Morse
Collectors
Academy Award
®
qualification for ProHD film
Set in 1942, The Morse Collectors “The main problem – as with any film – full HD signal using a codec on Final Cut
follows to the journey of two young
is finding the money to make it,” David Pro’s menus. We chose DVC ProHD but
children who seek meaning behind
explains. “The majority of the financing you could get uncompressed HD if the
hidden morse code messages
comes from Film Commissions, and we computer’s drives are fast enough.”
inside their house. Shot on JVC’s
went through several rejections before
The Morse Collectors, which was shot over
GY-HD251E HDV camera with a
Northern Ireland Screen granted us 75%
of the budget. My producer works for a
a four-day period, was in part edited on-set,
16mm Zeiss prime lens, the film
company called Hub Media in London
which allowed David to work closely with
has qualified to be submitted
and they agreed to put in the other 25%.
the editor whilst filming on location.
for consideration in 2010’s
“The editor was on-set, capturing a live
Academy Awards and has received
“After searching drama classes across
signal as we shot. This worked well for
recognition from critics across the
Northern Ireland, we found both the kids
us as we were able to review the footage
globe. David Cooke, director of the
in our last casting session in Derry,” David
instantly and the editor was able to start
short, talks to HIGHWAY about the
continues. “The other thing that we needed
cutting scenes as we were shooting them.
success of the film.
to get right was the location. The film was
set entirely in one house during WWII. We
By the time we finished shooting, we had
didn’t have enough money to build a set so
three quarters of our rough cut completed,
we needed to find something that was very
and I knew that we had all the shots we
close to the script. It took quite a while to
needed for the film and that they were
find the right place but eventually we found
cutting together well.”
Galgorm Castle in Ballymena.”
The Morse Collectors has been screened
JVC’s ProHD GY-HD251E offered the team
at more than 25 festivals, from Aspen to
behind The Morse Collectors the chance
Chicago, and has picked up six awards,
to bypass the HDV compression and run a
including an Academy Award-qualifying prize
direct, uncompressed, 720p signal straight
that has enabled the team to submit the
into the edit suite using Final Cut Pro’s DVC
film for consideration for the 2010 Oscars.
ProHD codec and a BNC cable, enabling
David concludes, “At festivals, DOP’s
the production to be roughly edited on-set.
always ask about how we shot the film, as
“We had decided to do the off-line edit on
many of them think that it was shot on film.
HD Camera Hire’s suite but when we went
We were all very pleased with the final look
to see the company who were doing the
of The Morse Collectors. The Director of
on-line edit, Street Monkey, they mentioned
Photography, Angus Mitchell, won a Best
that we could connect the camera directly
Cinematography prize at HD Fest in LA
from the HD/SDI output to the suite through
last November, and I also picked up
the Kona HD capture card,” David reveals.
Best Director.”
n
“This meant that we could bypass the
The Morse Collectors will be available
www.suiladuaidh.com HDV compression and capture the live on iTunes later this year.
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