The production utilized Airsoft pistols in place of real weapons that fired blanks. The Airsoft guns were, for all intents and purposes, exact replicas of real guns - but fired compressed air only. John Savage suggested making Sackler's gun the 1911 sidearm, prior to the start of principal photography.
Over 3 1/2 hours of original score was written and recorded prior to the start of shooting.
John Savage shot his scenes in five days. On the first day of shooting, Savage showed up to the fictitious Sarling Residence in Beverly Hills one hour late.
The Olivas House is, in real life, located across the street from Richard Pryor's former residence in Northridge, California, the same residence where Mr. Pryor suffered near-fatal burns on June 9, 1980.
"A Cloud So High" was photographed digitally. As the director put it: "This movie's ambition and tiny budget wouldn't have allowed film - of any gauge - to be used".