Development On August 25, 2016, it was reported that
Paramount Television Studios and
Anonymous Content had optioned the screen rights to Hilde and Matthew Lysiak's forthcoming book series,
Hilde Cracks the Case. The deal also reportedly include Hilde's life rights as well. Paramount Television Studios was expected to act as lead production company, and
Joy Gorman Wettels and Sharlene Martin were set to serve as executive producers. On June 13, 2018, it was announced that Apple had given the untitled production a series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes. The series was created by
Dana Fox and
Dara Resnik, both of whom are set to executive produce alongside Wettels, Martin, and
Jon M. Chu. Production companies involved with the series were set to include Anonymous Content and Paramount Television Studios.
Casting On August 17, 2018, it was announced that
Brooklynn Prince had been cast in the series' lead role. On October 23, 2018, it was reported that
Jim Sturgess had been cast in a starring role. In November 2018, it was announced that
Abby Miller,
Louis Herthum,
Michael Weston,
Kylie Rogers, Aziza Scott, Adrian Hough,
Joelle Carter, Jibrail Nantambu, and Deric McCabe had joined the cast in series regular roles.
Filming Principal photography for the first season was scheduled to take place from November 12, 2018, to April 15, 2019, in
Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada. Apple renewed the series for a second season before the first season had aired, which Dana Fox called "an enormous vote of confidence". Filming for the second season was set to take place in Vancouver from January 27 to June 17, 2020. during filming of the fourth episode. Initially untitled, the series was known as
Magic Hour before being renamed
Home Before Dark. "Magic Hour" became the title of the pilot episode.
Cinematographer Alice Brooks shot the series with
Panavision Millennium DXL2
digital cameras and customized Panavision G-Series
anamorphic lenses. == Reception ==