Frankenstein, Missouri is an actual town with a population of approximately 40 people.
While the film is fictional, some real residents of Frankenstein, Missouri participated in the production.
Dr. Thomas Cook, a psychiatrist who appears as himself in some scenes, was the first to suggest that the film was really an exploration of the true meaning of "numinous dread." This led to several last minute changes in the editing room, highlighting the term.
The small $20,000 budget came from three private investors in Atlanta and St. Louis. One of those investors participated in the actual production as a boom mic operator for a day. He enjoyed the experience and said, "It was like attending a fantasy camp."
Writer/director, Joey Odendahl, was inspired by the tone of the Werner Herzog documentary, "Into the Abyss." He screened Herzog's film with cinematographer, Kirk Gillon, a month before shooting began.