Hula Post Production Provides Editorial Tools for Dracula Untold

Hula Post Production provided editorial systems and support for Dracula Untold, Universal Pictures‘ new action film, now in international release.

Working in support of editor Richard Pearson and his crew, Hula set up editorial facilities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the film was shot, and at Universal Studios in California, where it spent 40 weeks in postproduction. At both sites, the editorial environment consisted of six Avid workstations and shared storage. Both in Ireland and the U.S., Hula provided technical support on a 24/7 basis.

Pearson, whose credits include Maleficent and Safe House, said 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,” Pearson observed. “Vlad Tepes, the young prince, was a fascinating character, both abhorred and beloved by his people.”

Pearson added 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 said. “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, Pearson recalled, involving long hours of cutting dailies, integrating visual effects, and reviewing sequences with Shore. Technical issues, however, were rarely a concern. “Tech support from Hula was always available,” he said. “We had very few tech problems, but when they arose, they were quickly resolved. That was comforting.”