The Trembling Giant: An Elk-Hunting Feature Film

July 03, 2013 By Christian Berg

One of the coolest developments I've seen in the hunting community in recent years is a dramatic improvement in the quality of video production. We've come a long way from the old "me and bubba" hunting videos of days gone by, and some of the best stuff being produced today is as much art as it is entertainment. With that said, I'd put The Trembling Giant -- a new feature-length elk-hunting film produced by Danner Boots, GORE-TEX and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation -- in the "art" category.

The Trembling Giant is a documentary-style film that follows three groups of elk hunters at Winterhawk Outfitters in Colorado's Flat Top Wilderness. I've watched the trailer for the film, and it is visually stunning. I can't wait to see the full film, which will premier Aug. 3 with a special screen at RMEF headquarters in Missoula, Mont. The Trembling Giant will then hold a film tour of nine more public screenings throughout the West. At this point, I haven't heard about any planned screenings in the East, though I am hopeful some Eastern dates will be added.

Below is the full press release on The Trembling Giant, along with the screening schedule:

DANNER BOOTS ANNOUNCES THE TREMBLING GIANT PREMIERE AND FILM TOUR DATES

Feature-Length Hunt Film to Tour the Western U.S. in August and September 2013

Danner Boots, in association with GORE-TEX® products and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), is proud to announce the world premiere and screening tour dates for its debut of the documentary-style hunt film, The Trembling Giant. The invitation-only world premiere will take place at RMEF headquarters in Missoula, Mont. on August 3, 2013. The Trembling Giant public screening tour, hosted by select Danner retail partners, will then travel across the Western U.S. from August 10 — September 6, 2013. Screening dates and locations include:

August 10 — Bozeman, Mont. — 6:00 p.m.

The Emerson Theater — Hosted by Schnee's

August 15 — Portland, Ore. — 7:00 p.m.

Bagdad Theater — Hosted by the Danner Factory Store

The Trembling Giant is a feature-length film inspired by the beauty of elk camp, the passion for hunting in the rugged Rocky Mountains, and the unique connection between man, animal and nature. The concept for the film formed as a team from Danner joined an elk hunt with Winterhawk Outfitters in Colorado's Flat Top Wilderness more than two years ago. They followed a father and daughter on the daughter's first-ever elk hunt and witnessed the experience of a lifetime as she shot her first mature bull elk.

"While our team navigated the side of a 12,000-foot mountain and traveled the four-hour horseback ride to base camp, a full moon wrapped the Rocky Mountains in the most stunning light," said Haven Anderson, Creative Director for Danner Boots. "The film came to life at that very moment, when the elk we were packing out faded from our thoughts and the beauty that surrounded flooded in. We wanted to create a film that captured that moment — a piece that is more than just about harvesting a mature bull and instead sharing how any hunt, no matter if you fill your tag or not, is a successful one."

The majority of The Trembling Giant was shot by a nimble three-man crew that spent more than a month in the backcountry of the Rocky Mountains. They followed three hunting groups — a team of athletes, a team of old timers and a father and daughter duo — each trying to call in a mature bull. The film crew climbed and descended thousands of miles in elevation each day to capture a variety of footage while not hindering the success of any hunt and respecting the pristine wilderness and wildlife.

For more information on the film and to view the trailer, visit www.TremblingGiant.com.

Product sponsors for The Trembling Giant include Leupold, Lone Wolf Knives, Bear Archery, Trophy Ridge, Yeti Coolers and Sitka.