According to Christensen, "I've always enjoyed stories that revolved around the supernatural, and in the case of With You, I decided to take a step backwards in time within the genre and create a story that relied less on distinct visuals and more on what’s not seen. I wanted to create a film that is in the most basic sense a simple story, however, there really is more to it than first meets the eye."

Christensen, born and raised in the Chicago area, made the decision early on to shoot the movie not far from his hometown. "I knew going in that we were making a micro-budget indie, and I needed to maximize the resources I had. Therefore, it was a natural decision to film in areas I was familiar with and use a crew of people I knew and trusted."

So, boasting a cast and crew that was made up almost entirely of Chicagoans, the feature-length horror movie WITH YOU was shot in just nine days, for roughly $8,000 and with only one camera. Christensen and his wife, producer Kim Bryson, actually sold their home and invested the proceeds into the production. "It was something we deemed worth the risk. My wife and I believed in the script and felt that with a solid cast and crew, we could make the retro-style horror movie I envisioned."

Once the crew was assembled, auditions were held and the cast was pulled together. Christensen told us, "Finding the right actors, especially in an indie film is very tricky. You have to consider that these are all unpaid, non-SAG actors, many of whom have only stage experience. I'm grateful and feel very privileged to have found such a competitent and professional cast."

The leads, Joe O’Rourke and Mike Pish played the characters Jim and Sloan, respectively. O'Rourke is a native New Yorker and has studied acting for years while performing in off-Broadway shows.

Pish, originally from Cleveland, was living in Chicago at the time. His experience includes studying improv at The Second City and roles in various independent films.

Christensen felt their performances helped capture the kinship between the characters and the escalating tension within With You. "I think these guys did a terrific job handling the dramatic moments presented in the film and were able to effectively portray the longtime friendship between the characters. Both of which were critical to making the story work."

The supporting cast was rounded out by Fred Schutz, Danny Burke, and Laurence Skorniak. As Christensen described, "They each brought a distinctive touch to their characters that was needed in the movie."

Talking about Schutz, who played Mr. Klein, Christensen said, "He did a great job, he literally came in at the last minute (due to scheduling conficts with our original actor) and stepped up. Fred has an excellent screen presence, and when the camera rolled, he simply became the strong, knowledgeable ally that recognizes the danger approaching Jim."

Danny Burke, who plays the modest police officer Bill Marshall, was discussed by Christensen. "This is one of those quiet roles that is essential to the story. Dan had a rather complex job of capturing the benevolence and subtle uncertainty of this would-be protector. He was extremely effective and believable, making Bill a watchful, yet understated protagonist."

Talking about the eerie Mr. Mercant, played by Laurence Skorniak, Christensen told us, "Larry was absolutely perfect in this role, bringing to life a character that is in stark contrast to all the others, and probably the most memorable. In fact, during pre-production, he so encapsulated the strange, unwelcoming guy I imagined, we nicknamed him Scary Larry!"

With You has been called an old-fashioned ghost story that pays tribute to masters of the genre like Alfred Hitchcock and Rod Serling. In Christensen's words, "I wanted to make a movie that felt like a ghost story you might read in an old book, something that really honored the greats that inspired me. And, as a huge fan of the genre I was determined to create something that true horror fans would enjoy."