Production
The interviews and dramatic recreations were filmed in Canada and Ireland. Irish locations included Achill Island and Cobh in April 2008. Production shifted to Canada in May 2008 where locations included Discovery Harbour, Black Creek Pioneer Village and St. Michael's Cathedral standing in for Toronto of 1847.
Casting for the parts of the Willis Family - John, Mary and their five children - took place in Westport, County Mayo. The Canadian cast was pulled together from the Toronto area and all of the background actors are from the communities close to the filming locations. Toronto's Acme Pictures created the CGI scenes, which include the chaos at Limerick Docks in 1847, the arrival of the famine ships in Grosse Île and the dozens of steamers and barges arriving with thousands of refugees at Toronto harbour. CGI scenes were also required for the fever sheds and the Toronto hospital where the sick and dying Irish were cared for that summer. Both episodes were edited and sound mixed in Toronto. The music for the film was composed by Christopher Dedrick, a multi-award winning film and television composer and former member of the pop group, The Free Design, and also features a performance from the St. Michael's Choir School.
Read more about this topic: Death Or Canada
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