An oral history of the entire Saw franchise as told by the people who made it

As a lifelong horror enthusiast who has watched countless films from various genres, I must admit that the latest installment of the Saw franchise, Jigsaw, has left me both impressed and intrigued. The filmmakers’ decision to take their time in crafting the script and casting the perfect actors for each role is commendable. It’s not every day you see a villain who isn’t immediately recognizable as such, which adds an element of surprise that keeps viewers on their toes.

In honor of Digital Spy’s 25th birthday, we’re revisiting some timeless articles from our archives. This particular piece was initially published in the year 2017, so it doesn’t cover topics like ‘Spiral’ from 2021 or ‘Saw X’ from 2023.

Originally conceived as a brief seven-minute production, it evolved into the highest-grossing horror series ever made, spanning across eight films, various merchandise, comic books, and even thrill rides at amusement parks.

We spoke to series producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg, who run production company Twisted Pictures and have produced every single one of the Saw movies. They talked us through the series from its humble beginnings to the horror juggernaut that is the Saw franchise.

An oral history of the entire Saw franchise as told by the people who made it

How the games began

In the summer of 2003, our late partner, Gregg Hoffman, brought a seven-minute short on VHS to the office, an artifact that seems unbelievable today. The short film left us astonished, and there was even a script accompanying it. We read the script and were captivated by it. Within a couple of days following this encounter, James Wan and Leigh Whannell arrived. We convened a meeting, where Gregg, Mark, and I met with them in a room to discuss the intriguing script.

It appears they may have assumed the conversation would be full of technical jargon. Mark, you, and Gregg proposed that James take on the director role, even though his experience was limited to seven minutes of directing. Leigh, who primarily writes but isn’t an actor, was going to act in the film. However, it should be noted that James is more recognized as a television personality in Australia.

I stated, “In eight weeks, you’ll shine brightly, and we’ll embark on our journey then. We’re all set and eager to begin!

We’ve recently completed the task. We plunged right into it. All our actions were carried out at a single spot, and without much prior planning, we simply produced a film.

JOHN: It’s likely they were around 26 years old when the event occurred. They were essentially young adults, about 25 or 26. Upon arrival, they seemed quite young to us. We remarked, “Well then, if you aspire to direct and act, here’s a challenge: If you can succeed for a million dollars, it’s all yours.

They seemed to have been in the country for approximately three hours. Upon arrival, they deposited their luggage at Lafayette on Sunset. They subsequently visited our office, where a small conference room was utilized. Oren and I exchanged glances. It felt as though we were saying, “If you’re willing to invest a million dollars, we believe we can secure the cast with our existing contacts. Let’s proceed.

To obtain work visas in a particular country, it’s necessary to depart from the country first and then re-enter with the visa. Given that Canada seemed to be a more convenient flight option compared to returning to Victoria, we decided to send them both there. Luckily for Leigh, he managed to secure his visa fairly quickly, whereas James had to wait over a month to receive his.

James stayed with us for a full month, despite us having previously scheduled a start date. Since there were no video calls or similar technology back then, we attempted to keep him updated by sending him photos and brief messages.>

Due to being born Malaysian and possessing an Australian passport, which raised some concerns earlier, he was confined to a hotel in Ottawa for 26 days prior to our filming. He arrived approximately four or five days before we began shooting and unfortunately missed the chance to prepare his own movie. However, everything turned out alright.

Finding Jigsaw

OREN: Tobin Bell, known as a talented character actor, graced both our screens and set with his presence. We were overjoyed to have him. However, contrary to appearances, he spent much of the film lying down, implying that his role was more limited than it seemed at first glance.

In simpler terms, Mark was saying that they didn’t have any funds and also lacked suitable friends for the role. As a result, they had no one to ask for help. Somehow, Tobin got hold of the script, and his agent contacted them, offering that Tobin Bell would take on the role.

We were like, “Thank you. Yes!”

As a passionate admirer, let me share this intriguing tale: I recall a moment when we only had around $1.95 left in our budget, yet we found an actor who was willing to commit an extraordinary act. For fourteen long days, he endured lying on a chilly, grimy floor. In awe, Oren proposed, “We can craft a mask for you. We can create a body double, and add some magic touch.

And Tobin said, “No, no, no. I want to do it.”

OREN: He said, “I want to know where he comes from.”

MARK: And God bless him. He said yes, and we kind of moved on from there.

Building the franchise, piece by piece

Initially, Darren Bousman had penned a separate script, and we began brainstorming concepts for what could potentially be “Saw II.” After reading it independently, I discussed it with Mark and Gregg. We collectively concluded that this might just work as “Saw II.” We then met with Darren, who agreed. With his approval, we refined the script, transforming it into “Saw II,” and secured him to direct not only “Saw II” but also “III” and “IV.

MARK: We were just making one movie.

OREN: We didn’t produce multiple episodes at once; instead, it was a hectic process working on each one individually. It wasn’t like we were planning a TV series with Mark currently doing two, where you lay out 12 episodes with different story arcs, actors joining, and various plotlines.

Each time, it was a frantic attempt at restarting, with recurring characters. However, there wasn’t some definitive guidebook or fairy tale script we could consult, as we were never certain if we would be creating the sequel or not. We hope to produce another ‘Jigsaw’, but they haven’t given us a confirmation yet.

Tricks and traps

One simple trap I particularly dislike is the scenario with Amanda and the sewing-needle pit. She inadvertently steps into this bed of needles, making it one of the most straightforward yet chilling scenarios, which still gives me shivers just to contemplate.

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FAN: I personally believe that many folks find simplicity in traps appealing. The main reason behind this preference seems to be that a straightforward trap feels more relatable and easily imaginable as something that could actually happen to them.

Essentially, Mark and I primarily function as logic and narrative editors. We mentally place markers at specific points, ensuring only certain elements (X, Y, Z) reach that point, with others dropping out along the way. David Hackl, our collaborator in six movies and a former engineering student, reinforced this logic as John Kramer, an engineer, was always a key character in our stories.

Previously, our creative concepts were stored in a folder. We experimented with one particular trap across three different film projects to determine how best to incorporate it. I won’t reveal which one, but eventually, we managed to make it fit. It functioned as intended. It was satisfactory, but it turned out to be something that we initially believed would be the most extraordinary concept in existence. There are still traps that remain unused within our collection.

MARK: Our approach is to create a compelling story first, then determine where we’ll find the traps and plot our course. You may notice that one individual has been present in every ‘Saw’ film. To clarify, there are actually two key figures. One of them is our producing partner, Dan Heffner. His role involves receiving the scripts, calculating costs, deciding on locations, and planning out the production process – all with exceptional skill.

Another person who wouldn’t typically appreciate the Saw movie series in an unusual manner, except for him, is Kevin Greutert. He has directed two of our films and edited all seven. Consequently, much of the overall aesthetic and style that defines the Saw franchise, a significant portion of it can be attributed to Kevin.

In certain aspects, Kevin appears to be the key figure ensuring consistency, even though this new phase might seem distinct, it’s still essentially the same concept.

Gender, genre and the ‘torture porn’ tag

In our case, we wouldn’t portray scenes involving a woman in a shower with a man approaching with a knife – it’s not something Mark and I would do. We don’t condone violence against women. Instead, we aim to be more intelligent in our storytelling. This isn’t to criticize films that have effectively used such techniques, but personally, we admire and respect women too much for such depictions.

OREN: The label of [The torture porn tag] didn’t sit well with us because we always felt it wasn’t an accurate representation. Just as one might generalize negatively about a journalist, not all are the same. Similarly, for us, this label never resonated and we disagreed with it. However, we moved past it.

The seven-year gap and returning for Jigsaw

MARK: We had put the production of the Saw films on hold, but two writers, Josh Stolberg and his partner, approached Oren with an idea for a new Saw movie through their agent. Over the past six to seven years, we’ve been presented with around 50-60 different proposals.

Oren heard it and called me up and said, “You’ve got to hear this. This is really, really good.”

OREN: Here’s what we communicated to everyone: Our intention wasn’t to produce Saw VIII. Instead, we aimed to move away from the usual pattern of Saw films. While I don’t want to reveal too much, our goal was to revisit the essence of the original Saw 1. We decided on more suspenseful moments, reducing the graphic violence. More suspense and more rationality were our focus.

There’s plenty of blood, so there’s no need to fret. However, we aimed to be innovative. Over the past seven years, we’ve been working tirelessly on seven films, with Lionsgate only approving the next one after the previous one hit theaters. This meant that holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas would pass quickly, leaving us scrambling in January to plan our next move and complete the movie by October 1st.

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Instead of shoveling trenches, it turned out to be quite challenging, particularly on the script front. Thus, having ample time to nurture an initial concept that resonated with us deeply, and collaborating with two talented writers – Josh and Pete – was a luxury we thoroughly enjoyed. This extended period allowed us to create a film reminiscent of the original Saw, and I believe this dedication will be evident in the final product for our audience.

A new batch of victims and a fresh start

MARK: We spent a considerable amount of time selecting our film’s cast. Instead of choosing actors who are stereotypically villainous, we aimed to find individuals with exceptional acting skills but whose appearances wouldn’t immediately label them as evil. This was crucial because viewers might prejudge the actor based on their looks, assuming they were the antagonist. Therefore, we had to carefully select people who possessed talent and skill, desired to work in a horror movie, and didn’t have a clearly defined good or bad persona – essentially, neutral characters.

OREN: Essentially, we wrapped up around 7 PM. If we were to produce more within the same series, it needed to be something fresh and distinct. Mark and I considered those seven films as completed. They form a set. Any future projects, whether from the Saw franchise or another new one, would be an entirely different kind of series.

They will find themselves immersed in a setting reminiscent of “Saw.” The exciting part is that we managed to retain the same composer. Most of the team remains unchanged, ensuring continuity. We aimed to offer fans something fresh, so we ventured outside our usual circle. We tweaked the color scheme slightly. However, Charlie Clouser from Nine Inch Nails had the opportunity to experiment with the music, adding a new twist.

It’s still in the Saw world, but we’ve completely tried to change it colour-wise, outside, sound, feel, palette, everything.

OREN: I can’t wait for people to see the ending.

AS A FAN, I CAN’T WAIT FOR THEM TO HOP ON THIS RIDE! And when it’s all said and done, I truly hope their reaction is, “Hold on, how did they manage to pull that off?”>

Our aim is to recreate the atmosphere found in the original movie, ‘Saw 1’. In this film, when Tobin rose, there was an audience reaction with people standing up too. Similarly, we’re hoping to rekindle that response among our viewers.

You can find the Saw series for download on various digital platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.

2024-09-30 11:49