What are the technical challenges of filming polar bears in such cold climates?
The biggest challenge is, of course, keeping things and people warm. Video gear works remarkably well in cold temperatures, and we invest a lot of time in preparing the camera for the cold—especially when the temperature drops below 10F. This includes using covers, heater packs (many each day), and carefully monitoring the internal temperature. We are also careful to keep people warm. The biggest challenge is that we spend so much time not moving — just waiting for the polar bears. My favorite clothing for work in the Arctic in the winter includes a North Face 8000 meter suite and bunny boots. With these, my world is as comfy as a day on the beach in Hawaii. What are the technical challenges of filming polar bears themselves? My experience filming polar bears is limited to Kaktovik, Alaska and Churchill, Manitoba. In both places, I’ve worked out of trucks or Tundra Buggies. Frontiers North Adventures provided a Tundra Buggy for the recent work, and I lived in it for six weeks. My wife
