Although this was a hit with the critics, it bombed at the box office. Enough to make 'Francois Truffaut' forego his improvisational techniques and return to regular scripted drama.
Because no funding was available from any of the studios, 'Francois Truffaut' and his crew shot the film on the fly on the streets of Paris, often making up the script as they went along. The ending was decided on the basis of who was available at the time of shooting.
The film was released in France under the title, "Ne tirez pas sur le pianiste" ("Don't Shoot the Piano Player"), or the exact opposite of the title in the United States.