Action on Film

Scholastic Art: How would you describe your job?

Evan Kay: I’m a freelance adventure videographer and photographer. I film and photograph action sports, mostly backcountry skiing, climbing, and mountain biking.I also develop video profiles to tell stories about brands and athletes.

SA: How did you first start making adventure films?

EK: I first took an interest in the outdoors when my cousin got me into climbing when I was 7 or 8. I was always documenting
my climbing trips growing up. I worked in gear shops throughout high school and college, and I started doing product videos for the companies I was working for. Then I landed a job making films for an outdoor clothing company. I worked for them for about 10 years. I really loved it, so I just kept going.

SA: How do you get started with a new project?

EK: Sometimes I start by pitching an idea to a company, explaining how they can tell their story in order to showcase their product. The pitch is a proposal that discusses the target audience, the story line, and the tone. And sometimes I get a phone call or an email from a company that has an idea that they want me to execute.

SA: Once you have your plan in place, what happens next?

EK: I start with our delivery date, and then I work backward to make sure we’re making our deadlines. Once I have that in place, I schedule the shoot with the models, who are typically professionals within the featured sport. After everything’s been shot and processed, I work in the editing room and really pull out the story line. I’ll go through the interviews to find the best talking points. Then I’ll go back into the footage and start putting the pieces together. I usually present the company with a rough cut, and we go back and forth with new edits a few times before the final delivery. It’s a long process, but it’s fun.