Item #: SCP-1757

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-1757 is to be kept in a locked storage container within the Site-17 audio/visual department, with keypad combination in possession of Research Director. Under no circumstances are researchers to be allowed to view SCP-1757; if it must be played for any reason, class D personnel (preferably those with some level of mental retardation) are to be employed.

Description: SCP-1757 is a Sony VHS tape of average make, containing 96 minutes and 12 seconds of footage. The tape shows average wear for an item of its age (circa 15 years)1, and contains a label onto which the words "Just Curious" have been written with a blue felt pen. Note that the anomalous properties of the specimen are restricted to the tape itself. Copies of the tape show nothing but static.

When viewed on any device capable of playing the tape, SCP-1757 contains footage of a man, filmed against a white wall and looking directly at the camera. As long as the viewer finds no interest in the tape or the film whatsover, no anomalous properties manifest and the whole of the film consists of this imagery. The likelihood of anomalies is further decreased if multiple people are viewing it simultaneously, unless all share a strong feeling of curiosity towards the film. The man is an average build with light brown hair and no other notable characteristics aside from heavy black eyeliner on his eyes. There is no audio on the film except for a soft background hum.

If the viewer takes interest or intensely ponders SCP-1757, its origin, its contents, or the person appearing in its contents while viewing the film, it begins deviating from the norm. The person on the footage (hereafter referred to as SCP-1757-A) appears to take an interest towards the people watching the film, turning his head, changing expressions and following movement with his eyes. Camera footage of the film shows that the deviation is real and not just a psychological effect in the mind(s) of the viewer(s). At this point, observers often comment on a feeling of "being watched".

The chance of an Event 1757-SE is approximately 3%-██% per observer, with the probability increasing with time spent watching and the amount of interest taken towards SCP-1757. Those under an Event 1757-SE report a constant feeling of being spied on, as well as trouble sleeping soundly. Occasionally, these feelings manifest as any number of following:

Aggression, paranoia and/or hatred towards SCP-1757

An urge to study the history of the aforestated

An urge to repeatedly view the aforestated

Strong anxiety or distress towards SCP-1757-A

Unless an observer is able to stop studying the film and its background, the event concludes with an assault on the observer's person, invariably at a time he or she cannot seek immediate help. The event has no eyewitnesses, but the aftermath is well-reported2: victims are mutilated, and subsequently bled to death, with a sharp tool of some sort. Furthermore, several of the victims have exhibited bite marks, carved brands, disfigurement of genitalia, sear wounds and dental maim. The positions and intricacy of the wounds suggests a methodical approach, but no pattern has yet been defined.

Addendum 1575-1: The tape was recovered on ██/██/20██ in the middle of a police operation in ██████████, France to catch the Étrangleur3. The man (real name Y█████ M████████; later D-20821) was quickly incarcerated. He, along with the contents of his studio apartment, was confiscated by the Foundation soon after.

The annexed paraphernalia contained, among other things, over four hundred snuff films. Over twenty of them were stolen from police stations across southeastern France; SCP-1757 was found among them. D-20821 denied all murders, blaming the tape instead. On a written confession to Dr. W██████, he claimed: "I showed the film to my friends, I showed a lot of my films to my friends. They were so exciting. They were so cool. I was just curios [sic]."

Why D-20821 isn't affected by the tape even though he shows obsessive interest towards it is, as of yet, unexplained.

Addendum 1575-2: On ██/██/20██, during an unauthorized viewing by Dr. W██████, SCP-1757-A spoke for the first, and thus far only, time. The security cameras were unable to record the conversation.

<Begin Log>

SCP-1757-A: God I love you.

Dr. W██████: [EXPLETIVE REDACTED]

SCP-1757-A: I always wanted to be like you. You look for the little things in life, study the intricacies. Humans are creatures of nuances and small things. You break things just to figure out what they are made of. You [REDACTED] with abandon, on the off chance they'll ███ █████. I respect that, I really do.

(Having retreated to the corner of the room, Dr. W██████ stays silent)

SCP-1757-A: I don't mean bad, I just can't help myself. I guess that's where I surpass you: I'm more curious. For example: what do you look like, under the skin? Just curious.

(According to Dr. W██████, SCP-1757-A ceased speaking at this point.)

<End Log>

Footnotes

1. As is normal with VHS tapes, SCP-1757 exhibits shifting colors and frames, as well as bursts of static and occasional audio loss. Segments 11'03"-27'45" and 77'21"-93'01" have shown to have the least errors when viewing.

2. Over ██ cases of Event 1575-SE have been reported; the count is currently at 1575-SE-██.

3. "The Strangler", a serial killer of some fame