Thomas F. Wilson, the actor who played Biff in Back to the Future, does a comedy song that pokes fun of the questions people always ask him, like “What’s Michael J. Fox like?" and “Was that real manure?” The song gives straightforward answers to all the questions -- even “What does a key grip do?” (“Set up lights.”) -- except for “What does a producer do?,” which is answered with “I don’t know. Stop asking me the question.”

Mark Burg, Oren Koules and the late Gregg Hoffman, producers of the 2004 horror film Saw, spend 102 minutes giving their answer to that question on their commentary for the Uncut Edition DVD.

It’s the dream of every neophyte filmmaker: make a killer short and be handed a million dollars to turn it into a feature. It happened to two struggling artists in Australia. And it turned into a half-billion dollar franchise that launched their careers. You may have heard that story already. The producers' commentary tells it from the side of the people who found that short, recognized the strength of the corresponding feature-length script, and took the gamble to give those Aussies their chance.

With about sixty producing credits between them, almost all on films with budgets over $20 M, these three seasoned pros decided to form their own independent production company, Twisted Pictures, and set out to find their first project. Once they did, they called in a few favors and made the picture for just $1 million -- using their own money -- in just 18 days. Listening to this informative, yet relaxed commentary, it’s easy to see the ingredients that turned what could have been a schlocky, Troma-like experience into a Hollywood blockbuster.

The track has many tips on where they cut corners to get the most bang for their buck. For instance, it’s well known that when your budget is tight, the fewer locations the better. All of Saw was shot in one building. No trucks, no drivers, no Teamsters, though you wouldn’t know that by looking at it. It’s not Cube, after all.

The commentators candidly recount the various stages of their distribution deal with Lionsgate and how their midnight screenings at Sundance affected it. They also describe difficulties they faced getting the director through immigration by routing him through Canada, where he was held for fifteen days, finally making it to the set with only four days to spare.

Contrary to popular belief, producers aren’t limited to money and behind-the-scenes issues. The producers cite several examples of their jurisdiction over the creative side, from shortening an unnecessary gunfight in one scene, to finding a scarier-looking prop in another.

Just because these are businessmen talking, doesn’t mean the conversation is dry. They show their humorous side when one of them comments over a particular Se7en-inspired shot, “David Fincher called. He wants his shot back.”

This gorefest of a movie may not be to everyone’s liking, but the information contained in the commentary is essential listening for anyone setting out to make a low budget film in any genre. Or anyone still waiting for Biff to tell them what a producer does.

Dan Margules is an award-winning filmmaker and the president of San Diego Filmmakers. His short film, Begleiter, is available in a Special Edition from Amazon.com or happy-the-dog.com -- with three audio commentaries! He will be appearing at a filmmaker panel at the Oceanside Public Library this Saturday, April 25, 2009, at 11am, where Begleiter will be screened.