The Arctic Expedition

5/9/08

2008-05-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

A number of people have asked in recent weeks what it's like on the Amundsen. I can tell you it is an amazing ship. I believe she will be one of the stars of our film. She is majestic while being a work horse. She serves all the needs of the scientists while protecting all aboard and while on the ice. Since a picture is worth a thousand words we decided to put up a photo essay of the great Canadian Coast Guard Ice Cutter, Amundsen. Hopefully, this essay will demonstrate a slice of life aboard the great ship.

Life aboard the CCGS Amundsen - A Photo Essay

4/4/08

2008-04-05T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

We returned to the Amundsen April 3rd.

In addition to posting some new images the biggest change here – as you’ll see when you visit the site is there is light! Lots of light!! www.thearcticexpedition.com

We have been extremely busy having conversations with many organizations since the New Year - exploring relationships in many areas which can support and enhance The Arctic Expedition film.

We are in various stages of conversations and negotiations with several distributors around the world. We are also exploring a college tour - potentially visiting and screening the movie at as many as 100 colleges and universities.

Many colleges are already undertaking the commitment to make their campus “green”. One hundred Presidents of Universities around the country have signed agreements to meet certain “green” standards over the next several years. In most cases the initiatives were molded by student bodies.

We’re also in conversations with several large high school organizations to share the project with many of these young folks.

My personal ambition is to share as much of this project with young people as possible. They will be the civic and community leaders in a few years and carry the torch into the future.

We’re also in conversations with sponsors for the film and the college tour. So far, there are three leading contenders – in the apparel, automotive and technology industries.

To date, I have been mostly underwriting the cost of the project. To say this has been draining on the bank account would be an understatement! We’ve had a lot of conversations with a lot of various companies and I expect to announce certain partnerships by June 1.

I am constantly amazed by the support each and every one of you has given this project. I know many of you are very engaged with what we’re working to accomplish. From 100 emails originally sent to friends and family more than 72,000 folks have engaged with the site.

One last thing. Many of you have contacted me and asked if we have any Arctic Expedition merchandise. I’m happy to say in the next few weeks we will be selling really cool hats and T-shirts on the site.

5% of gross sales will go directly to environmental organizations we support and the remaining 95% will support the ongoing marketing of the film.

Many people don’t realize our current environmental issues don’t just impact pollution. These issues impact health, economies, water shortages and other life threatening challenges.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Please forward the site to a friend. Lets make this world a better, healthier place.

www.thearcticexpedition.com

Sincerely,

Anthony Christopher

3/18/08

2008-03-18T11:08:00.000-07:00

Well, the second leg of our incredible journey is almost upon us. We will leave Southern California for the Arctic April 1st in order to be back on the Amundsen April 3rd.

Patrick and I are looking forward to our return North. This trip will allow us 12 hours a day of sunlight! When we were there in December we were limited to 2 hours of twilight a day.

Additionally, if conditions permit the group will build an ice camp which I believe will allow us greater opportunity to film wildlife. My personal goal is to film at least one polar bear!

The other element of the trip we’re looking forward to is the chance to work with a world-class team of underwater videographers. The arctic, above the ice, is an amazingly beautiful part of the world. Below the ice is stunning and I can’t wait to share these impending, profound images with you all.

Stay tuned and please share this site with friends and family. This leg will be even more visual than the last.

I would like to thank each and every one of you. This project is the most important of my career to date – because the information being gathered by the project’s scientists is so crucial.

Of all the surprises that have emerged from our journey this website is the most surprising to me personally. We built the site while we were on the Amundsen in December because our friends and family wanted to receive photos and info on our journey.

We built the site and sent out 100 emails sending the url to these folks – and as of today about 70,000 people have become engaged with the site!

I will give you a preview into the future. The scientific data being amassed through the Arctic Expedition project by 200 of the world’s top scientists and their staff will be some of the most critical environmental information delivered to the world community to date!

Please stay tuned and continue to pass the word!

Global Warming and Climate Change is having a devastating effect on our environment and weather patterns – but is also having severe economic, social and lack of water effects on millions and hundreds of millions of people around the globe.

On a basic, logistical note we are working feverishly to prepare for April 3rd. As you can imagine the preparation is a little more rigorous than if we were prepping to shoot Miami Beach.

In terms of what we learned from our last trip – we’ve made two minor yet vitally important changes. As most of you know from our previous blogs I had two very close encounters with frostbite in my hands.

For those of you heading to the arctic at some point or any sub zero region of the world I highly recommend Raber Glove Mens Arctica 3 Mitts. We bought them at http://www.sirmailorder.ca

Trevor, an Inuit guide from our last arctic trip loaned me an extra pair of his after my two extremely painful close encounters with frost bite - and I wouldn’t return to the top of the world without them. Further, for what they are these mitts are surprisingly reasonable compared to other extreme weather gloves and mitts. We paid $31.99 a pair plus shipping.

We also made another change and bought a pair of GI Wool Glove Liners at http://www.uscav.com These heavy wool glove liners cost a whopping $2.99 a pair plus shipping! (Probably the best investment I’ve ever made!)

Thanks for all your support and kind words over the last several months. I enjoy sharing this experience with all of you!

All the best,

Anthony Christopher

12/26/07

2007-12-26T06:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I hope one and all is having a wonderful holiday season. We finally embarked on our long journey home from the arctic. Patrick headed to the Mid West to spend the holidays with family while I returned home to California.

Pat may write about his journey at some point but I want to share some thoughts regarding mine. As I mentioned in an earlier message we stopped in Winnipeg so I could meet with Dr. Barber and Dan Leitch. Dan has really helped me with logistics and other matters regarding our documenting the project. After many months on the phone and countless emails it was nice to finally meet Dan in the flesh!

That afternoon Pat and I went to the Winnipeg airport where I headed for the first leg of my trip home which required a stop in Minneapolis, where I ended up having a four hour-layover/delay.

I was pretty tired by the time I hopped on a plane for my next leg to Las Vegas. And that’s where it all went more wrong. My ultimate destination was Orange County Airport where, as it turns out, airplanes are not allowed to land or take off after 11PM.

I arrived in Las Vegas five minutes before this witching hour!

For the next ten hours I lounged around McCarran Airport for the most surreal experience I think I have ever “endured”.

I’ve enclosed some photos. Try to imagine the environment I had just come from in the arctic to the Las Vegas Airport where all night long the speaker system pumped Christmas and holiday music throughout the terminal while the large video screens constantly blared the entertainment fare at numerous casinos. Comedians, magicians, singers, game shows, topless revues and whatever else they could produce to bring visitors into their properties.

The hours went by at the speed of a crawling snail and by the time three or four o’clock in the morning came along I was ready to scream!

Seriously, it seemed like a bad Fellini movie!

Anyway, I finally made it home and promptly went to sleep for 11 hours!

Regardless of the challenges, hurdles and tribulations related to the project Pat and I agree – we can’t wait to get back to the arctic in April!

-A.C.

12/21/07

2007-12-21T10:50:00.001-08:00

Hi Friends,

Patrick and I began our journey home after an amazing three weeks on the Amundsen. Though, the Canadian Coast Guard is not part of the military as it is in the U.S., they still operate with a strict operational and honors code. I believe this is the reason whether we were on the ship or on the ice we never felt compromised or in danger.

The schedule to depart the ship was straightforward. Our luggage and gear had to be on deck 6:30am. Starting at 9am the first of 8 helicopter flights would begin taking us, crew and scientists to Sachs Harbour.

One hour later the first of four Twin Otters would take us to Inuvik where a Canadian North jet flew us to Winnipeg where we and one third of the plane disembarked while the remainder flew home to Quebec City.

I’m happy to report even though the logistics of moving so many folks with so much luggage, camera gear, science equipment, etc. was implemented without a glitch.

My first thought disembarking the plane in Winnipeg where the temperature was one degree Fahrenheit was it felt a little like Miami Beach – at least in comparison to where we came from!

I met with Dr. David Barber, the original founder and visionary of the CFL Project this morning before we head to the airport. Gary is a very nice, intelligent and interesting man. We will be on the Amundsen with him in April when he will be the Chief Scientist on board. Much of our film, “The Arctic Adventure” will be told through his eyes and experiences as well as Dr. Gary Stern and other scientists from around the globe.

We’ve added a few pictures of the last leg of this current journey. We will continue to update you on the project’s progress. In the meantime, Happy Holidays to you and yours!

Sincerely,
-A.C.

12/17/07

2007-12-17T17:02:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day we have moved in nearly a week. It was actually a little rough on the ship. Maybe it had been the lack of movement, or just that we had some fairly heavy snow for a couple of days that quickly transformed to more ice. Walking through the ship’s hallways today was a bit like trying to walk around your house during the middle of a California earthquake! We did get some good news as to why we are moving. We are working our way closer to Sachs Harbour so we can disembark by helicopter to catch several planes that will take us to Inuvik… and begin the rest of our journey home.

The downside to the ship cutting through the thick ice has eliminated our ability to shoot any footage that required audio. Due to the enormous power of the Amundsen, we can basically float on top of the ice or go through it with 6 huge diesel engines that produce tremendous power. The experience is like we are crushing cement with every piece of ice we power over or through.

We’re a few days from finishing the first leg of the project and have to film a handful of the remaining scientists on our schedule - so hopefully we’ll stay put once we get closer to Sachs Harbour.

We were originally planning to be picked up by Twin Otters on the ice but the pilots deemed it a little too dangerous. Now, the helicopters, which only fly six passengers at a time, will take about eight hours to shuttle all of us.

Overall, I am getting anxious to place my feet back on solid ground, but I am already starting to plan for our next leg. We will be heading back to the CCGS Amundsen in April of 2008, and I already can't wait! New crew, new scientists, and most importantly, new opportunities to shoot some great shots during a different season. The temperature will still be much colder than anything we have ever experienced in California, but judging from some of the things I was able to see here in the Arctic during the brief hours of daylight, I can only imagine what we will see and capture on our next voyage!

-P.E.

12/16/07

2007-12-16T18:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

I have a dear friend named Michael Najarian. Michael is a brilliant therapist and recently sent me an email that was extremely insightful and poignant. It sort of amazed me how he keyed into the dynamics of what’s happening on the ship and the interactions and psyche of my fellow crew and science friends.

Though, this information isn’t directly related to The Arctic Expedition or Climate Change or Global Warming, I’m taking a chance and share it with you in hopes that you will find it as interesting as I have.

I asked Michael if I might share his communication with you and he graciously agreed.

It follows below.

Sincerely,

AC

Tony,

I really meant it when I said thank you for sharing this with me because if I could, I would be right there with you trying to contribute to the psychology of what drives those doing the work, what happens to all on a daily basis and how the public may respond. When the pain is not oppressive, it is very difficult for any individual to respond. The heroic effort always comes from those willing to endure hardships and uncertainty because of their beliefs. The courage to face those who doubt and the brilliance required by all to present information in a way that puts their collective guts on the line in the face of so many in denial. You are surrounded by heroes and it must be a great feeling to wake up everyday and do precisely what you love.

The photos alone give me chills. The landscape is one thing but the facial expressions tell an incredible story of life, love and dedication. Watch the faces as they say the eyes are the window to the soul. I think you may find an extraordinary example of the true strength of humanity and what collective effort means as the relationships grow daily. What a tremendous opportunity to tell a story in a way that all of us just might hear all of you. I know you well enough to say that if anyone can convey the message it

will be through your lens. The people around you must be incredible.

All my best.

Michael

12/12/07

2007-12-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

One of the interesting aspects of the trip we’ve observed is the relationship between the scientists and the crew. It’s challenging enough that there are scientists from half a dozen countries on board but the crew of the Amundsen is from French speaking Canada!

The crew is an integral part of all scientific operations. They provide security while on the ice, logistics from the bridge, operate the moon pool, feed us, among other vital necessities of everyday life on the ship. Rarely, for some reason is communication a problem or stumbling block.

Because schedules are so hectic through the days and nights on board most people don’t have time to really bond other than through the work experience. So, someone came up with an idea. Quite frankly, I don’t know whom, but it seemed like a good one. It was decided there would be a hockey game between the scientists and crew! For those of you who are not aware of what hockey is to Canada – let me tell you it is what soccer is to South America - A near Religion.

The day before the game a couple of the crew took a piece of the heavy equipment and rolled a regulation size hockey ring in the ice.

Pat decided to play on the side of the scientists. I decided to film it. There was the usual trash talking beforehand from both sides - and drinks afterward. The video has been posted without the score. And, for those of you who are interested the score was 3-3. A tie.

All were too exhausted to entertain the idea of a shootout to crown an ultimate winner.

It was a lot of fun and quite frankly one of the many arctic memories I will retain for years to come.

I hope you enjoy this little slice of life from the arctic!

-A.C.

Dr. Gary Stern's Overview of Arctic Studies

2007-12-07T14:49:00.001-08:00

Dr. Gary Stern is someone I had spoken to many times by phone before actually meeting him in Inuvik on the way to the Amundsen. My experience of Gary is that he is a very bright scientist and leader, has a good sense of humour and very approachable. He is also extremely committed to his work.

He is one of the many reasons our journey onboard the Amundsen has been both enjoyable and rewarding.

We’ve asked him to give us a brief overview of what he does and his background. I think you’ll find what Dr. Stern has to say interesting as you apply it to the big picture of Global Warming and Climate Change.

Dr. Gary Stern…

“Contaminants pose a potential hazard to Arctic fish and marine mammal health, and ultimately to northerners that consume their tissues as part of their traditional diets. It is therefore imperative that we strive to understand how climate variability in physical forcing and the biogeochemical response to this primary forcing will affect among others 1) contaminant transport processes and cycling; 2) biomagnification through Arctic marine food webs; 3) foraging behaviour of marine mammals (e.g. in response to changing sea ice regimes); 4) changes to hunting patterns and diets of northerners to reflect availability of traditional foods (e.g. less ice may lead to reduced reproductive success of ringed seals forcing northerners to consume more beluga tissues which typically have 10-fold higher contaminant concentrations). Overall, results from his research will help assess the vulnerability of coastal Inuit communities to climate change, document and project impacts of climate change on traditional food security and community health and provide the information required by communities, scientists and policy makers to help develop adaptation strategies. Our findings will help to test and shape the policy for the future management of contaminants emissions and long range transport to the Arctic and will support integrated ocean management programs such as Marine Protected and Large Ocean Management Areas.”

Dr. Gary Stern is a senior scientist with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Winnipeg, Canada and a professor at the University of Manitoba, Department of Environment and Geography, Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba. Dr. Stern’s research involves the study of environmental pathways of contaminants including their delivery, transport, and elimination from Arctic marine and freshwater aquatic ecosystems. In particular, it is directed toward linking contaminant levels in Arctic marine food webs to oceanographic provinces, inputs from land and the atmosphere and ultimately, climate variation which has been shown to alter for example, hydrology, organic carbon, sea ice dynamics, primary productivity, foodweb structure and foraging of top trophic level feeders such as beluga and ringed seals. Most of the major contaminant groups are being studied and include organohalogen compounds (chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, brominated flame retardants and fluorinated organic compounds), mercury and other trace metals and hydrocarbons. In ArcticNet Phase 1, Dr. Stern is a co-PI of the Theme 3 sub-project 1.3 and 3.4 and was an NI in the Theme 2 sub-project 2.6. Currently, Dr. Stern is the co-project leader for CFL, the largest IPY project in the world, and is also the lead of the Team 8 (contaminants). He also He was also a co-applicant of the recently funded CFI LEF and as such received funding to build a Portable In-situ Laboratory for Mercury Speciation (PILMS) and purchase the associated analytical equipment (LC/MS/MS, Tekrans etc.) This facility is unique in the world, is currently on board the Amundsen, and will continue to be used in ArcticNet Phase II, to propel our Arctic mercury speciation and process studies to the next level. In collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, other government departments and universities, Dr. Stern, either as lead or co-author, has contributed to over 100 publications in the open literature and has on going projects worth over 4 million dollars. Collectively, these multi-disciplinary projects total over 69 million dollars.

12/6/07

2007-12-06T17:52:00.001-08:00

We were awoken by a most unusual alarm clock about 6am this morning. Actually, it sounded and resonated more like an earthquake. The noise was a long breach of sound almost indescribable.

Coming out of a deep sleep and in quarters not all that familiar left me a bit disoriented. A few minutes later I learned what caused this “unique” bellow of a sound. The stretch of thick ice, about a mile long separated about the length of a football field right in front of the ship.

The noise permeating from these two huge masses separating is something I will never forget.

Later in the morning I was told the ice was too dangerous to go on at the time – so I went up to the bridge. In the stream of icy water now separating the two ice masses were four black seals playing, diving and popping back up from the dark blue water.

I so wanted to be back on the ice shooting them because the lens on my camera just didn’t have the length to get some close ups.

Tomorrow is another day at the top of the world…

-A.C.

12/4/07

2007-12-03T22:52:00.000-08:00

Hi friends, I learned a valuable lesson last night while filming some trucking sequences from a skibbie boat, (It looks like the kind they use in the everglades with the propeller behind the driver.)

Anyway, when we take our “A’ camera on the ice it is housed in a somewhat bulky, insulated cover that is rated up to –50. (I don’t ever want to test the rating. I’ll just take the manufacturer’s word for it!)

So, the lesson I learned, again, is patience. I was having trouble with the rocky movement of the boat and my gloves combined with the awkwardness of the housing surrounding our “A” camera. There are many instruments and switches and buttons to coordinate to set exposure, shutter, focus, etc, etc. And I was just not doing a good job.

So, what did I do? No, I didn’t practice patience. I took my right glove off so I could manage the camera better. Truthfully, I don’t know how long I had it off. My guess is ten minutes. For those of you who have never experienced a level of cold that frosts your mind - at one point my right hand went from being very cold to experiencing an excruciating amount of pain!

I’m not talking pain. I’m talking PAIN! The only thing I could immediately think of was getting back to the boat and getting my hand out of the conditions. I threw my glove on and hightailed it back to ship. I wrapped it in a warm towel and hoped it wasn’t frostbite the second I hustled into my room.

The bottom line is it wasn’t frostbite. But, even as I write this I still don’t have full feeling back in my hand.

I’m wondering if my next environmental project can be in the Caribbean?…

-A.C.

Rough Cut Teaser Video 1

2007-12-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a rough cut of one of our sequences:
http://www.thearcticexpedition.com/Teaser1/

11/29/07

2007-11-29T13:09:00.001-08:00

A hello from the Arctic, to everyone reading this blog, wherever you might be! This is Patrick Ellison, Associate Producer and Camera Operator for The Arctic Expedition. So far the journey has been unbelievable. The ship is amazing, not only is it warm and comfortable, but the food is delicious and the crew is extremely friendly. All of the scientists and researchers are more than happy to not only work with us, but help us with anything we might need. The Arctic Expedition is definitely once in a lifetime!

Today started off a little different than most. Upon waking up, we were informed that the helicopter was grounded due to unsafe flying conditions. Actually, it wasn't the flying part that was the problem, it was the landing. We were supposed to have some more researchers board the ship today, but due to the weather, it will now be delayed until Saturday at the earliest. After lunch, proving that it was indeed unsafe to fly, the wind was so strong it actually knocked some of the plastic windows out of their frames right behind the deck.

After talking to some crew-members and a few of the students aboard the ship, we were informed that we are actually in a bit of a rush to make it to a safe zone for the ship. If we were to stay in our previous location, with winds reaching 40+ knots per hour, we could have possibly gotten iced in. I know this sounds strange, considering we are on an ice breaker that can easily plow through 5 foot thick ice, but if the wind had gotten the best of the ice, it could pile up on the side of the ship, and possibly grow to up to 30 feet. Yes, with just a little more wind, the ice could have taken over an entire side of the ship and kept us ice locked until it melted. Fortunately we are in the hands of a great captain and crew that is taking us to a much safer place in the Arctic.

Just to give everyone a little better idea of where we are, I went ahead and created a map showing our journey so far. Below is the map (click on the map to enlarge it). Focus in on the "zoomed in" box, as it shows a more detailed image of where we boarded the ship. The red line shows our flights to the ship, and the "X" marks where we made our berth on the ship. I hope everyone enjoys! I also posted a few more pics on our images page (notice the link on the right hand side of the page named: ARCTIC PHOTOS). We will keep you all posted on our journey, and feel free to comment on our blog and pictures, we would love to hear your feedback! Until next time...

-Patrick Ellison, Associate Producer/Camera Operator

(click to enlarge)

Images from Atop the World

2007-11-28T09:49:00.000-08:00

Wanna catch a glimpse of what we are seeing? Check out our pics at www.flickr.com/photos/thearcticexpedition and let us know what you think! We will be updating our page regularly, and feel free to pass the link on to any of your friends or family that might like to see

11/28/07

2007-11-27T16:13:00.000-08:00

As a filmmaker I’ve found preparation for The Arctic Expedition project exhaustive. Having filmed in more than 40 locations outside the U.S. and dozens within the U.S. in my 30-year career the amount of research and prep necessary was beyond previous mandates. By far!

I had never been exposed to a project where I had started with such little knowledge and understanding. A project where one false turn, one incorrect decision could present such great peril.

Because the Amundsen is a 5-story ship housing only 80 berths (42 of which are occupied by the Captain and the rest of the crew) space is a premium. The remaining berths are divvied up among scientists, researchers and media clamoring for an opportunity to be on the ship. To my knowledge most news/media companies are limited to stays of 3 days. I believe the BBC was granted 5 days. I am honored that Doctors Barber, Stern and their colleagues have granted us 9 weeks on the Amundsen to make our film - broken up into 3 - three week cycles; Winter, Spring and Summer.

For weeks my mind played mental gymnastics - while both awake and asleep, leading up to our imminent departure.

First order of business was who was I going to bring on the journey. Though, we were allotted 9 weeks we were limited to only 2 people because of the severe space restraints. Myself and another person. The first important question I had to answer was who was I going to bring? I chose a young man named Patrick Ellison – a mere 18 months out of college. This decision wasn’t met with great enthusiasm by some of my colleagues and partners who suggested more veteran individuals for the position. I gave this first decision great thought. Pat, had been working for me for about a year. What he had lacked in experience he always made up in his willingness to do whatever it took to get the job done. He was also pretty technical savvy. I had taken Pat to Argentina, Brazil and Germany on projects. Over time I had developed a fondness for this young man as well as a healthy respect for his intelligence. When he first interviewed for the position with my company he communicated that he always wanted to work on like, National Geographic projects. I decided to give him his wish – and I don’t believe I will regret it.

The next mandate was how do I keep us alive. We had to sign a slew of releases and other paperwork and as I began to dig deeper in my research surviving in -20 to -40 and maybe -50 temperatures required a great deal of thought and planning if Pat and I were going to make it back to sunny Southern California where the day we left the temperature was 71 degrees. (Temperatures in Fahrenheit)

In this regard clothing was more than a fashion statement. It was a matter of survival. The internet proved once again to be an invaluable tool. I spent a good month researching jackets, gloves, boots, scarves, face masks, long johns and anything else that was remotely relevant.

I’ll never forget when our jackets arrived and realized they were so light! My first reaction was panic. Had my research failed me? Did I make a crucial, wrong decision? I thought so till I put mine on. Within 10 seconds it felt like I had been enveloped in a furnace. I reread the data from the manufacturer and realized the 610 count down and the new technology they were made of, Conduit SL, truly was an amazing combination. (Later when we arrived in Inuvik in the NW Territory of Canada at -11 I had further evidence Mountain Hard Wear jackets were the real thing – and they were light not bulky!)

We were required to have steel toe boots on ship and Pat found the right ones for us and I found the rest. I’m sure we haven’t yet faced the worst weather – but after two days in the elements we’re still alive! And, in my opinion that gives me reason to be cautiously optimistic.

The next important decision was how I keep the equipment, and especially the cameras alive? Most cameras are rated to 34 degrees. Where we were going I knew 10 minutes in the elements would freeze the electronics and other mechanisms in our cameras.

More hours and days on the internet. I decided on a manufacturer in which I have a lot of respect, Porta Brace. I bought their super-duper insulated extreme weather camera cases rated at -50! It’s a bit cumbersome and has sleeves in which you put your hands to operate the camera, and since this time of the year we only have 2 hours of some light operating in the dark has taken a lot of practice and patience. I also ordered packs of warmers to place within the cover to keep the cameras toasty.

By the way, for those of you who are interested in the cameras we brought they are both High Definition Canons. Our A camera is the XL H1. It is almost 3 times the cost of the Panasonic but I always liked the Canon glass and especially like the ability to change lenses. All in all I believe it’s the best camera in the class.

Our B camera is the Canon XH A1. It takes surprisingly great pictures. I am one that likes to push both cameras and I tend to use a lot of filters. As a filmmaker I believe every aspect of a project is left to the interpretation of the filmmaker as long as one stays within the guidelines of the project. I love creating moving images within the attributes of compelling stories.

The Arctic Expedition for this filmmaker is like Wimbledon for a tennis player.

-A.C.

Welcome to the Arctic Expedition Blog!

2007-11-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

Welcome to what promises to be a cinematic and intellectual journey of a lifetime – The Arctic Expedition. Anthony Christopher Productions, Inc. has been developing this project in conjunction with the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada and Doctor David Barber and Doctor Gary Stern for nearly a year.

On November 21, 2007 our production team joined the CCGS Amundsen, a Canadian Coast Guard Ice Cutter as it hosts some 200 world renown scientists from 15 countries charged with studying environmental and global warming aspects throughout the arctic… many areas of which have never been researched before.

We will update this blog regularly over the next 8 months with stories, images and video as we continue to create The Arctic Expedition, a moving feature film documenting the lives of brilliant scientists risking their lives to learn the truth about the extent our environment is damaged and what are some of the potential solutions.

Please feel free to share this blog with friends, family, and children.

-Anthony Christopher