Though Sanchez and Myrick first came up for the concept as film students at the University of Central Florida in 1991, they put their plans into action in 1996, and due to funding issues, they didn't start casting the film until 1997.
The movie was the most-talked about horror movie of the season, but it took years to become a reality. Just hours after the midnight screening, the two young directors sold the film to Artisan Entertainment for $1.1 million. Made with a budget of only $60,000, the film premiered at Sundance in 1999.
