Though Goi was influenced by cases of child abduction in real life, it is not entirely based on one particular event. Not much is seen of Josh except for extremely brief and subtle glimpses in the middle of the movie, where Amy records herself under the bridge, footage of Josh kidnapping Megan from behind the diner (unclear, with his face out of view) and during the final scenes between him and Amy where parts of his body are occasionally seen (but never shown his face). Unfortunately, this is not the most heartbreaking facet of the scene. [7], It is one of the first computer screen films. The last twenty minutes of the film occur in Josh's basement when he reveals the internet predator he really is. The stuffed toy is the very symbol of Amys innocence and childhood. Megan was last seen on July 3, 2014, at her Fairfield, Illinois home and reported missing the next day. She had left her cell phone behind at the house. The remains of Megan Nichols, a 15-year-old who went missing in 2014, were positively identified on January 26, 2018, according to the FBI. He remains anonymous on video chat, claiming that he has a broken webcam. The movie follows the story of teens Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn) and her best friend Amy Herman (Amber Perkins). View our online Press Pack. It was even banned in New Zealand, with the country's Office of Film and Literature Classification stating: "The feature depicts sexual violence and sexual conduct involving young people to such an extent and degree, and in such a manner, that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good.

The movie follows the story of teens Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn)and her best friend Amy Herman (Amber Perkins). This travesty could befall anyone, from one of the most popular girls in school (Megan) to one of the most naive ones (Amy). At first, Amy begs for her life, telling the killer that he doesnt have to do this, she wont tell anyone, the usual. Megan Is Missing tells the story of Megan Stewart, a 14 year old who vanishes. Written, directed, edited and co-produced by Michael Goi, Megan Is Missing is a found footage psychological horror set in North Hollywood. Josh is a seventeen (so he claims) year old boy who the fourteen-year-old Megan meets on webcam. Before she can escape, Josh seizes Amy, stuffs her into the barrel with the dead body of Megan, and drives away with it with her still inside. 4 talking about this.

WebOn January 17, news reports reveal that Megan vanished and the last footage of her is from the diner's grainy security camera, showing her being grabbed by the wrist by an indistinct man. Despite several red flags and contradictions, Megan finds herself infatuated with him.

One month later, on January 26, 2018, authorities positively identified the remains as belonging to Megan. These two images, which caused an 18-year-old me to slam my laptop shut in utter disgust, are when Goi shows he isnt playing around here.

And while Megans body has been found, the questions of what happened to her are still unanswered. Psychological horror film Megan is Missing directed by Michael Goi is shot in a found-footage style and chronicles the days leading up to Megan Stewart's disappearance. When investigated, Amy's camera is found in the garbage. In her room, Megan's mother and grandmother found a note from Megan. Director Goi wrote the script in 10 days and shot the film over the course of a week. Billy Bear is present throughout, as the symbol of Amys destruction. Eventually, the FBI discovers a disturbing image that apparently shows Megan being tortured. "Basically it said, 'Mom, I love you but I'm never going to be happy here. Goi wrote the script in 10 days and shot the film over a week. The film was controversial upon its limited release due to its graphic and exploitative depiction of violence and rape and the overt sexualization of the fourteen-year-old titular protagonist. She begs for her teddy bear and he responds by making her eat food from a dog bowl without her hands. Though Amy screams, her pleas are without cause as Josh buries her alive and walks off, not to be seen again. They agree to meet at a party, but he fails to reveal himself. Investigators find her video camera in a garbage can.

Ward Weaver wasnt even caught because police finally realized maybe they should investigate the man the missing girl said raped her right before she went missing. He was taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail where he is being held without bond pending extradition to Illinois. "That's the same time Megan went on a bike ride earlier in the day before she went home not feeling well. Beaten his 5 months pregnant wife so badly she was hospitalized.

On Amy's birthday, she records a video diary on her new camera of her and Megan. "[9] The film placed sixth in the DEG Watched at Home Top 20 Chart for Week Ending November 21, 2020.[10]. Here's everything you need to know about the horror movie going viral on TikTok. The film was shot in 2006 but did not find distribution until Anchor Bay Films released it on DVD in 2011, intended to be a cautionary tale. Megan is a 14 year old who goes missing after meeting up with a man named Josh, who has become her online boyfriend. If you have any information regarding the circumstances surrounding Megans death, please contact the FBI at 217-522-9675.

A year after her daughter disappeared, Megans mom Kathy spoke to NBC affiliate 14 News. She says he told her about the murders and said he was planning to kill Miriah next. Also read |It Follows Ending Explained: Here's What Happened In The Terrifying Last Scene, Also read |'I May Destroy You' Ending Explained: 'Ego Death' Episode Explores Three Different Avenues. She confronts him online but forgives him when he accurately describes what she was wearing and insists he is shy.

The most gruesome aspects of Megan is Missing were, Im extremely sorry to tell you this, based on a real story: On January 9, 2002, a 12-year-old girl named Ashley Pond disappeared on the way to her school bus stop in Oregon City, OR. Before walking forward, Josh throws the barrel into the hole and fills it up, leaving Amy to die underground. Amy even tells him that she loves him and that no one will ever love and care for him the way she does. But on the left, we see the bottom of a blue barrel. But it is also a horror flick that seeks to educate its audience about the risk and prevalence of predators who use the internet to prey on children. [5] The film revolves around the days leading up to the disappearance of Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn), a popular high school student in North Hollywood who decided to meet up with a boy she was interacting with online, and the subsequent investigation launched by her best friend Amy Herman (Amber Perkins). "Josh" also known as the "Skaterdude", is the main antagonist of the 2011 found footage-horror film Megan Is Missing. [11] She attests this is because it was physically uncomfortable and mentally traumatizing when she realized what she was portraying. He was caught because his son, Francis Weaver, called the police on him because Ward tried to rape his sons 19-year-old girlfriend. The movies plot follows two teen girls who are best friends: outgoing Megan Stewart and shy Amy Herman. This moment will have you thinking two things. The film has been heavily criticised for its exploitative nature, poor acting, graphic violence inflicted upon the child protagonists, and over-sexualisation of young teenagers.

WebAfter Megan begins talking to a boy she met online, she disappears, leading Amy down a treacherous path in hopes of finding her. But when Megan meets a new guy online named Josh, their lives quickly take a violent turn.

[2] The vast majority of the cast were adolescents, and Goi required that their parents be on the set during filming due to the graphic nature of the film.

Her whereabouts remained a mystery for three years until human remains were found on December 26, 2017. A few months later Ashley Ponds best friend, 12-year-old Miranda Diane Gaddis, also disappeared. However, towards the end of the film, Josh reveals his true nature; a psychopathic and twisted stalker who tortured and murdered Megan, and is prepared to do the same to Amy, partly to prevent her from exposing him to the authorities, but mainly out of sadism. Brodey Ian Murbarger, 24, of Evansville, Indiana, was taken into custody outside his place of employment and transported to the Vanderburgh County Jail, according to a press release issued by the Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Office this week. Megan had been missing from nearby Fairfield, Illinois since July 3, 2014. And if you see the words photo number one pop up on your screen, you have about four seconds to shut off the movie if youre already kind of freaking out before you start seeing things that maybe you dont want to see.. This guided journal will help you moveon. Investigators assembled web-chat videos, home movies, and news reports chronicling their disappearances to bring awareness to the importance of online safety for children.

Written, directed, edited and co-produced by Michael Goi, Megan Is Missing is a found footage psychological horror set in North Hollywood. Been reported by a teacher at the girls school for kissing Ashley Pond on the lips when he dropped her off at school after a sleepover. It should serve as a wake-up call for parents everywhere. Klaaskids has also hosted fundraisers with Michael Goi where the movie is shown. The found-footage style movie revolves around the mysterious disappearance of Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn) and how her best friend, Amy Herman (Amber Perkins), is determined to find out the truth. Unknown

Inside the barrel is Amy, but we only hear her voice. Despite numerous pleas for freedom, Josh ignores Amy and continues with the task at hand. According to the Navigator Journal, Megan and Brodey Murbarger had previously dated. If anyone wants to still submit tips, they can, Ware told Dateline. Mirandas younger sister, Miriah Gaddis, visited Ward Weaver in jail. Her best friend Amy is worried about her and reaches out to the boy, Josh, who she believes kidnapped Megan. WebAfter Megan begins talking to a boy she met online, she disappears, leading Amy down a treacherous path in hopes of finding her. Megan Is Missing, directed by Michael Goi, is a cautionary tale about the dangers of strangers on the internet. On Sunday (Nov 15), the film's writer and director, Michael Goi, issued a warning after seeing the sudden surge in popularity of the movie.

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Warner Bros. Entertainment | Goi based the film on a series of real-life cases of child abduction. He then shows her a barrel and tells her to get into it so that when they leave, she will not know where he lives. Spoilers Ahead! Goals Goi says he wanted Megan is Missing to be as horrifying as possible so that he would scare real kids away from meeting strangers online. Josh even forces her to eat from the dog bowl. But FBI Public Information Officer Brad Ware could not confirm these details to Dateline due to the case being an ongoing investigation. Ad Choices. Sign up to receive breaking True Crime Daily news, exclusive stories and behind-the-scenes info. Lexie, one of Megan's party friends, gives her a social media handle to Josh, someone they think is a 17-year-old boy from a nearby school. The Weavers house was a few hundred yards from the girls bus stop. And if you see the words 'photo number one' pop up on your screen, you have about four seconds to shut off the movie if you're already kind of freaking out before you start seeing things that maybe you don't want to see". ", READ MORE: Is Andrew Braddock missing? The film starsAmber Perkins as Amy Herman, Rachel Quinn as Megan Stewart, Dean Waite as Josh, and Jael Elizabeth Steinmeyer as Lexie. But these words dont have any effect on Josh, who proceeds to shove the barrel in the cavity and cover the scene up with dirt. The use of "found footage" makes the movie feel realistic. He turns the teen girls he victimized into perpetrators of harm, like when he told Ashleys relative that Ashley had ruined their relationship by reporting his rape. Rachel Quinn, a seventeen-year-old aspiring actress, and dancer got cast in the eponymous role of Megan Stewart. I change my mind with every watch as I try to navigate the questionable ethics of this seminal found footage horror film. Slasher: Ripper Star Eric McCormack On Playing A Diabolical Character In The Shudder Series, Invoking Yell: Black Metal Meets Queer Women In New Chilean Found Footage [Unnamed Footage Festival 2023 Review], Stalker Star Stuart Brennan On The Claustrophobic New Thriller, This #1 Thriller Series Netflix Has Viewers Fired Up: Cancel the plans and press play, All The Horror Films Coming to Monsters & Nightmares in April 2023, The Artifice Girl Trailer: A New Twist On AI Horror, The Five Scariest Moments In Found Footage History [Video], 7 Found Footage Movies You Can Watch For Free On Youtube [Video], The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a Harrowing Found Footage Experience [The Overlook Motel], 5 Ultimate Found Footage Folk Horror Films. Kill the real Josh and use his identity to prey on the girls, mainly Megan and Amy (not mentioned or revealed, but highly likely to have succeeded).Rape and kill Megan and Amy (ultimately succeeded). But at what point does it become exploitation? Authorities arrested Brodey Ian Murbarger Wednesday in the 2014 cold-case murder of Megan Nichols. Before she can cry, Amy quickly hugs and comforts her. Megan's best friend, Amy, starts to feel left outand before deciding to meet in person behind a cafe, Megan introduces her to him. Users who misuse the template will be blocked for a week minimum. [11] The burial scene of Waite digging the large hole in the forest was filmed in real time. Full Name Before she can escape, Josh seizes Amy, stuffs her into the barrel with the dead body of Megan, and drives away with it with her still inside. This encounter makes Amy terrified because of Josh's threatening remarks and she reports him to the police when she sees surveillance video of Megan being kidnapped, which helps re-spark the investigation. Amy walks in on Megan performing oral sex on the party's host in exchange for drugs, leaving her shocked. WebMegan is missing (2011) Real found footage movie explained in Kannada | Horror thriller. ManipulationCharismaTorture methodsMurder methodsIntimidation An FBI spokesman told NBC that Megan's body was found in a rural location in Wayne County on December 26, 2017.. When the police decide to investigate, Josh becomes more hostile to Amy and tells her to keep her mouth shut, threatening her life. Alias I didnt get to give you the customary warnings that I used to give people before they watchedMegan is Missing, which are: do not watch the movie in the middle of the night, do not watch the movie alone, and if you see the words 'photo number one' pop up on your screen, you have about four seconds to shut off the movie if youre already freaking out, before you start seeing things that maybe you dont want to see. The role of the villain, Josh, was given to Australian actor Dean Waite. He kills Amy so she does not find out where he lives, despite promising to let her go (which turned out to be a lie). The platform is where the film has its largest audience since its release.

According to authorities, Megan withdrew money from a local bank while on her bicycle prior to her disappearance. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Another witness said that Wards live-in girlfriend was mad at him because he slept in the same bed as Ashley instead of his adult girlfriend. A hole meant for a still-alive Amy. In this article, we discuss the ending and the significance of the barrel scene. Megan Is Missing tells the story of Megan Stewart, a 14 year old who vanishes. Gaddis body was also found on the property. Im what youd call a glutton for punishment when it comes to horror movies. Do not watch this movie unless you can handle things ending about as bad as they can end for girls. The next moment we see her, Amy is in her underwear, tied to a leash. They went on to say that it relished in the spectacle of one girl's ordeal, including a three-minute rape scene. KidnappingSnuff filmingHebephilic rapeTortureStalkingMurderFraud (including identity theft)Abuse (psychological and physical)Unlawful imprisonmentLive burial The movies plot follows two teen girls who are best friends: outgoing Megan Stewart and shy Amy Herman. Now, 11 years and two more viewings later, I stand by my claim that it contains the most shocking and disturbing ending of a horror movie Ive ever seen. The words Photo #1 mark the beginning of the end of Megan is Missing as were shown two photos of a battered and tortured Megan shared on a fetish website. He pushes the barrel in and fills it up before picking up his flashlight and walking away. Make this guided journal your trusted friend during your journey to feeling whole again. Though horrifying and graphic, the film has been praised by Mark Klaas, founder of the Klaaskids Foundation and the father of Polly Klaas, a 12-year-old girl who was abducted from a slumber party and then molested and murdered by Richard Allen Davis in Petaluma, California in 1993. Ashley even moved in with the Weavers for a bit because her home life was unstable, however, Ashley moved home after taking a two-week vacation with the Weaver family to California during which Ward raped her. Quinn agreed to stay on the set, making it a more comfortable environment for her. Hobby Spoilers Ahead! It was shot over a week in 2008 with a small crew of only five people and a budget of $35,000. Ward Weaver is interesting, because he is a great example of how some predators act when they are caught that often tricks people into believing they are innocent because he was simply so adamant he wasnt involved. Both were abducted in 2007, then was murderd in 2008 Who was the killer in Megan Is Missing?