Approaching the final stages, the filmmakers began assembling the production team, including associate producer Ramsey Fong, in preparation for the 24-day shoot, which commenced on May 24, 2000. In selecting a director of photography, Stettner already knew whom he wanted to shoot the film: Teodoro Maniaci. Stettner, whose father is a photographer, had followed the D.P's career and had a fine appreciation the cinematographer's unerring eye for composition and his inspired palette. When he met with Maniaci to discuss the film, the director found the two were simpatico on the visual style of the film.

The director and cinematographer worked closely together, using the storyboards and sketches Stettner had created as an outline for the film's visual style. In their collaboration, Stettner and Maniaci developed a plan to use wide angle lenses early in the film as the characters are being introduced, then shifting to longer lenses -- literally increasing the immediacy of the characters -- as the story exposes their vulnerabilities in the imminent psychological showdown.

In conjunction with Dina Goldman, who came on board as production designer, Stettner and Maniaci developed the film's color palette to complement each scene's action along with the planned camera and lighting schemes, using warmer tones for the more intimate scenes and the cooler blues for the more formal transactions. While writing the script, Stettner had very specific notions about experiencing Julie Styron through her surroundings, the spaces she occupies in each scene.

Says Stettner, "I wanted Julie to exist in these weird rarefied spaces and to have these spaces reflect, on some level, what is going on in her interactions. And as the film progresses, I was interested in showing what happens when you get to the bones of the building because psychologically, that's what is happening with Julie's character when she and Paula have finally exposed each other's deepest fears in the bathroom that's being remodeled. In the story, we are getting to a real, truthful layer with Julie, and I wanted the spaces to reflect that."

In spite of their interchangeable nature, finding the "right" airport hotel to play such an important role in the film was a challenge in itself. The hotel where Julie and Paula stay is actually a composite of five different ones. The sauna, the elevators, and the room under construction were all built by the production. Incidentally, Julie's executive suite was also built on a sound stage, but the filmmakers built around existing windows to be able to have real night in the film, as well as to include a vista of nameless highways with the airport not far beyond, lending a touch of authenticity to the seasoned business traveler's hotel room.

Once the film was shot, Stettner was concerned with finding an editor who could preserve the nuances of the performances of such an intimate piece. Although the director was confident in his collaboration with Stover and his female leads, Stettner was also very committed to having a woman's voice in the editing room.

Says Stettner, "I was very aware of the fact that I am a man making a film about these two women. I felt good about what Susan, Stockard, Julia and I had done with these characters, but I wanted to make sure there was a woman's voice in the editing room, just to make sure things rang true and the characters were being shown the level of respect and understanding that they deserved. I certainly didn't give Keiko that burden specifically, but she has good instincts, in general, in addition to her superb technique as an editor."

In completing the film, the filmmakers carefully selected sound designer Eugene Gearty and composer Alexander Lasarenko to design the aural elements for the film. Stettner and Stover were delighted when Gearty expressed interest in working on the film. The award-winning sound designer had worked extensively in film -- with such directors as Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee and Joel and Ethan Cohen -- and had recently completed work on the international hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Lasarenko, on the other hand, hadn't done many films at the time he was chosen to score The business of strangers, although he had worked extensively in the music industry and was highly recommended by one of Stover's colleagues. However, the filmmakers were confident in his solid classical background and his versatility as an artist. His ability to strip away the layers of his music down to percussive elements suited the story's progression very well, and his contribution to the film enhances the performances with a subtle urgency.

Although the strength of his script played no small part in drawing the level of talent involved on both sides of the camera, Stettner recognizes his good fortune in working with individuals so supportive of his feature debut. Stettner concludes, "It has been a great privilege making this film. Working with such generous and talented actors has been a great experience. And thanks to a supportive and hardworking production team, this is the film I set out to make. I realize that this is a rare experience for a first time director and I am thankful for their trust and the opportunity."