Neal Fredericks, 35; Was Cinematographer on ‘The Blair Witch Project’

Neal Fredericks, 35, the cinematographer on the low-budget but financially successful horror film “The Blair Witch Project,” died in a plane crash Aug. 14 over the Dry Tortugas, about 70 miles west of Key West, Fla.

The pilot of the single-engine Cessna and three other passengers were rescued by the Coast Guard. A team of U.S. Special Forces divers recovered Fredericks’ body inside the submerged plane Sunday.

Fredericks, who lived in Los Angeles, collaborated with writers Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick on “The Blair Witch Project,” an intense, atmospheric movie about three student filmmakers who venture into the woods in search of a spooky legend.

The 1999 film, shot with a hand-held camera for a realistic feel, grossed more than $240 million in ticket sales worldwide.

Fredericks was born in Newport Beach and grew up in Maryland. He began his career as a camera operator in Florida and Washington. He also photographed commercials, promotional clips and more than two dozen movies.