The filmmaker had been planning a short film set in the Victorian era about Mary Ann Cotton, Britain's first female serial killer. However, after attending a film workshop, they realized a simpler horror film could be made without much money. They came up with the idea of an urban legend-style short film set in modern times, where teenage kids summon Cotton's spirit after learning about her crimes. While based on the true story of Cotton poisoning her family for insurance money, the filmmaker still needs to invent an original urban legend that relates to her motives but has not been used before.