EP. 1566: Filmmaker Ben Hamilton (Sitka's Hidden Wonders)

Sitka’s Hidden Wonders, 43min., USA


Directed by Ben Hamilton


Sitka’s Hidden Wonders is a 40-minute theatrical nature film that blends sweeping cinematography with a deeply personal story of return. Told by award–winning wildlife filmmaker Ben Hamilton, the film explores what it means to truly see a place—through the hidden layers of one of Alaska’s wildest coastal ecosystems.


https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-sitkas-hidden


https://instagram.com/sitkawonders


What motivated you to make this film?


Every summer, over 600,000 people visit Sitka, but most just walk around town and never see the incredible natural wonders all around us. I wanted to create a film that connects them to this place—beyond the shops and the docks—into the wild heart of Sitka. After years of filming here for networks like BBC and National Geographic, this was my chance to make something for Sitka itself.


From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?


The film took two years of full-time work, plus a year of planning and permits before that. And some shots were collected over the last decade—moments I'd been saving for the right project.


How would you describe your film in two words!?


Local. Connected.


What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?


The biggest obstacle was really time.  The focus and intensity it took to deliver a film like this while still being there for my small kids and wife. It meant weeks away in the field, long nights editing, and constantly trying to balance the work with family life.


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