According to the 12 February 1916 Motion Picture News, director Emile Chautard had begun work at World Film's Fort Lee, NJ, studio on Velma, featuring Frances Nelson. However, a month later, the 18 March 1916 Motion Picture News reported that the title was now Human Driftwood, and the company was filming in Florida. The 1 April 1916 Motography more specifically gave the location as Miami. Two weeks later, the 15 April 1916 Moving Picture World elaborated, noting that Chautard "took his company to Florida where the sub-tropical scenes were staged, and then with Mr. Warwick and Miss Nelson and thirty-eight players, a journey was made to a small settlement fifty miles inland from Saranac Lake, New York. There the proper snow scenes were made in just the environment requisite to a faithful carrying out of the author's story. The company arrived in the Adirondacks during the extremely cold spell," and because Warwick had only a short time to film before being needed to open a play back in New York City, they were forced to film "in the face of a terrible blizzard and a universe of snow." An advertisement in that same issue promised "500 big scenes and a punch in every one of them."
       The 22 April 1916 New York Clipper suggested, "Better titling would help the story,...and the shortening of several unimportant scenes is another thing that would make for improvement in a very pleasing and well acted picture play." Variety likewise recommended, "With retitling the picture could be developed into a rattling good feature." ...