Memories of the filming of 'Before the Raid' (6 of 7)

Memories of the filming of 'Before the Raid' (6 of 7)

ID: AB_ROSEMARY_MACKAY_06 DESCRIPTION: In this audio extract Rosemary Mackay of Fearn remembers the filming of 'Before the Raid', a British propaganda film made in the 'Port' in 1942 (released in 1943). You can view the film by clicking on the link towards the foot of this page. The film was directed by Jiri Weiss, a Jewish native of Prague, who was forced to leave Czechoslovakia in 1938, at the time of the German occupation. Portmahomack was chosen because it resembled a typical Norwegian fishing village where the action was supposed to have taken place. The local residents were sworn to secrecy about the shooting. Interviewer: How long do you think they were there filming? I don't know. The main filming, I think, lasted over six weeks or something, if Ah remember right. Maybe longer. It's hard to remember but it was very exciting because none of us knew about filming an that beforehand. An it was bigger cameras. An I think there was one that was on little rails, ye know, like narrow gauge railway track, down, well at the slippie in the Port. At the Point we were told to keep behind the cameras. Well, we knew that, ye see, that we had to keep out o vision. We werena s- Well, we never caused trouble there. We just went to see what was happening. But we used to play hide an seek under the boats that were pulled up on the bank at the thingmy - when we went visiting. We used to play hide an seek under the boats where the shooting is all going on. An it was funny cos that boats of course have met their end since then. It was funny to see them so realistic in the film, an say, 'Oh, there's the boats an Ah played hide an seek under that.' PLACENAME: Portmahomack DISTRICT: Fearn OLD COUNTY/PARISH: ROSS: Tarbat CREATOR (AV): Rosemary Mackay DATE OF RECORDING: 2009 PERIOD: 2000s SOURCE: Am Baile COLLECTION: Am Baile: Portmahomack During the War Asset ID: 40997 KEYWORDS: