Before the film was completed, producers Samuel M. Sherman and Brett Piper sold the television rights to the film's re-edited rough cut. It was played on the USA Network's Up All Night (1989) series. The producers then used their sale money to complete the film.
This was a super low-budget film, and the crew for the latter production phase included many current/recent film students from the NYC metro area. The crew mostly had a great time making it (in New Jersey) and may have gotten more enjoyment from the film than its audiences.
Brett Piper said in an interview that he filmed a small no-budget zombie movie called Dying Day, which Sam Sherman bought. Then Sherman shot and added new footage, retitled it Raiders of the Living Dead, and listed himself as director. Piper and Sherman didn't actually meet until years later.