Dane DeHaan, Michael B. Jordan and Alex Russell star in Josh Trank’s Chronicle. Courtesy of Diyah Pera/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

Whenever I’m ready to write off the “found footage genre” as passé, another handheld, faux vérité doc will come along and surprise me with its freshness and invention. Earlier this year, Josh Trank’s “Chronicle” became the latest found footage film to dazzle me with its triumphant fusion of naturalistic characterizations and ingenious effects. The film inspired me and Nick Allen of TheScorecardReview.com to take a closer look at the ever-popular genre and its origins in independent cinema. Below, you’ll find our podcast, as well as the trailer for “V/H/S,” an anthology of found footage horror films that received great buzz on the festival circuit and features the work of gifted indie directors such as Joe Swanberg, Ti West, Adam Wingard, Glenn McQuaid, David Bruckner and the group known as “Radio Silence.” The film will be available on VOD beginning August 31st and will receive a limited theatrical run on October 5th.

The program was produced at Columbia College Chicago. Technical producers were David Pierczynski and Rebecca Nystedt. An Indie Outlook Production.