▁Process ▁At ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁production , ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁to ▁fin ance ▁the ▁extens ively ▁visual ▁set ▁pieces ▁and ▁sh ots ▁for ▁the ▁film , ▁producer , ▁Eric ▁Watson ▁and ▁director , ▁Dar ren ▁Ar on of sky ▁went ▁to ▁every ▁friend , ▁relative ▁or ▁acquaint ance ▁and ▁begg ed ▁them ▁for ▁don ations . ▁Through ▁doing ▁this , ▁they ▁managed ▁to ▁accum ulate ▁an ▁estimated ▁$ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁for ▁their ▁production ▁budget . ▁▁ ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁shot ▁on ▁an ▁A aton ▁X TR ▁Pro d ▁Camera , ▁which ▁sho ots ▁with ▁ 1 6 mm ▁film ▁and ▁a ▁B ole x ▁H 1 6 ▁Camera , ▁used ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁hand h eld ▁sh ots , ▁and ▁the ▁l ens ▁manufact urer ▁used ▁was ▁An gen ieux . ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁shot ▁on ▁black ▁and ▁white ▁film ▁stock , ▁Ar on of sky ▁aim ed ▁for ▁high - contr ast ▁sh ots ▁to ▁give ▁Pi ▁a ▁more ▁“ techn ically ▁raw ▁and ▁sp ont aneous ” ▁look . ▁▁ ▁While ▁a ▁“ no - bud get ▁film ” ▁is ▁challeng ing ▁it ▁allows ▁for ▁a ▁more ▁authentic ▁display ▁of ▁cre ativity . ▁Within ▁Pi , ▁st un ts ▁were ▁replaced ▁with ▁ideas , ▁action ▁sequences ▁with ▁alleg or ical ▁mont ages ▁and ▁special ▁effects ▁with ▁a ▁ha un ting ▁re definition ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁For ▁the ▁main ▁set ▁which ▁was ▁Max ▁C ohen ’ s ▁a partment , ▁Scott ▁Franklin ’ s ▁father