At the Edge of the Sea
(1997)
An absorbing exploration of coastal British Columbia, At the Edge of the Sea provides an insight into the diverse life that thrives within the ever-changing landscape of the Pacific shoreline. The film was over two years in production and was widely acclaimed, winning the Script and Revelation categories at Wildscreen 1998.
A vivid portrait of life amongst the violent surf, impressive time-lapse photography reveals the clever adaptations of the area's inhabitants. Acorn barnacles 'glue' themselves to rocks, while mussels produce strong threads to anchor themselves to the ocean floor and anemones develop adhesive undersides.
Renowned producer Rodger Jackman and his team developed a comprehensive marine studio, using surge tanks and wave machines to simulate the pounding surf to capture stunning footage of smaller creatures that would have been impossible to film on location. Detailing the graceful jets of sperm and eggs from sea urchins, the unusual mating habits of barnacles and the milky waters produced by schools of spawning herrings, this fifty minute film records a wealth of intriguing marine behaviour.
Interspersing intimate shots from the recreated environment with underwater footage from the wild, At the Edge of the Sea is a remarkable account of the wildlife inhabiting one of the most rugged terrains on Earth.
