Having grown up in western New York, director Zach Golden is a lifelong fan of the Buffalo Bills and named most major characters in this film after famous Buffalo Bills players and staff: Deputy Jim Doyle (Martin Starr) is named after Jim Kelly, Deputy Thurman Hayford (Jake McDorman) is named after Thurman Thomas, Andre/Prisoner 614 (George Sample III) is named after Andre Reid, and Sheriff Marv (Ron Perlman) is named after Marv Levy.
Prisoner 614's costume was inspired by Paul Newman's costume in La leyenda del indomable (1967). Furthermore, the movie is referenced when the deputies escort Prisoner 614 after the night of their first meet. Thurman asks why he's being all dramatic: "It's just prison." Also, most of his knowledge comes from movies. Jim adds by saying that he watched Cool Hand Luke and mentions all of its eggs.
The director's dog appears in the back of the fisherman's truck in the opening scene.