The original idea for the story was conceived while I was visiting Tokyo a few years ago.

I laid down a few ideas for the movie to Megumi Kikuraku, who worked with me in various capacities in the past, and together we wrote the first draft. Hollywood-based script-writer Marcello Picone joined the writing team and Simone Lageoles, an industry veteran, assisted great deal in finalizing the script.

In realizing the story it was important to me to create a very particular mood for every scene. Three crew members in particular were instrumental in achieving this: cinematographer Christopher Raymond, composer Eiji Yamada and sound designer R. J. Pirchinello.

In Milieu I wanted to create my own universe with its own rules, where Yakuza bosses come to a meeting at a bath house in Brooklyn, sword fights break out on the banks of East River in a broad day light and lonely fearless killers operate like untouchables.