Sigourney Weaver's character was based on an object of infatuation that Steve Tesich had with a Washington, D.C. anchorwoman. He recorded her broadcasts and had pictures of her like William Hurt's character had in the film of Weaver. The actual anchorwoman was brought in by Peter Yates for technical support to make Weaver's character more believable.
After the film's poor box-office showing under the title of "The Janitor" in the UK, its title was changed to "Eyewitness" for further theatrical releases in new territories.
In order to research his character, William Hurt actually moonlighted as a janitor, before production on the film began, and it would prove vital throughout the film.
"The Janitor" was the movie's original title. The film's screenwriter Steve Tesich was once an office-building janitor himself.
According to director Peter Yates, the script for the film was a hybrid of two screenplays that Steve Tesich had written and had gotten nowhere with either one. It was Yates who suggested that he combine the two scripts, Tesich originally balked at the idea, but finally gave in and this script was formed. Yates also said Tesich had trouble coming up with unusual plot twists because he cares more about character than plot when he writes.
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