century. The Yelnats family claims the chest, which contains jewels, deeds, and promissory notes, which they share with Hector, who uses it to hire private investigators to find his missing mother, and both families live a life of financial ease as neighbors. Cast Production Holes was filmed in California in the summer of 2002, and produced with a budget of $20 million. When looking for a child actor to play the role of Stanley, director Andrew Davis asked for an actor like "a young Tom Hanks". Shia LaBeouf, who ended up receiving the role, read the script before reading the original novel. In the original book, Stanley is depicted as obese, shedding considerable weight as the book progresses. The filmmakers chose to drop this aspect from the movie, as they believed it would have been difficult to convincingly portray the loss of weight in a live-action film. The film was shot in several locations, including Ridgecrest, California. LaBeouf was simultaneously doing work for the Disney Channel show Even Stevens, and worked on the film after taping Even Stevens. To show the seven kids' holes being dug gradually throughout the day, different "phases" were used, for each of which the seven holes were given different levels of depth. For the yellow spotted lizards, fourteen bearded dragons were used, four of which were used for the main parts, and the rest used as "background atmosphere lizards". Music The film's music includes the Grammy-winning single "Just Like You" by Keb Mo', and "Dig It" by The D Tent Boys (the actors portraying the D Tent group inmates), which included a video that was played regularly on the Disney Channel. The soundtrack also includes contributions by the Eels, Devin Thompson, Dr. John, Eagle Eye Cherry, Fiction Plane, Little Axe, Moby, North Mississippi Allstars, Pepe Deluxé, Shaggy, Stephanie Bentley, and Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps. The score was composed and conducted by Joel McNeely. "Dig It" – D-Tent Boys "Keep'n It Real" – Shaggy "Mighty Fine Blues" – Eels "Honey" – Moby "I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday" – Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps "Just Like You" – Keb' Mo' "Everybody Pass Me By" – Pepe Deluxé "I Will Survive" – Stephanie Bentley "Shake 'Em On Down" – North Mississippi Allstars "Don't Give Up" – Eagle Eye Cherry "Happy Dayz" – Devin Thompson "Let's Make A Better World" – Dr. John "If Only"