Discovered by Alex Gordon as an unproduced screenplay by Hollywood writer Frank Quattrocchi, "The Projected Man" was directed by Ian Curteis, who had been approached following the BBC's transmission of a television film he had directed. He took the job despite reservations about a rigidly tight four-week shooting contract and an inadequate budget. After four weeks the finance ran out and producer John Croydon took over the direction, unpaid and meeting the remaining financial demands himself in order to complete the film. However, Croydon remained uncredited as the producers did not wish to publicise the problems which had occurred on set.