Lyvia's House was written as "something different to do" during Covid lockdowns by novelist Patricia V. Davis. She sent the treatment to a wonderful screenwriter friend of hers, who encouraged her to sell it. Instead, she decided to raise the money to produce it herself, and fifty percent of what she raised came from her readership. One of her main goals with the film was to present the rural, agricultural area of northern California where her husband was born in a positive light, as opposed to the usual Hollywood tropes of John Boy Walton or Leatherface. The family has owned and operated a rice farm there for five generations. Director of Photography, Cody Martin, was also born and raised in the area. He was immediately intrigued by the idea of setting a film in his community. He approached the screenwriter/producer and offered his services and contacts. The hard-working talented Martin has a great reputation in the local film industry, and with his assistance, the production was able to procure generous support from the local film community, who provided thousands of dollars of filming equipment for nominal fees. But it was the local farming community that really got behind the film. Enthusiastic about a film set in their area and being created by one of their own community members, an astounding 27 locations were offered to the filmmakers free of charge, raising the production value to far beyond the five figures for which is was filmed.
