Directed by Doug Campbell, Lifetime’s “Swim Instructor Nightmare” is a thriller about 10-year-old Ashley who is afraid to learn to swim. So her father Parker recruits a new instructor named Sabrina, hoping she can ease his daughter’s fear. However, the new instructor develops a strange obsession with the child. Now, many may be wondering if the film’s narrative is rooted in reality.
Besides the performances and the intense storyline, another intriguing factor of the film is the location where it was shot. The network is known for showcasing beautiful locations, even in thrillers meant to shake us up. So, let’s find out more about the film!
Swimming Instructor Nightmares Filming Locations
Alternately titled “Psycho Swim Instructor,” the Lifetime movie apparently began filming in September 2021 and continued for a few weeks. Production took place in a sprawling California city. If you’re wondering where exactly the thriller was filmed, we’ve got some updates for you. Let us find out more details!
Los Angeles, California
The production of “Swim Instructor Nightmare” is attributed to Los Angeles, California. Despite a large number of Lifetime films being shot in Vancouver, Los Angeles remains a prime filming location for many network-distributed films. The glamorous City of Angels has been redecorated to fit the unsettling storyline of this thriller. During production, actor CJ Hammond (Parker) took photos with his co-stars and posted them to relive the fond memories shared on set.
Besides Hammond, Kiarra Beasley (Ashley) has also expressed her joy and excitement on social media to be featured in the film. Los Angeles is primarily a prime filming location for large-scale productions as the actors are mostly based in the city. Alongside them, studios and production companies have set up there, which on the contrary reduces their travel costs.
On top of that, many companies receive tax credits for making movies in Los Angeles, so filmmakers love shooting in the city. A few Lifetime films shot in Los Angeles are “Picture Perfect Lies”, “Old Flames Never Die”, and “Wheels of Beauty”.
Nightmare Cast Swim Instructor
“Swim Instructor Nightmare” features Kiarra Beasley as Ashley, a young girl who encounters a psychotic instructor. Child actor Kiarra is known for her roles in ‘Discontent’ and ‘Look, Mira’. CJ Hammond tries out for the role of Parker, Ashley’s father, who hires a swimming instructor for his daughter. Hammond is a big name at major events such as Studio City International Film Festival and Indie Night Film Festival.
Sydney Hamm plays Sabrina, a swimming instructor who develops an obsession with Ashley. A master of many talents, Sydney is known for her roles in projects such as ‘The Regard Breakdown Podcast’ and the AUX Live streaming service. Other cast members include Morris Jude Martinez (Jerry), Shellie Sterling (Ellen), Janet Carter (Vickie), Mackenzie Possage (Donna) and many more.
Is The Swim Instructor’s Nightmare based on a true story?
No, ‘Swim Instructor Nightmare’ is not based on a true story. The screenplay for the film is credited to David Chester, who also wrote “Wheels of Beauty.” Lifetime is known for producing thrillers with unusual yet interesting stories that make our hearts clench in fear. This time, the film revolves around swimming.
A few names such as ‘The Shallow’, ‘Feet Deep’ and ‘Killer Coach’ might ring a bell if we consider films with similar themes. ‘Feet Deep’ is a female-centric survival tale about two sisters trapped under the fiberglass cover of a huge public swimming pool. They must muster every ounce of strength to survive the unbearable cold as night sets in. “Killer Couch” is about a swimming prodigy who finds herself in danger after having a one-night stand with her coach.
The idea of a thriller set in a swimming pool sounds terrifying because of the myriad ways it could go wrong. In recent years we have heard a few cases of innocent people dying from pool accidents. Shanna Hogan, the author of ‘Death’ and ‘Picture Perfect: The Jodi Arias Story’ among others, hit her head in a swimming pool while playing with her child and died.
Similarly, Adrianna Elaine Hutto, a 7-year-old girl, was found dead in her family swimming pool after being drenched by her mother. Such scary scenarios of people dying in real life make our stomachs contract and our hearts shrink. Although not a true story, Lifetime’s “Swim Instructor Nightmare” instills the same feeling in us due to its close ties to reality.
Read more: Best survival movies on Netflix
