Matt Standal

Chasing Mountain Lions, Elk, and Wild Pigs across the USA

Matt Standal — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 21:37:06 +0000

Montana’s film industry trends toward the wild – literally. If we’re not setting up Western gunfight scenes, or filming bucking broncs, there’s a good chance the job includes fly fishing, elk hunting, or some kind of outdoor activity. I’ve been fortunate enough to walk into Montana’s high country while filming various hunts, including whitetail deer, […]

The post Chasing Mountain Lions, Elk, and Wild Pigs across the USA first appeared on Matt Standal.

Chief Nerd in Montana’s Film Industry

Matt Standal — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 22:58:46 +0000

My path as a journalist and cameraman has taken a few unexpected turns over the years, with my recent foray into the Montana film world representing a happy detour. Interestingly, my move to Bozeman coincided with the opening of the Yellowstone Film Ranch, a small western film set constructed in the nearby Paradise Valley, about […]

The post Chief Nerd in Montana’s Film Industry first appeared on Matt Standal.

Ski Guiding in Japan – Achieving My Goal

Matt Standal — Fri, 15 May 2020 18:58:32 +0000

Many of us set difficult goals. It’s a necessary life skill. You save for a new car, complete a college degree, work toward a promotion, or go on that dream vacation. For the last five years, I’ve been working on a much different goal. I’ve been dreaming of guiding skiers into the wild mountains of […]

The post Ski Guiding in Japan – Achieving My Goal first appeared on Matt Standal.

Disappearing Glaciers in Kenai Fjords

Matt Standal — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 17:22:43 +0000

We’d been in Anchorage for three nights, and it was just long enough to make me itch for a world without gift shops and cartoon grizzly bears. On my fourth trip to Alaska, I was beginning to understand the further I moved beyond paved roads and restaurants, the better. Our film crew had just documented […]

The post Disappearing Glaciers in Kenai Fjords first appeared on Matt Standal.

Surfing an Alaskan Tidal Wave

Matt Standal — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:43:44 +0000

Situated just east of Anchorage, the 250-mile long Chugach range rises from sea level to glacier-covered peaks that stretch upwards of 13,000 feet. This incredible mountain range towers over thousands of rocky islands, and encompasses dozens of jagged fjords that cut inland from the Gulf of Alaska. Massive brown bears live here, along with moose […]

The post Surfing an Alaskan Tidal Wave first appeared on Matt Standal.

The Longest Day of the Year on Mount Baker

Matt Standal — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 22:13:54 +0000

“You’ll be roping up from here,” said our instructor, gesturing to the mound of glittering, melted snow that stretched onward for a quarter mile. “Beyond this, it’s actual glaciated terrain.” I looked at my partner Jeff – a blueberry growing heli ski guide in training from California – and he seemed pretty chill about the […]

The post The Longest Day of the Year on Mount Baker first appeared on Matt Standal.

Visiting Alaska’s Volcanic Desert

Matt Standal — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 05:02:29 +0000

The twin-engine Otter rumbled through the low clouds, banking a huge turn before touching down on the ash flat. Exhausted, and fearing a major delay due to bad weather, our camera crew let out a collective sigh of relief. Our six-man team from ABC’s Rock the Park had been huddled in the freezing rain, backs […]

The post Visiting Alaska’s Volcanic Desert first appeared on Matt Standal.

Filming Shipwrecks in the Caribbean

Matt Standal — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 21:36:36 +0000

Getting paid to bring a camera underwater has been my dream for over a decade. As a PADI scuba instructor who worked in Florida and Hawaii, I was always fascinated with underwater camera equipment. However, my job was to teach students, not snap photos. That all changed last year with the show Rock the Park, […]

The post Filming Shipwrecks in the Caribbean first appeared on Matt Standal.

Walking on Waterfalls in Jasper National Park

Matt Standal — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 00:21:05 +0000

Staring into a mist of freezing water flowing down a 10-meter chute, I asked the obvious question: “I haven’t rappelled in a while … can’t you just lower me down?” “No, we made a plan to rappel, so we’re sticking to it,” said my grizzled, French-Canadian guide. His voice was drowned out by the current’s […]

The post Walking on Waterfalls in Jasper National Park first appeared on Matt Standal.

Climbing the Skillet Glacier in GTNP

Matt Standal — Sat, 22 Jul 2017 18:51:48 +0000

Being new to technical mountaineering, I decided to make my first project a glacier climb and ski descent in the beautiful Teton range. My subject was 12,600′ Mt. Moran, one of the biggest and isolated peaks in the range. The idea was hatched in late June. Bags were packed, bindings were adjusted, and crampons and […]

The post Climbing the Skillet Glacier in GTNP first appeared on Matt Standal.