WV Mountain Videographer for Tourism & Outdoor Brands
If you're a tourism board, resort marketing team, or outdoor brand looking for commercial video in West Virginia, you already know the challenge: most production companies are based in Charleston or Pittsburgh, and by the time they quote you travel, accommodation, and a two-day shoot, the budget's blown before a single frame is captured.
There's a better way. Here's what working with a WV mountain videographer who actually lives and works in the mountains looks like — and why it changes the final product.
Why Location Changes Everything in Mountain Video Production
Good mountain video isn't just about having the right camera gear. It's about knowing when the light hits the ridge, which trails are rideable after rain, what the fog looks like rolling into the valley at sunrise, and how to stay ahead of a fast-moving storm. That kind of knowledge doesn't come from a Google Maps satellite view — it comes from ten years of working and shooting in the same terrain.
At Wildhare Media, Kurt Schachner is the current in-house Media Producer at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. That means he's not a visitor who flies in for a weekend shoot — he's embedded in the environment, knows the resort operations, and has access to locations and timing windows that outside crews simply don't.
For tourism boards, CVBs, and hospitality brands, that insider access translates directly to better content. You get shots at the right moment, not just the convenient moment.
What a WV Mountain Videographer Actually Produces
Commercial video for mountain destinations covers a wider range than most clients expect. Here's a breakdown of what Wildhare Media produces regularly:
Tourism & Destination Content — Short-form and long-form promotional videos for CVBs, visitor centers, and regional tourism campaigns. Think aerial establishing shots, lifestyle sequences on trails and slopes, and brand storytelling that sells the experience.
Resort & Hospitality Video — On-mountain brand content for lodges, ski areas, and outdoor guide services. Event coverage, seasonal promos, social media reels, and longer promotional pieces that drive bookings.
Action Sports Video — High-energy edit packages for outdoor gear brands and athletes. MTB, skiing, snowboarding, motorsports — captured with ground cameras and FAA Part 107 certified drone tracking at 4,800 feet of elevation. The drone work alone opens up angles that most production companies can't legally produce for commercial use.
Real Estate & Property Video — Aerial walkthroughs and cinematic property tours for mountain homes, ski-in/ski-out properties, and short-term rentals in Pocahontas County and across the region.
The Aerial Advantage: FAA Part 107 Certified Drone Work
Aerial video is no longer optional for mountain destinations — it's expected. A single drone sequence of a ridgeline, a trail system, or a lakeside resort can anchor an entire promotional campaign.
But not all drone work is created equal. Commercial aerial video requires an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, and operating at altitude in mountainous terrain adds another layer of complexity. Wind patterns, airspace considerations, and terrain masking all affect the shot.
Kurt holds his Part 107 certification and shoots with a DJI Mavic 3 Pro — a pro-level aerial platform with multiple camera options built specifically for this type of cinematic mountain work. For clients, that means legal, fully insurable commercial footage with the production quality to match.
Ready to Put the Mountains to Work?
Whether you're a tourism board building a seasonal campaign, a resort refreshing your brand video library, or an outdoor gear brand that needs authentic West Virginia mountain footage — Wildhare Media is based here, shoots here, and knows this terrain better than any production company you'd fly in from out of state.
Get in touch to talk through your project — no obligation, no stiff sales pitch. Just a straight conversation about what you need and what it would take to make it happen.