During the Pre-Production phase, creator and co-writer Charles Soots became seriously ill, and passed away on August 23, 2020. The film will be dedicated to his memory.
In addition to creator/co-writer Charles Soots, the film will also be dedicated to the memory of Edith Ferguson Carter, founder of Whippoorwill Academy and Village, a museum located in Ferguson, North Carolina. Amongst the exhibits at Whippoorwill is the Tom Dooley Museum, a collection of artifacts and artwork dedicated to the story. Edith Carter inspired Charles to commit the story to film in a dramatic and historically-accurate way, planting the seeds for what would eventually become "Laura." Mrs. Carter passed away in 2014.
Filming took place at the Marshall Farm in Walnut Cove, North Carolina. The property, owned by the Marshall family, includes several reproduction 19th Century cabins, as well as trails and creeks that the filmmakers made great use of.
"Laura" will be one of the first films to tell (As close as possible) the true story behind the legend of Tom Dooley and the Murder of Laura Foster. The only major Hollywood production, 1959's "The Legend of Tom Dooley," took major liberties with the actual history to tell more of a western story, than a truthful depiction of the tale.