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Health & Fitness

Community Update

FREE
- MILOTTE WILDLIFE FILM FESTIVAL – SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2013 FROM 11:00 AM TO
4:00 PM – FREE



The Greater Bonney Lake Historical Society will hold the
second annual Milotte Wildlife Film Festival (MWLFF) on Saturday, October 19th,
2013 between the hours of 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. The festival will be held in
the Justice & Municipal Center located at 9002 Main Street E in Bonney
Lake.



 

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This FREE event will feature two full length movies. The
first will be a film shot for the Disney Studios by former Bonney Lake
residents & 6 time Academy Award recipients Alfred & Elma Milotte and
released in 1955. The film is “The African Lions”. The second film, “African
Cats” was also shot for the Disney Studios and was released in 2011. As you
watch the movies what you won’t see is how up close and personal Alfred and
Elma had to get with the animals because of the equipment they were using. If
you’re into cameras and filmography you’ll probably notice that the newer film,
“African Cats” takes advantage of the newer technology so while you’re looking
at close ups, they may have been shot from half a mile away from the animals.
This wasn’t the case for Alfred and Elma. Please check out our display in the
lobby and look at the replica of their 1955 camera.



 

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Disney Studios equipped a Dodge Power Wagon like a camper
with all of the then modern camera equipment and also made it an area to live
in while the Milottes were in the brush. However, unlike most campers today,
theirs lacked the modern conveniences of a shower, bathroom, cooking
facilities, or any of the other amenities that most of us would look for today.
It was primarily a rather primitive rolling photography studio offering
protection from the elements and the animals for an extended period of time while
camping in the bush.



 



The truck had a pass through from the cab to the back portion
of the truck and a hatch in the floor so one could drop through and take care
of bathroom functions, and/or to film and/or to escape from the vehicle in case
of emergency. There was also a hatch in the roof to allow filming from the roof
or permit escape in an emergency.



 



This truck was so heavy that it broke at least 4 axles while
they were driving it through the bush. At some point they ended up purchasing a
Land Rover and using it for a backup vehicle. Elma would drive it while Al
drove the power wagon. This also meant that the truck would more often be a
blind and sit in an area for long periods of time so the animals would get used
to it. As you’ll see from some of the photos in the lobby during the film
festival, the animals obviously got very used to the truck.  



Anyway, the reason this blog is being posted is to tell you
about the Milotte Wildlife Film Festival and why you should take the time to
check out our web page www.mwlff.org and
hopefully either join us at the festival, become a volunteer, a member of the
GBLHS, or a sponsor. This year you can also enter your three minute nature film
into a competition. We have two $100 cash prizes to award. For all of you potential
sponsors, we have multiple levels that you can become involved at. 

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