Shot as a traditional feature but with elements of “Lake Mungo”-style found footage, “Shelby Oaks” follows the aftermath of a woman named Mia (Camille Sullivan) trying to discover what happened when a group of paranormal investigators called The Paranormal Paranoids met their most dangerous investigation yet, as her sister Riley (Sarah Durn) was the leader of the group and has been missing for 12 years. The more Mia investigates, the more twisted the truth becomes, including a supernatural evil that has been following Riley since childhood. Thanks to the massive crowdfunding success, Stuckmann was also able to bring in genre legend Keith David in addition to cult film legend Brendan Sexton III, Michael Beach, Robin Bartlett, and Emily Bennett. Stuckmann even released clips of the Paranormal Paranoids anonymously to help draw up interest in their story and set the “based on a true story” tone like “The Blair Witch Project” – and it worked.

Paper Street Pictures producers Aaron B. Koontz, Cameron Burns, and Ashleigh Snead helped get the project off the ground, but it was when Intrepid Pictures’ Melinda Nishioka, Trevor Macy, and Mike Flanagan got involved that casual horror fans understood this was a legit feature and not just some hobbyist playing director. “It’s been inspiring to watch Chris working toward his dreams over the past few years, and the tenacity and DIY spirit he displayed while bringing ‘Shelby Oaks’ to life reminded me so much of my own journey over a decade ago,” Flanagan told Deadline. “It’s been an honor to walk a few steps with him on his path and to offer support for Chris’ vision for his ambitious, unique movie. I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.”

Flanagan’s name added some serious credibility to an already stellar project and certainly helped get the film on the radar of the recently announced distributor, the Academy Award-winning Neon. A crowdfunded movie by a YouTuber will soon be under the same umbrella of horror titles such as “Revenge,” “She Dies Tomorrow,” “Titane,” “Immaculate,” “Infinity Pool,” “Parasite,” the upcoming “Cuckoo,” and the massive hit currently sweeping the nation, “Longlegs.”