car. Rewatching the film a quarter of a century after it was first released, is an exercise in timeless terror. For all its use of modern technology. This is a film that plays into an elite of mystic fear being lost in the woods, with Knight closing in. It manages to create this fear with no special effects, no gore, no monsters, no CGI, just the sense that things are making noises close by or far away and we don’t know what they are. The acting is completely convincing. And unlike many horror films, we actually do care what happens to these three who really haven’t done anything wrong. Especially Heather Donahue, who is the leader of the group and who finally finds herself taking responsibility for what she has unwittingly brought them to.

John Bleasdale [00:18:05] However, things soon start to go wrong as strange noises are heard. At night, small piles of stone start to appear, and the gang of three intrepid explorers can’t find their way back to the car. Rewatching the film a quarter of a century after it was first released, is an exercise in timeless terror. For all its use of modern technology. This is a film that plays into an elite of mystic fear being lost in the woods, with Knight closing in. It manages to create this fear with no special effects, no gore, no monsters, no CGI, just the sense that things are making noises close by or far away and we don’t know what they are. The acting is completely convincing. And unlike many horror films, we actually do care what happens to these three who really haven’t done anything wrong. Especially Heather Donahue, who is the leader of the group and who finally finds herself taking responsibility for what she has unwittingly brought them to.

Clip [00:19:24] I am so, so sorry for everything that has happened.

Clip [00:19:24] I am so, so sorry for everything that has happened.

John Bleasdale [00:19:31] Some of these performances were, to a degree, provoked by the filming conditions in which the director insisted that the real names be used as part of the film, and also the film crew would move things around at night, disturb their sleep and generally make them feel similar to the state of mind and distress that their characters would feel. The long term legacy of The Blair Witch Project is far reaching. There were a whole swathe of found footage horror movies that followed in its wake from the massively successful Paranormal Activity, to films such as the Spanish horror film wreck. More directly, The Blair Witch Project also inspired direct sequels. Book of Shadows Blair Witch two was critically panned, and there have since been remakes of the original cast, but none of them captured that Zeit Geist, which the 25 year old horror movie had managed. To.

John Bleasdale [00:19:31] Some of these performances were, to a degree, provoked by the filming conditions in which the director insisted that the real names be used as part of the film, and also the film crew would move things around at night, disturb their sleep and generally make them feel similar to the state of mind and distress that their characters would feel. The long term legacy of The Blair Witch Project is far reaching. There were a whole swathe of found footage horror movies that followed in its wake from the massively successful Paranormal Activity, to films such as the Spanish horror film wreck. More directly, The Blair Witch Project also inspired direct sequels. Book of Shadows Blair Witch two was critically panned, and there have since been remakes of the original cast, but none of them captured that Zeit Geist, which the 25 year old horror movie had managed. To.

Rosie Blau [00:21:01] That’s all for this episode of The Intelligence. Let us know what you think of the show. You can get in touch a podcast@economist.com. We’ll see you back here tomorrow.

Rosie Blau [00:21:01] That’s all for this episode of The Intelligence. Let us know what you think of the show. You can get in touch a podcast@economist.com. We’ll see you back here tomorrow.

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