Steven Jay Schneider (born January 25, 1974) is an American film producer, author and former critic best known for his work in the horror genre. He is the founder of Room 101, Inc. and co-founded Spooky Pictures with Roy Lee. He is best known for his involvement in the Paranormal Activity and Insidious franchises, as well as producing the films Blair Witch (2016), Pet Sematary (2019), Watcher (2022), Late Night with the Devil (2023), Strange Darling (2023), The Plague (2025), The Long Walk (2025) and Hokum (2026).
Education Schneider went to Hunter College High School, and later received a master's degree in philosophy from the University of London.
Career Schneider gained prominence through his involvement in the Paranormal Activity franchise. Blumhouse Productions founder Jason Blum credits Schneider as the person who identified Paranormal Activity and brought the project to his attention. With Blum and Oren Peli, Schneider co-produced the horror film Insidious, which was made for $1.5 million and grossed over $100 million worldwide and spawned a franchise. Other films that Schneider produced include The Lords of Salem and Knock at the Cabin.
Schneider has focused on strategic production deals. In 2012, he partnered with co-producer Adi Shankar to sign a multi-year agreement with multinational entertainment company Entertainment One. In 2020, Schneider and Roy Lee co-founded the independent production company Spooky Pictures. Schneider later signed a multi-film production deal with Indian company Balaji Motion Pictures and genre label Dark Hell, focusing on Hindi-language thriller and horror projects.
Schneider has also authored several books specializing in horror cinema and film psychoanalysis.
Filmography Producer
Insidious (2010) Paranormal Activity 3 (2011) The Bay (2012) Haunt (2013) Sx_Tape (2013) Wer (2013) Cooties (2014) The Houses October Built (2014) Acid Girls (2014) Lady of Csejte (2015) Intruders (2015) Blair Witch (2016) The Worthy (2016) The Tank (2017) The Houses October Built 2 (2017) Mara (2018) Pet Samatary (2019) Masquerade (2021) Watcher (2022) Late Night with the Devil (2023) Strange Darling (2023) Desert Road (2024) Ick (2024) The Plague (2025) The Long Walk (2025) V/H/S/Halloween (2025) The Vile (2025) Hokum (2026) The Liberation (2026) Company (2026) River (2026) What Happened to Doris? (2026) Pathetic Fallacy (2026) V/H/S/Mixtape (2026) The Shepherd (2026) Anything but Ghosts (2027) V/H/S: SCP (2027) The Night House (TBA) The Punishing (TBA) Sundowning (TBA) Archangel (TBA) Menace (TBA) Watchful Eye (TBA) SystemJoachim Rønning Sets Horror Film 'System' With Spooky Pictures & Image Nation Studios (TBA)
Executive producer
Paranormal Activity (2007) 100 Feet (2008) Paranormal Activity 2 (2010) Phase 7 (2010) The FP (2011) The Devil Inside (2012) The River (2012) The Tall Man (2012) The Lords of Salem (2012) Paranormal Activity 4 (2012) Pawn Shop Chronicles (2013) Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014) Flight 7500 (2014) Exeter (2015) Area 51 (2015) Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) Visions (2015) Estranged (2015) The Visit (2015) Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015) The Unspoken (2015) Split (2016) Insidious: The Last Key (2018) Delirium (2018) Glass (2019) His House (2020) Old (2021) Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021) Knock at the Cabin (2023) Insidious: The Red Door (2023) Dead Mail (2024) Trap (2024) V/H/S/Beyond (2024) Please Don't Feed the Children (2024) Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting (2025) Undertone (2025) Dolly (2025) Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) Violence (2025) Imposters (2026) Goody Goody (2026) Recluse (2026) Breeder (2026) Insidious: Out of the Further (2026) Paranormal Activity 8 (2027) Skeletons (2027) Untitled Blair Witch film (2027) Subscriber (TBA) Halloween Store (TBA) Send a Scare (TBA) The Mannequin (TBA)
Documentary appearance Unknown Dimension: The Story of Paranormal Activity (2021)
Bibliography +YearBook titlePublisher19941001 Movies You Must See Before You DieBarron's Educational Series2003Underground U.S.A.: Filmmaking Beyond the Hollywood Canon (Alterimage)WallFlower Press2003Fear Without Frontiers: Horror Cinema Across the GlobeFab Pr2003Dark Thoughts: Philosophic Reflections on Cinematic HorrorScarecrow Press2004Horror Film and Psychoanalysis: Freud's Worst Nightmare (Cambridge Studies in Film)Cambridge University Press2004New Hollywood Violence (Inside Popular Film)Manchester University Press2005Horror International (Contemporary Approaches to Film and Media Series)Wayne State University Press2005Traditions in World CinemaEdinburgh University Press20051001 Movies: You Must See Before You DieCassell Illustrated20051001 Movies You Must See Before You DieB.E.S. Publishing2007501 Movie Directors: A Comprehensive Guide to the Greatest FilmmakersB.E.S. Publishing2007501 Movie Stars: A Comprehensive Guide to the Greatest Screen ActorsB.E.S. Publishing2008501 Movie StarsCassell Illustrated2008Horror Cinema by Jonathan PennerTASCHEN2009101 War Movies: You Must See Before You DieOctopus Publishing Group2009101 Gangster Movies You Must See Before You DieB.E.S. Publishing2009101 Horror Movies You Must See Before You DieB.E.S. Publishing2009101 Science-Fiction MoviesOctopus Publishing Group2009Designing Fear: An Aesthetics of Cinematic HorrorRoutledge2010101 Cult Movies You Must See Before You DieB.E.S. Publishing2010101 Action Movies You Must See Before You DieB.E.S. Publishing20101001 Movies You Must See Before You Die 2010Cassell Illustrated20111001 Movies You Must See Before You Die 2011Cassell Illustrated20121001 Movies You Must See Before You Die 2012Cassell Illustrated2012Horror Cinema by Jonathan PennerTASCHEN2013101 Gangster Movies You Must See Before You Die (Chinese Edition)Central Compilation & Translation Press2013101 Sci-Fi Movies You Must See Before You Die (Chinese Edition)Central Compilation & Translation Press2013101 Horror Movies You Must See Before You Die (Chinese Edition)Central Compilation & Translation Press2013101 Cult Movies You Must See Before You Die (Chinese Edition)Central Compilation & Translation Press2013101 War Movies You Must See Before You Die (Chinese Edition)Central Compilation & Translation Press2013101 Action Movies You Must See Before You Die (Chinese Edition)Central Compilation & Translation Press20141001 Movies You Must See Before You Die 2014Cassell Illustrated20151001 Movies You Must See Before You DieB.E.S. Publishing2016101 Sci-Fi Movies You Must See Before You DieApple Press2017Horror CinemaTASCHEN20181001 Movies You Must See Before You DiePier 920191001 Movies You Must See Before You DieB.E.S. Publishing2019100 European Horror Films (BFI Screen Guides)British Film Institute20191001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (Chinese Edition)Central Compilation & Translation Press20201001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (Updated for 2020)B.E.S. Publishing20211001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (Updated for 2021)B.E.S. Publishing
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