British photojournalist Don McCullin’s famed career spans nearly half a century and is most noted for his war photography and portraits of urban strife. Under the editorship of Harold Evans of the Sunday Times, McCullin was a star photographer from 1969 to 1984, covering stories from the civil war in Cyprus to the war in Vietnam, from the man-made famine in Biafra to the plight of the homeless in the London of the swinging sixties. Filmmakers and siblings David and Jacqui Morris’ BAFTA nominated film McCullin explores the war photographer’s life from his humble beginnings in the tough Finsbury Park neighborhood of North London to his career traversing the globe capturing some of the most harrowing images of the 20th century with dignity and grace. StageBuddy had a quick chat with co-director David Morris about the film.

What was the most exciting part of this project for you?

Just [putting] it all together as a coherent whole. Taking all the elements of Don's work and his philosophy, and making a film with a beginning, middle and an end.

How did you come to collaborate with your sister, Jacqui, in film production? Did you ever make films or share projects when you were kids?

We just fell into it, really. Jacqui had known Don for years, and he trusted her to not turn his story into a 'gung-ho' story, glamorizing war and his adventures. And no we didn't share projects as kids, although we got on reasonably well-- as far as brothers and sisters do, anyway.

How did you pace and organize yourself while working on such an ambitious project?

The editors' were free, were the main factors in when we could work on the project. We rely on [favors] and people's good will, as we weren't commissioned and had a miniscule budget. That changed to some extent as the film got beaten into shape, and people could see that it had potential.

What was the single best or most surprising thing you learned from Don while working together?

That he has a sense of [humor], even after all he's seen.

Were there times when you felt emotionally or mentally affected by the brutality and devastation of Don's experiences?

You actually get inured to it all, when you've worked with that harrowing material for more than a year.

Were there any stories or bits of information that were too sensitive to include in the film?

We decided not to include anything to do with Don's personal life; it would have taken up too much time. But if anyone's interested, it's worth reading his autobiography, Unreasonable Behaviour.