Under the shadow of the Bitterroot Mountains and along the quiet backroads of Diamond Match Road on private property, the cast and crew of "They Prey in the Night" are close to calling it a wrap. 

After a month of shooting in rugged locations from Durango’s Restaurant to the Rugg Ranch, filming for the independent thriller from Coffeybean Productions is nearly done.

“We’re about right on schedule, surprisingly, with the few hiccups we’ve had,” said Tanya Lewis, the film’s director and owner of Coffeybean Productions, an independent studio based in Superior. “Things like needing SD cards - we had to drive all the way to Missoula for one - and an actor needing to quit slowed us down for a few days, but we made up the time.”

Despite the minor setbacks, Lewis said the production moved faster than expected. 

“I thought we’d get about five scenes done a day, and we’ve been averaging seven. The team’s been incredible as they’re all professionals and work so efficiently,” she said. 

The film, described as a “tense, survival-driven thriller,” explores friendship, fear and the fine line between hunter and hunted. 

About 80% of the scenes were shot outdoors, with the unpredictable fall weather prompting a few on-the-fly script changes. 

“We worked around the rain,” Lewis laughed, “and somehow it added to the mood of the story.” 

Like many small-town productions, "They Prey in the Night" became a family affair. Lewis’s parents contributed from the beginning by helping to develop the story, acting on set, and even running sound after a last-minute personnel change. 

“My mom stepped in as sound person, my dad became one of the actors, and my grandma came up from California to babysit my kids,” Lewis said. “It’s definitely a family production.”

Among the cast is veteran actor Patrick Carter, who’s appeared in several independent films and television series, including "Wardens: Case Files" on the Outdoor Channel. Carter, a self-described survival enthusiast, said the project immediately caught his attention. 

“I saw the casting call and reached out right away,” Carter said. “This story just resonated with me. Every day on set has been an adventure.” 

Carter has worked as a stand-in on major productions like "Yellowstone" and its prequel "1923," experiences he says taught him more than any classroom could. 

“On a big set, you learn fast — when they call second team, you’d better be ready,” he said. 

Carter spent several years in southern California in corporate software sales getting his feet wet in the movie industry but returned home to Missoula five years ago. 

“This is what I’ve always wanted to do and I’m just so glad that I’m at a point now where I’m doing what I’ve wanted to do living here.” 

He recently completed "High Moon" shot at the Yellowstone Film Ranch, and after "They Prey in the Night," Carter plans to sit back, recalibrate before looking deep into 2026.

Also starring in the film is Derek Sorrell of St. Ignatius, a member of the Pend d’Oreille and CSKT tribes. Lewis described Sorrell as the film’s “charm and comedic relief,” bringing heart to a story otherwise steeped in tension.

Rounding out the cast is David Coleman II, who portrays Lewis’s father, Will Coffey, the man whose harrowing night the story is based on. When another actor had to step away, Coffey himself stepped into the role his creative mind helped shape, keeping the production on track.

Lewis hopes to hold the film’s premiere at her alma mater, the University of Montana’s Dennison Theatre, next spring. 

“That would really bring things full circle,” she said. 

As for the story itself, Lewis keeps details close to the chest but offers a haunting tease: They didn’t come back until the next afternoon. Three of their hounds ended up dead, and they realized they were the ones being hunted.

    From left, Director Tanya Lewis, sound technician Nan, with actors Will Coffey, Patrick Carter, David Coleman II, and Derek Sorrell rehearse a scene on private property west of Superior. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)
  

    Durango’s Restaurant in Superior became a convenience store for a scene early in the movie. (Monte Turner/Mineral Independent)