ok, i have to ask...what was that carcass that they were fighting over?? could you tell?

You know, I was actually wondering the same thing.

I loved this film, it was amazing - I was worried for you being that close. After reading your info though, you were closer then I thought you were!

Like some other, I don't think it fit into the theme as well as some of the other films did. I am definitely showing this film to anyone who asks me what kind of story could be told with a wildlife film. :)

Thanks all for your comments!

Catherine:
The bears are brown bears, view: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Bear They are common in the wild in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
This actually shoot was a long trip to me. I drive more than 1500km one way but heck it was worth every km.... ! This particulary place is run by a finnish guy named Lassie Rautiainen, he has several hides in the eastern part of Finland, in fact some of them are placed in no-man's land to the Russian border. To go to these hides you need a special permission in case you are stopped by the authorieties. You are driving to the hides by car on forest roads and there are only a short distance to walk to get to the hides (200-500 meter).
The hides are permanent for the season but can also be moved by a snow-mobile to another location. It's very light constructions of wood and plywood. They are small but still comfortable to sit in. You are sitting in this hides for 12 hours from the evening to the next morning. The activities of the bears are in the night only. In daytime the bears find a place with shadow and are sleeping. The light during the night are sparse but the location is at 64 degree north so there are suitable light in the summer if you tune your camcorder a bit. In this shoot I had to use 1/25 shutter speed and use some gain.
The hides are in different sizes, some are suitable for 1 (2) others for 3 or 4 persons. I prefer to sit in the smallest ones because I'm collecting the sound too. If you are sitting in the bigger ones toghether with other photographers you get very much noice in your footage (which I did and learned a lesson of!).
So to answer your question, I was not alone, we was a group of wildlifephotographers from Norway on this trip. But when you sit in these small and tiny hides, surrounded by bears you feel a bit alone, you feel you are in another time. Time stand still, I wasn't able to tell for how long that fighting scene last before I view the footage afterwards!

Bruce:
My mic-set up consist of a pair of Sennheiser ME-67 shotguns, connected through the XLR inputs on the Canon XLH1. Luckily I was able to sit alone in some of the hides being able to collect superb sound :-) I was just hanging the mics out from the small holes where you put your lenses in the hide. I monitored the sound by headset all the time.

Markus:
There are sure many ways to edit this kind of footage. This is my way of telling the story so I don't think I will reedit anything ;-)
This particilary film is edit with footage from 2 nights in 2 different hides at the same location. The light conditions was not the same so I had to do some color correction in post to get an overall view.

Jeff:
About the bear size, see my answer to Catherine. You are absolute right about the different angles in the fighting scene! This was indeed shoot from 2 different hides at the same time. I friend of mine was sitting there with another Canon XLH1. We do exchange footage from time to time when needed. I think this was a situation where we succeed to enhange that particular scene?
I'm not a professional yet Jeff! I have a full time paid job and my wildlife stuff is just a hobby by now. But of course it would have been nice to be able to work more as a professional in this topic. I think I have the talent, patience and knowledge to get stunning pictures of our beautiful world!
Any agents out there...just give me a call?
About the carcass see my answer to Meryem below.

Ron:
LOL, you should have been there seen those biggest and fattest bears ;-)

Meryem:
The carcass was a large pig. This place is run in cooperation with the authorities and they use different kind of meat to feed the bears. All kind of meat from traffic accidents like elk and deers are also used. This kind of feeding protect the farmers herd and reindeer from being attacked. This way you got a win-win situation. Farmers will allow wild animals to stay in the area, wildlifephotographers got their stunning pictures and the animals itself get a stabel source for food. Not shown in this short film, I was also able to get stunning footage of wolves and wolverines. These are threatened species but thanks to this kind of feeding, they are growing in numbers in this area!

Per this was truly stunning - i was spellbound by it.

Absolutley amazing quality ;-)

Hi Per Johan.
First I have to say I envy you your trip to Finland, “The land of thousand seas.” It’s a great film from a wilderness we don’t see much of, but I intend to compete with you, in a good manner of speaking, so watch out :)
I think it’s a water film all right, and the fighting scene is just great, the roaring of the bears. I just wonder, did you mirror the first and last scene, or is it two different ones? I’m glad you didn’t put music into it, as it would have destroyed the magic you captured so well.

Geir Inge

Hi Per

Well your sequence really does have the wow factor, I'm so jealous of this experience! I say sequence because because for me there is no real 'story' to bind it together. Its very much like my last piece UC3 on the seals. Nice behaviours, impressive subjects but lacking some narrative to pull things together....silly thing is all it needs is an initial premise as to why they use the pond or when they visit it and it places them in more of a story and gives it more of a reason....I hope you get what I mean.

I can see you struggling with the gain in a couple of your shots....but they are still of a great quality for sure. I agree with Marcus about the camera move to the bear tree scratch.

Your videography is always top notch fella and I always look forward to your offerings. You certainly served us up another feast for the eyes with this one !

Mat

per....what can i say other than you delivered again and again and again.

wonderful.....brian

Hi Per,
I truly love your work and really envy what you must experience/feel in a hide by yourself and an event like this unfolds - your heart must be in your mouth so many times.
Well, now I know what they mean when they say audio can make a movie. At the 2.00 mark, I nearly had an accident! The sound of those bears was just incredible.
I thought the colour and sharpness was very good - considering the conditions.
Another great experience you have shared with us all. Only wish I could pop out and buy the one hour documentary version. Maybe this could be your next project, along with the Musk Ox?

Per Johan,
It`s not so mutce to say,I realy feel the power at my neck.
How was you hart 200strok pr min when shoting this,I now the
feeling Per.This is Wildlife at climax.Fantastic!!!!!

Per Johan
This is an excellent piece of work. Bears are fascinating creatures. To have a chance to photograph bears under these conditions would be worth the trip.
But I have to agree with Mat about explaning the use of the pond for this theme. Still a great piece to watch!

Gordon Hoffman

Great stuff,I think your work is awsome.I think its just so incredible to be able to get out and film such great subject matter.

Per, I keep going back and waching your video over and over again. What an amazing experience that must have been. When that bear first roared it sent chills down my spine. I would have give anything to have been there. Your editing and sound was perfect. I think the small amount of grain actually gave it a mystic feeling. I'll bet the earth moved when those two went at each other. You are the gold standard that we all strive to be. And yes, I think it fits the theme. Thank you for showing us that side of life. Bob

If nothing else, when the bear shakes off the water like we have all seen dogs do, it fits the theme.

This kind of thing is why I don't try to enter the same kind of videos that Per Johan does. I try to find something completely different. How can anyone compete directly against bears in the wild around a pond?

Per Johan, this was simply STUNNING!!

Once more you delivered some impressive footage.
I think your film fits the theme without question.
The bears plays and fights in the water...

Must have been both amazing and at the same time scary to be that close to those bears.

One of my favorites!

Per,

This was fun and amazing to watch! The bears were amazing. And I loved the audio, both of the bears, and the background with birds. Really made you feel as if you were sitting there as a viewer. Very evocative! Great film!

Ruth