The film is based on an experience that happened to co-writer/director Jim Le during his junior year at the University of Arizona. The only difference was that it took place on a college campus; not a park.
Filming was shot on location at Don Hummel Park in Tucson, Arizona. Ironically, the park did not have any benches, so the directors had to purchase one from Kohl's the night before the first day of shooting!
The "brute guy" played by Jason Last was a former dorm-mate of co-director Jim Le and has never met the cast of the film since his scene was shot separately from the other actors.