The title "Atlanta" originated from a Stone Temple Pilot song of the same name. Though the song was used in early versions of the film, its scene was eventually cut.
The first public screening of the film was March 28, 2004 at Parmer Cinema in Grantham, Pennsylvania. The show was free admission, and attendance was so high that the theater needed to bring in extra seating to accommodate the crowd.
Budget demands would allow for only one prop gun, so all scenes involving gun violence were structured to never include two characters firing at the same time. This way, one gun could be swapped between characters when the camera angle changed.
The film was shot on Sony TRVs without the use of boom mics.
Nate's heroin-induced fantasy (shot in Pittsburgh's Point State Park) was not written to include fireworks. However, during shooting, a Pittsburgh Pirates' baseball game set off fireworks across the river, and that take made the final cut.