Williamson grew up in the oceanside town of Oriental, North Carolina, which served as the inspiration for The Waterfront ’s fictional location, Havenport. The show was filmed in Southport, where Williamson filmed his classic slasher film, 1997’s I Know What You Did Last Summer.

While it's set in the fictional town of Havenport, the new drama series is indeed based on a real story - one pulling from the creator's past. The eight-episode series centers around the Buckleys, who rule the local fishing industry and some of the town's biggest restaurants.