Marcus Dunstan
Writer & Director
From LAFS graduate to Project Greenlight winner and writer of the Saw franchise — building a horror empire with multiple box-office #1 openings.
Project
Greenlight Winner
5+
Saw Franchise Films
#1
Box Office Opens
$500M+
Franchise Revenue
The Origin
Marcus Dunstan grew up in Macomb, Illinois with a love for horror that bordered on obsession. While other kids were watching cartoons, Marcus was studying the mechanics of fear — how a shadow, a sound, a cut could make an audience hold its breath.
He came to The Los Angeles Film School to turn that obsession into a craft. At LAFS, Marcus studied screenwriting and directing, developing the technical skills and storytelling instincts that would eventually terrify audiences worldwide.
His breakthrough came when he and writing partner Patrick Melton — also an LAFS alum — won Project Greenlight Season 3. The win gave them the opportunity to write and direct their first feature, Feast, and opened the door to the Saw franchise.
Together, Marcus and Patrick went on to write Saw IV through Saw 3D (Saw VII), creating The Collector franchise, and building a horror legacy with multiple box-office #1 openings.
"Horror is the most honest genre. It forces characters and audiences alike to confront what they're truly afraid of."
— Marcus Dunstan · Writer/Director
The Journey
LAFS Years
LA Film School
Studied screenwriting and directing at The Los Angeles Film School, developing his horror storytelling craft.
2005
Project Greenlight Winner
Won Project Greenlight Season 3 with writing partner Patrick Melton — also an LAFS alum. The win greenlit their first feature, Feast.
2006
Feast — Feature Debut
Wrote Feast, the creature feature born from Project Greenlight, produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
2007–2010
Saw Franchise Writer
Wrote Saw IV, Saw V, Saw VI, and Saw 3D (Saw VII) — four consecutive films in one of horror's most successful franchises.
2009
The Collector
Wrote and directed The Collector — a horror original that spawned its own franchise with The Collection (2012).
2010s–Present
Continued Horror Career
Continues to write and direct in the horror genre, building a legacy of box-office success and genre fandom.
Achievements
Project Greenlight Winner
Won Project Greenlight Season 3 with writing partner Patrick Melton, also an LAFS alum — the win greenlit their first feature film.
Saw Franchise Writer
Wrote Saw IV, V, VI, and Saw 3D — four consecutive films in the Saw franchise, one of horror's most successful series.
The Collector Franchise
Created The Collector (2009) and The Collection (2012) — an original horror franchise that he wrote and directed.
Feast — Feature Debut
Wrote Feast (2006), the creature feature born from Project Greenlight, produced by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
Multiple Box-Office #1 Openings
Multiple films he wrote debuted at #1 at the box office — a rare feat in the horror genre.
Writer & Director
One of the few LAFS alumni to both write and direct feature films at the studio level.
Notable Credits
Key Collaborators
Patrick Melton
Writing Partner
LAFS alum · Saw franchise co-writer
Ben Affleck
Producer
Project Greenlight / Feast
Matt Damon
Producer
Project Greenlight / Feast
John Gulager
Director
Feast
Gallery
Marcus Dunstan — Writer & Director
The Legacy
Marcus Dunstan's journey from an Illinois horror-obsessed kid to the writer of the Saw franchise and creator of The Collector is one of the most remarkable LAFS success stories. His Project Greenlight win with fellow alum Patrick Melton proved that talent trained at The Los Angeles Film School can break through to the highest levels of the horror genre — with multiple box-office #1 openings to show for it.
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