dieckmann and gray won the director friedrich wilhelm murnau, who made movies until 1919, but had made ​​his first seven productions a reputation as a talented filmmaker. gray, who had studied at the art academy in dresden, took over as artistic director and designed sets and costumes. for the soundtrack of the musical director of the prana-film hans erdmann was responsible. the unknown stage actor max schreck from munich, was committed for the title role. other roles took on expressionist theater of max reinhardt trained actors like greta schröder, gustav von wangenheim, and alexander granach, a former classmate at murnau reinhardt's acting school at the deutsches theater.