HOLLYWOOD — Hula Post Production (http://hulapost.com), provided editorial systems and support for Universal Pictures’ feature film Dracula Untold, which comes to Blu-ray on February 3rd. The feature was directed by Gary Shore and stars Luke Evans as the cursed man known as Vlad the Impaler.
Hula worked in support of editor Richard Pearson and his crew, setting up editorial facilities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the film was shot, and at Universal Studios in California, where it spent 40 weeks in post production. At both sites, the editorial environment consisted of six Avid workstations and shared storage. Hula provided technical support on a 24/7 basis.
Pearson, whose previous credits include Maleficent and
Safe House, says he was attracted to
Dracula Untold by its unique take on history’s most famous vampire. “It was an interesting time in history with the Ottoman Turks moving through Europe,” he notes. “And Vlad Tepes, the young prince, was a fascinating character, both abhorred and beloved by his people.”
Pearson adds that he enjoyed his collaboration with director Gary Shore, who was making his feature film debut. “I am keen to work with first-time filmmakers,” Pearson says. “It’s always exciting. Gary was very involved in the editorial process, and we spent a lot of time together in the editing room.”
Editing on location for three and a half months was challenging. Long hours were spent cutting dailies, integrating visual effects, and reviewing sequences with Shore. Technical issues, luckily, were rarely a concern. “Tech support from Hula was always available,” he says. “We had very few tech problems, but when they arose, they were quickly resolved. That was comforting.”