Haunted Mansion Found Footage Fan Film 'Missing in the Mansion' - A Look-Back

By James H. Carter II

As we celebrate our tenth anniversary here at Creepy Kingdom, we are taking a look back at some of our favorite moments over the past 10 years. One of the very first non-Disney-produced films that we featured was a fan-made found-footage horror short titled MISSING IN THE MANSION directed by Jeremiah and Josh Daws.

The film takes place on July 6, 2012, when three friends go missing at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. A Cast Member stumbles upon a camera that belonged to the missing group which contained the following footage. It has not been altered in any way.

Although the genre of found-footage horror was basically created back in 1999 with The Blair Witch Project, the genre really took off after the release of Paranormal Activity in 2007. When MISSING IN THE MANSION was released in October of 2012, the genre was still fresh and new. Although it was not really known outside of the Disney fan community, I think it should be recognized as a smart and well-done early entry into the found-footage category.

Additionally, the film deserves extra kudos for being filmed unofficially inside a Disney theme park. This was before the controversial 2013 film, Escape From Tomorrow, which resulted in Disney added the “No filming on property for commercial use” rule to the theme parks’ code of conduct. (We will be revisiting our coverage of that film in the upcoming months.)

Whether it’s your first time or 999th time, you’ll always find something to enjoy with MISSING IN THE MANSION! And after you’re done, check out the behind the scenes featurette to learn how they pulled off making this film.