The History of WATCH ME

Watch Me was conceived in the start of 2004, when pirated dvds from
Korea and Japan had started to trickle into the country from the hands of
returning backpackers, mostly without English subtitles. Co-writers
Melanie Ansley and Sam Voutas decided to watch as many horror movies
as possible. Immersing themselves in the new wave of Spanish thrillers,
the old wave of Italian horrors (Dario Argenta's among them), and these
strange Eastern horrors, the two began to concoct their scenario.
This would be a film that could take place anywhere, and, so long as you
use the internet, could happen to anyone…

Frances Marrington tests a prop

Watch Me was shot over two months with locations ranging from
Melbourne to Beijing. Ansley and Voutas rearranged their homes to
become separate sets, so that for the duration of the shoot the
director, producer, and cinematographer lived in one of the
back rooms with their possessions piled up like a packrat's cottage.
To create the gore, clay molds were designed to fit over an actress's eyes,
while a bloodied dismembered hand was dug up for the scene of Sanders' death.

Ansley knew that for a horror, music and sound comprise half the film.
The music for Watch Me should be composed without an orchestra.
When the team Jericho, Preuss and Huf said that they had access to a
llama farm, cow bells, and a chainsaw, Ansley knew she'd found
the composers for Watch Me.

Watch Me was shot in five different houses, although there was nearly a sixth.
When one location fell through only two days from shoot, Voutas and Ansley
scrambled to find a replacement, asking anyone and everyone whether they'd
be willing to let a camera crew into their homes. No one was taking the bait.
With less than 36 hours until shoot, Voutas happened to be on the phone to an
old friend, who mentioned that they had a rental property that had just
become vacant - because the tenant died a month ago and the body
had just been found. Would that do?

Voutas and Ansley decided that drastic times called for drastic measures.
They picked up a key to have a look at what might be their new set.
The real estate agent, who had found the body, refused to accompany
them inside. The apartment had been ransacked, with clothes, books, make up
and refuse strewn everywhere, and no electricity. With only 24 hours left until
the shoot started, Ansley and Voutas decided to roll up their sleeves and start
cleaning the newly "vacated" set - only to receive a phone call that the original
location had relented. They could have their set back.