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In the wild world of social media, where the lifespan of fame is often as fleeting as a viral clip, Sam Golbach and Colby Brock — better known as Sam and Colby — have managed to do what few others have: build a lasting empire that spans from six-second Vine skits to feature-length films.
The duo, who got their start as teenage pranksters on Vine in 2014, have evolved into full-fledged storytellers since the platform went bust in 2017. On YouTube, they chose to delve into much darker — and perhaps even more compelling — content: creating suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat paranormal adventures that have captivated millions. (Think: series of overnight challenges in abandoned hospitals, asylums, and ghost towns that combine horror, humor, and genuine friendship.)
With all of the success they’ve had online, the duo parlayed their vision from the phone screen to the big screen — debuting their feature film, Sam and Colby: A Week at The Conjuring House, in 2023. One year later, the Kansas-born YouTubers once again returned to the film world with their second movie, Sam and Colby: The Legends of The Paranormal.
Andy Rodriguez/Andy Rodriguez Photography
Now, Sam and Colby have acquired their biggest get yet — a haunted school, Farrar Elementary.
“It’s a location that’s been investigated for over 15 years with a crazy amount of paranormal history, and it’s unlike any location we’ve ever investigated,” Sam told Newsweek. “The idea is to not just document it but to restore it while respecting its history. Over time, we want to turn it into something that fans can experience for themselves — whether that’s through their own investigations or something entirely new.”
While Sam and Colby have built their career out of their fascination with the supernatural, even they can hit their limit when it comes to getting involved in disturbing hauntings.
“The demonic stuff … can definitely suck and put me in a negative headspace for a bit,” Sam explained. “Those are the moments when we make sure to cleanse, reset, and protect ourselves for future investigations. “It’s all about balance.”
As Colby put it, “We’ve definitely pushed ourselves to some extreme limits, but safety and respect are key.”
Still, the social media stars made sure to point out that “not every encounter has to be scary or disturbing — some of them feel more like a learning moment,” Sam explained.
“For example, learning about how different someone who lived 100 years ago was and how they experienced life. In those cases, I try to hold onto that feeling and reflect on it afterward,” he mused. “It’s not always about fear, sometimes it’s just understanding a different side of the world we don’t fully know yet.”
As Sam and Colby continue to catapult their career into as many supernatural corners as they can find, it’s crucial to them that their fans can live out those experiences with them.
“The escape room is going to be the first of many new projects where we bring the paranormal into first-hand experiences,” Colby told Newsweek. “Our goal is to keep expanding beyond a computer screen and give fans a way to live out what they’ve been watching for years.”
He added: “Halloween isn’t the end of our season, it’s the start.”