In the subgenre of analog horror, there’s something sinister or supernatural lurking in the horizontal lines and vertical holds in those old VHS tapes. Filmmaker Chris LaMartina explains why he wanted his movies WNUF Halloween Special and Out There Halloween Mega Tape to seem like live broadcasts taped off local TV news in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I talk with podcasters Perry Carpenter and Mason Amadeus from the show Digital Folklore about how The Internet became our new campfire to tell spooky stories. Plus, we hear from Alex Hera, director of the documentary The History of Analog Horror, and folk horror lecturer Diane A. Rodgers of Sheffield University about why people born in the digital age want to tell horror stories set in the distant yet familiar era of VCRs. In this episode we also discuss The Mandela Catalog, Local 58, and The Backrooms.This episode is sponsored by Birds of Empire, and Brilliant. Our ad partner is Multitude. If you’re interested in advertising on Imaginary Worlds, you can contact them here.Visit brilliant.org/imaginaryworlds to get 20% off Brilliant's annual premium subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the subgenre of analog horror, there’s something sinister or supernatural lurking in the horizontal lines and vertical holds in those old VHS tapes. Filmmaker <a href="https://wnuf.bigcartel.com/">Chris LaMartina</a> explains why he wanted his movies <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104078/">WNUF Halloween Special</a> and <a href="https://wnuf.bigcartel.com/product/out-there-halloween-mega-tape-aka-wnuf-halloween-sequel-bundle">Out There Halloween Mega Tape</a> to seem like live broadcasts taped off local TV news in the ‘80s and ‘90s. I talk with podcasters <a href="https://www.8thlayermedia.com/">Perry Carpenter and Mason Amadeus</a> from the show <a href="https://digitalfolklore.fm/">Digital Folklore</a> about how The Internet became our new campfire to tell spooky stories. Plus, we hear from Alex Hera, director of the documentary <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I_4ph-L19U&amp;t=2s">The History of Analog Horror</a>, and folk horror lecturer <a href="https://www.shu.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/staff-profiles/diane-rodgers#firstSection">Diane A. Rodgers</a> of Sheffield University about why people born in the digital age want to tell horror stories set in the distant yet familiar era of VCRs. In this episode we also discuss <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8d12w6pMos&amp;list=PLB-0ZvR1xuqLeKbh7Z0Y2do_zOlH3WJhW">The Mandela Catalog</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@LOCAL58TV">Local 58,</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@kanepixels">The Backrooms</a>.This episode is sponsored by <a href="https://qcodemedia.com/birds-of-empire">Birds of Empire</a>, and <a href="http://brilliant.org/imaginaryworlds">Brilliant</a>. Our ad partner is <a href="https://multitude.productions/">Multitude</a>. If you’re interested in advertising on Imaginary Worlds, you can contact them <a href="https://multitude.productions/ads">here</a>.Visit brilliant.org/imaginaryworlds to get 20% off Brilliant's annual premium subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Imaginary Worlds

Monsters in the Static

Oh my goodness, thank you so much for sharing this with me. 
I LOVED this episode. The break down of analogue horror and why it scares us was so much fun to listen to. I also loved listening to the creator of WNUF Halloween because capitalism's insatiable hunger to monetize can be a terrifying thought and I love how the creator tried to home in on that. 
I need more thoughtful story breakdowns like this, especially in regards to an entire genre. 

Oh snap, this sounds amazing!
Going on my "Listen Next" list. 

Chris Ng this might be right up your alley

Yeah, this was awesome. Great job Eric Molinsky 👏 

I didn't want this ep to end! So many great examples of how past technology continues to fascinate and even haunt us.

Imaginary Worlds sounds like what would happen if NPR went to ComicCon and decided that’s all they ever wanted to cover. Host Eric Molinsky spent over a decade working as a public radio reporter and producer, and he uses those skills to create thoughtful, sound-rich episodes about science fiction, fantasy, and other genres of speculative fiction. Every other week, he talks with comic book artists, game designers, novelists, screenwriters, filmmakers, and fans about how they craft their worlds, why we suspend our disbelief, and what happens if the spell is broken. Imaginary worlds may be set on distant planets or parallel dimensions, but they are crafted here on Earth, and they’re always about us and our lived experiences.

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