In order to pitch their concept for Saw (2004), director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell filmed this 9-minute short in which unfortunate hospital orderly David (Whannell) is forced to play a tortuous game of survival devised by an unseen maniac whose aim is to make his victim appreciate life.
With an ingenious concept, stylish direction from Wan and a solid central performance from Whannell, the short clearly impressed the honchos at Lionsgate, who gave the guys the green light to make the full-length Saw the following year (with Shawnee Smith replacing Whannell in the now infamous 'reverse beartrap'). The rest, as they say, is history.
With an ingenious concept, stylish direction from Wan and a solid central performance from Whannell, the short clearly impressed the honchos at Lionsgate, who gave the guys the green light to make the full-length Saw the following year (with Shawnee Smith replacing Whannell in the now infamous 'reverse beartrap'). The rest, as they say, is history.