Sonika Kamble
‘The Devil To Pay’ is a thriller movie that zooms into the life of Lemon Cassidy (Danielle Deadwyler) and her son, who are coping with the tragic disappearance of her husband. They live in an isolated community, but one day trouble knocks on their door when a past debt poses a threat to her son’s life. Even as a struggling farmer, Lemon fights to the best of her abilities, only to discover much deeper secrets far beyond her imagination.
Written and directed by Lane Skye and Ruckus Skye, this 2019 creative endeavor was originally titled ‘Reckoning.’ The gothic and mysterious aesthetic of the movie comes from its deep forests and mountains, which uplift the narrative. If you were submerged in the world of ‘The Devil To Pay,’ learning about the filming locations might interest you.
The Devil To Pay: Where Was it Filmed?
‘The Devil To Pay’ was entirely filmed in Georgia, particularly in Hiawassee and Blairsville, which are a 20-minute drive from one another. Also known as The Peach State, it is located in the southern part of the country and is known for its unique geography, which entails high mountains, the Atlantic Ocean, and farmlands. Interestingly, years ago, the husband-wife duo Lane and Ruckus met with Danielle at a coffee shop in Atlanta, where they spoke about cinema. Since then, the couple was interested in working with the actress, and they found a spot-on role for her.
The production team reportedly carried out the entirety of filming in four weeks in and around November 2017. Interestingly, during the course of filming, which included 19 complete shoot days, the cast and crew lived under the roof of Michelle Moreland, who serves as one of the producers. Moreover, a lot of the talented crew flew from Miami for this innovative project. So let’s have a look at both specific locations in detail.
Hiawassee, Georgia
Set against the Appalachian Mountains, most of the sequences in ‘The Devil To Pay’ were lensed at Hiawassee, a mountain town in Towns County, Georgia. It is home to the highest peak of the state, Brasstown Bald, which lies on the Appalachian Trail in Northern Georgia. The shots, which included a higher altitude, were captured at this location. In an interview with The Upcoming, Daniel talked about its stunning beauty and how she fell in love with it a long time ago while hiking. “You know what, I’ve been to the North Georgia mountains before plenty of times, but never stayed for four weeks,” she said.
However, it was challenging for Daniel to navigate the terrain, and she couldn’t wear heavy boots due to the same reason. She also painted a whole picture of Hiawassee by describing the crisp weather of the town during the fall season. Talking about the challenges, the actor explained that they had visible sightings of coyotes, and it was a very different experience than living in the city as there were hardly any street lights around. Another mysterious movie filmed at this exact location is ‘Oro Arrowhead.’
Blairsville, Georgia
The Appalachian Trail also runs through Blairsville, and a few shots of the thriller movie were also taped in this mountain town in Union County It’s an ideal place for hiking, exploring the downtown shops and cafes, and Moonshine tasting. You can also visit the Mountain Life Museum, which is a cultural preservation spot for Union County. Lane and Ruckus took a trip to this museum, and it became an inspiration for the movie.
In an interview with Scriptmag, Lane said, “A lot of elements for the story had been stewing over the years. We used to love to take road trips through the South just for inspiration. And we found the Museum of Appalachia. And it’s just amazing. It’s like this one guy’s collection and he’s handwritten all the little stories that go with all of the items. Our favorite thing was a glass eye and a pocket knife and a story about how that pocketknife put out the real eye.”
Despite having limitations with their budget, the couple acted as a creative force, and the stars kept aligning for them, bringing them to the Appalachian mountains. The location couldn’t have been better, and it truly enhanced all the bizarre ceremonies, eccentric acts, and frightening aspects of the movie.
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