Death of a Vlogger

Lore & Background

The film's plot follows Graham, a once-popular vlogger whose viewership is declining. He gains a surge in popularity after capturing evidence of the supernatural during a livestream and teams up with online ghost hunter Steve to capitalize on it. Professional journalist and debunker Alice exposes the initial haunting as fake, providing video of Graham and Steve admitting all subsequent videos were false. Graham suffers a harsh fallout, while Steve and Graham's partner Erin escape with little scorn. An insincere apology video worsens matters when a ghostly apparition appears in the background. Graham becomes increasingly unhinged, attacking Steve, and eventually admits to Erin he needs help but wants one more night in his flat to clear his name. During that night, he is attacked by a ghostly figure, caught in a spatial loop, and falls down the stairs, passing out.

Reader's Guide

Death of a Vlogger is significant as a Scottish horror mockumentary that received mostly positive reviews from the horror community. Rafael of slashfilm.com rated it 9/10, calling it 'a twisted story of warped perceptions, megalomania, the victims in the middle of media manipulation and our own obsession with online cruelty.' Matt Glasby of Total Film gave it 4/5 stars, stating 'Hughes pulls off a real coup with this frightening faux-documentary.' However, Damien Riley from Horrornews.net was more critical, saying 'if you are looking for Death of a Vlogger to be the next great horror mockumentary, I'm afraid you will be let down.' The film was long-listed for a BIFA Discovery Award. Its legacy lies in its ambiguous ending, which leaves viewers to determine how much of the haunting—and Graham's apparent suicide by hanging—was real, challenging perceptions of truth in the digital age.

Did You Know?

• The film premiered at the 2019 London FrightFest Film Festival.
• It was long-listed for a BIFA Discovery Award.
• The cast includes Graham Hughes as Graham, Annabel Logan as Erin, and Paddy Kondracki as Steve.
• The film's ending shows Graham attacked by a ghostly figure, caught in a spatial loop, and falling down the stairs before passing out, leaving the reality ambiguous.