Bountiful Films | Canadian Documentary Film Makers

Fix Nation First Hand: No More Stray Cat Strut for these Felines

Maureen Palmer — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:03:58 +0000

Spent a week filming in L.A., which I’d consider “Ground Zero” in the cat-bird wars. Many memorable images spring to mind but can’t get Fix Nation out of my head. Fix Nation is L.A.’s only free spay and neuter clinic for stray, homeless and feral cats. The sun was barely up when we arrived – and already there was a line up of bleary-eyed women waiting for the doors to open. They’d been up all night trapping feral cats. And when the doors opened, what a sight it was to behold! Fix Nation operates as a veritable cat-fixing-factory. The dedicated staff process about 70 cats a day with stunning humanity and efficiency.

Upon first glance this assembly line of anesthetized cats strikes one as oddly humorous. But closer examination tells you there’s nothing funny here. Most of these cats are covered in war wounds. Scars, open sores, weeping eyes, bad cases of mange abound. Life is short and hard for a feral cat. Ask anyone who works in animal welfare in the L.A. area, the very best thing to be done for feral cats is reduce their numbers.

Since inception Fix Nation has spayed and neutered 41,160 cats! Annual budget: $1 million. Cost to the state of California to care for and ultimately euthanize 1 million abandoned animals: $250 million.

Gives new meaning to strutting their stuff on the catwalk

Maureen Palmer — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:50:30 +0000

This fashion show of clothing modelled exclusively by the hairless Sphynx breed of cats was one of the highlights of our filming at the Meet the Breeds Animal Show in New York City. Have a look. Watch for the full film - Cat Craze - airing on CBC’s Doc Zone fall 2010/winter 2011.

Bountiful Films wins at San Francisco Ocean Film Festival

goodseld — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:09:46 +0000

Alexandra Morton

Our film Alexandra’s Echo, which follows biologist Alexandra Morton’s tireless commitment to saving the world’s last wild salmon runs, wowed audiences at San Francisco’s Ocean Film Festival. Alexandra’s Echo took home the “Best Environmental Film” Award.

Morton is intent on removing industrial salmon farms from B.C.’s Broughton Archipelago. The Broughton has the highest concentration of fish farms in the world. So the level of sea lice – external parasites that feed on the skin and mucous membranes of fish – is also very, very high. While swimming from their spawning grounds, past the farm pens, young wild salmon are infested with lice and die by the millions.

When we made this film several years ago, Morton was a lone voice in the pristine wilderness. She was constantly under attack from industry. Now, successive waves of government studies and independent scientists have all validated her data. But her work is far from over. If you’d like to help or find out more go to: adopt-a-fry.org.

Congratulations Alexandra, and to director Helen Slinger for a job well done! To view a trailer of Alexandra’s Echo, go to bountiful.ca and click on “The Work.”

Oscar-nominated animator joins Bountiful Films for documentary

Maureen Palmer — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 17:28:07 +0000

Cordell Barker

Simultaneously celebrating and sending up all things “cat “in our new CBC Doc Zone film, “Cat Craze” (delivering fall 2010) requires a deft creative touch.

And who better to deliver than Cordell Barker, creator of Canada’s most iconic animated cat film: The Cat Came Back. The Cat Came Back garnered Barker an Oscar nomination in 1988 and remains one of the National Film Board’s all-time hits and is among the most downloaded of the shorts on the NFB’s iPhone application.

Barker’s most recent animated film Runaway blew the critics away at Sundance.

Even after creating The Cat Came Back, Cordell stills considers himself a “cat” person, “having only ever owned, or been owned, by cats.”

Check out the Bountiful Films site later this summer for a sneak preview of Cordell’s latest cat animation.

Mounties Under Fire

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:19:54 +0000

Mounties Under Fire, is a gripping journey into the heart of the RCMP during a period of profound crisis. Notorious for closing ranks, the Mounties open up to documentary cameras, revealing a painfully flawed organization fighting for its life.

It’s been a most difficult decade for Canada’s national police force. Faith in the RCMP has been shaken – by Maher Arar’s betrayal, the pension scandal, harassment cases, and too many deaths on duty. And especially by the captured-on-video taser death of Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver International Airport, and the Braidwood Inquiry into that death. A 2009 Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll found over 60 per cent of Canadians don’t buy the RCMP version of the events at Vancouver airport that lead to Mr. Dziekanski’s death. That number jumps to 71 per cent in BC, where it happened.

Steve Rendall

Maureen Palmer — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 00:01:45 +0000

Director of Photography Steve Rendall. A Gemini-Award winning former CBC News cameraman, Steve and Director Helen Slinger are the creative team behind many of Bountiful’s docs. Steve brings to the process a still photographer’s eye for composition and an editorial sense both sharp and deep. A great cameraman to have beside you when the going gets tough. And just as good when the subject matter is sensitive.

The Creative Troop Behind Bountiful Films

Maureen Palmer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:02:14 +0000

Behind the women who lead Bountiful Films, some great men! Bountiful Films wishes to thank our own troop of “Dudley Do-Rights”.

Steve Rendall

Director of Photography Steve Rendall. A Gemini-Award winning former CBC News cameraman, Steve and Director Helen Slinger are the creative team behind many of Bountiful’s docs. Steve brings to the process a still photographer’s eye for composition and an editorial sense both sharp and deep. A great cameraman to have beside you when the going gets tough. And just as good when the subject matter is sensitive.

Tim Wanlin

Tim Wanlin has cut just about every Bountiful Films documentary. He’s the kind of editor who enjoys beautiful visuals but truly celebrates the heart of the story, and is not content until he’s found it. We rely on Tim’s innate grasp of visual narrative and on his calm intensity. Doesn’t hurt, either, that he never loses his cool and has a killer sense of humour.

On the Web…

Hart Snider

Hart Snider gives our films their much appreciated “value added” elements. For instance, click on “The Mounties in Hollywood.” For this mini-doc, Hart watched a six-pack of old Hollywood Mountie films and created something which is both a send-up and a celebration of the iconic Mountie.

Steve Rio

Steve Rio of Briteweb. Steve’s design eye and social media savvy has made Bountiful Films a strong presence on the web.

Steve specializes in web strategy, social media & web marketing, and design. He’s designed the bountiful website & social media strategy that is managed day-to-day by Devon. He is also working with the Bountiful crew, training and educating them on web strategy and concepts so everyone involved has a good handle & understanding of what is possible online.

Keeping it all together…

Alison Hill

For production coordinator Alison Hill, no problem is too big or too small or too last minute or too daunting. She just dives in and gets it done. Part Production Coordinator, part Post Production Supervisor, part Event Planner…100 per cent organizational goddess. Ally, we salute you!

Trapping Feral Cats 101 at 100 Mile House

Maureen Palmer — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:43:34 +0000

Bountiful Films Crew Traps Cats overnight in 100 Mile House

If you think TV is sexy glamourous work, don’t read any further.

It’s 30 degrees, the hottest September day on record and we have just arrived in 100 Mile House for the first day and night of shooting on our new film, Cat Craze. It’s hard to breathe as the air fills with acrid smoke from freshly re-kindled forest fires. We are here to capture one raging cat fight. 100 Mile House took some serious heat for its decision to euthanize some 100 feral cats which were causing a nuisance and so much more.

“The last thing I want to do is kill an animal, but it’s a huge safety issue,” said Mayor Mitch Campsall. “I can answer to an animal rights group to the fact that we’ve got rid of a few cats. But what I can’t answer to is a mom or a father coming to me saying, ‘You did nothing and now my child is gone because a cougar came in and took it.’ It’s protect the people first.”

400 nasty emails later, the embattled mayor is happy to announce Katie’s Place a Maple Ridge feral cat shelter has stepped in with a “stay of execution,” for 100 Mile’s unwanted cats, promising to spay and neuter all the ferals and find them new shelters on the Lower Mainland.

Pam Halbers Cat Trapping 101

Trapping and transporting the cats south is a big job - and it calls for a big gun in the world of animal rescue: Pam Halbers of Pawprints Animal Rescue. Pam’s animal rescue “baptism by fire,” was in New Orleans, post Katrina. Pam stocked up her van with over 20 traps and carriers, kitty food and blankets and drove from her home on the Sunshine Coast to 100 Mile House to train 100 Mile’s muncipal workers on how to trap cats. She’s up around the clock, sustaining herself on her “stash” as she calls it, of chocolate bars and Coke.

Do all your cameramen do this???

And so we begin to herd cats. And I mean “we.” Pam’s no fool. After watching the trapping feral cat demonstration, Pam puts the Bountiful Films crew to work. Cameraman Andre Fernandez cuts up donated blankets to line the cages of the newly trapped and terrified cats. Director Maureen Palmer drops a strategic and tantalizing trail of tuna directly into a trap. Sound man Pat Brereton keeps the local Timmy’s franchise in business.

Maureen Palmer Glamour Puss

And then we all sit back and wait. How successful was our overnight cat hunt? Stay tuned. We’ll have video up in a few days.

Thanks to the inexhaustabile 100 Mile House Municipal workers who stayed up all night to trap cats. They must remain anonymous because the mayor says they all took so much abuse over the cat controversy, he wants them to work in peace. And not to slag Timmy’s but the Chartreuse Moose coffee house gives any Vancouver java hut a run for its money.

Announcing New CBC Cat Documentary

Maureen Palmer — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:39:18 +0000

“Dogs have owners, cats have staff”

Helen Slinger and Maureen Palmer, two admitted “crazy dog ladies” who also have a warm place in their hearts for kitty cats, announce a new commission from CBC Television’s flagship documentary program Doc Zone: “Cat Craze.”

Cat Craze

From the time of the Pharaohs human beings have been fascinated with the elusive nature of cats. Millions of us keep cats close to us, and love them because they never seem to let us get too close. We value their independence, their wildness, and we don’t entirely want them tamed.

We like the idea that when the cat goes out at night, he lives an ancient hunter’s life that we have long ago abandoned. Our reluctance to see past the romance to the reality has made Felis Catus one of the planet’s most invasive species. It’s no longer just Tweety Bird who has a problem. Cat Craze is a search for sanity in a cat crazy world, where we will see past the romance to evolve a realistic relationship with cats. Cat Craze airs fall 2010/winter 2011 on CBC’s Doc Zone.

We’re heading up to 100 Mile House to trap feral cats! How successful will we be? Check back here in a few days…

How to Divorce & Not Wreck the Kids

admin — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:11:04 +0000

Grass roots Canadians are at the heart of a quiet revolution – couples working on “good” divorces, which acknowledge that the end of a marriage isn’t the end of a family. How to Divorce & Not Wreck the Kids takes viewers directly into the heart of one of life’s most emotionally devastating transitions. Three courageous Canadian couples end their marriages on camera – struggling to keep the needs of their children front and centre.

More resources, links and info on Collaborative Divorce