In terms of director selection, the film crew accepted the suggestion of Schneider, the CEO of DreamWorks, and chose the 36-year-old British director Joe White to be the director of the film.
Joe White had never made a movie in the United States before, so the opportunity to present the face of Los Angeles with a fresh visual aroused his interest. Before signing the contract, Joe White flew to Los Angeles to discuss the script in more depth with the producers, and at the same time took the opportunity to go to the slums by himself. In order to present Nathaniel's real living environment, the film crew launched major shelters in the United States and hired 450 homeless people to participate in the performance.
