The Beginning of New Horror

            A franchise which all began back in 2003 as a short film directed by James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell, has created their own niche in American horror. The two young Australian’s have taken over the American horror cinema photography with their “Saw” franchise. The foreign born directors, producers, writers, and actors have combined to make a total of seven movies under the franchise name “Saw” with the help of Lions Gate Entertainment and produced by Twisted Pictures. Throughout the span of seven years, the series has grossed over 873 million dollars at the box office worldwide. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Wan and Whannell has created the “Most Successful Horror Movie Series” (Serjeant, 2010). This horror series ranks among the best with notables such as “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween,” “Friday the 13^th,” and “Child’s Play.”

            Born in Malaysia, but raised in Perth, Western Australia at a young age, James Wan is known for creating the American horror movie “Saw.” During his time at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Wan developed a passion of film making and completed a bachelor ’s degree in the field of arts. Wan began his filmmaking career with the help of fellow classmate Shannon Young. The two of them co-directed and filmed a low budget action-horror film titled“Stygian” (Young, 2005). The underground film became an award winner and was shown at local and international film festivals. With a film under his belt, Wan would soon meet Leigh Whannell and the two of them would go on to create one of the best horror movie franchises of all-time. Before landing in Los Angles, the “Mecca” of film making, Wan directed a short nine minute subject horror movie, which was used to pitch their full-length movie “Saw.” An idea which all began as dreams and fears, Wan has developed to become one of the most successful horror directors ever to live.

            Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Leigh Whannell, developed a passion of getting attention from his peers. That passion would blossom into filming, writing, and acting at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, a impressive Media Arts         school. In only two year at school, Whannell he landed a camera man position on a show called “Recovery.” The show was filmed completely live by teenager and was ground breaking for alternative counter-culture Australians. Whannell blossomed as a host on that show and soon after college he found himself as a host or presenter on many Australian television shows. After a couple of small acting gigs, Whannell reached out to James Wan about creating a film on their own budget. Soon after “Saw” was born. It took nine months for Whannell to write the “screenplay for what he thought would be a self-financed, "Blair Witch"-style feature, with him starring and James directing” (Tuck, 2009).

Serjeant, J. (2010, July 22).  CORRECTED-Saw movie franchise to get Guinness world record| Reuters. Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com. Retrieved February 28, 2012, from http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/07/23/film-saw-idUSN2215375420100723

Tuck, C. (n.d.). Leigh Whannell - Biography. The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Retrieved February 28, 2012, from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1191481/bio

Young, S. (n.d.). Shannon Young. Innersense Productions / Bill Mousoulis. Retrieved February 28, 2012, from http://www.innersense.com.au/mif/young.html