Killer Quest

Gr 8 Up—Wildlife cameraman Andrew Manske sets off on a quest to capture rare footage of wolves hunting down bison and feeding on their carcasses. The first part of the documentary centers on the preparation necessary to capture the footage—the location, the equipment, and the staff needed for this sort of production. Manske sets off for Falaise Lake in northwest Canada, but as the seaplane approaches the site, he realizes that he will have to find another location—the lake and surrounding areas are flooded, and the animals are nowhere to be found. The crew then heads for Mills Lake, where they set up camp and then wait for the arrival of additional staff, who will be working as spotters. The video describes the two tons of equipment they carry and what they have to do to prepare scouting huts, all for capturing the perfect shot. The team is told that this assignment should take no more than five days, but after the eighth day, working 48-hour shifts, they realize they may not succeed in photographing the footage they want. While this is an excellent film on what is involved in preparing and carrying out wildlife videography, it is misleading to students who think they will be watching a pack of wolves stalking and dragging down a bison. It never really materializes.—Sheila Acosta, Ed Cody Public Library, San Antonio, TX