Where Outdoor Video Production Faces the Most Delays
Outdoor shoots look great on paper, but once we’re on location, everything starts to move slower. Between weather shifts, gear troubles, and travel delays, it’s not unusual for a smooth-looking day to turn into a game of waiting. If your set is in the wrong place at the wrong time, things can stall fast.
This is especially true in winter around Jackson, Wyoming, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Conditions change quickly in the mountains. What starts as light snowfall at dawn can turn into blocked roads or frozen gear before noon. As an outdoor video production company that works year-round, we’ve learned where delays get in the way and how timing makes or breaks a shoot day.
Wild Weather and Short Winter Days
In January, conditions are rarely still. Snow falls hard some days and disappears the next. Storms hit fast in mountain regions, and even when skies look clear, the ground stays slick and unpredictable. We’ve worked on roads that were fine in the early morning, only to find them iced over or closed by afternoon.
Add to that the short daylight. Winter limits our time to work. We don’t get twelve hours to plan golden hour shots or wide pans. Sunset comes early and doesn’t wait for us to finish setting up. Getting everything ready before dawn is often the only way to stay on schedule.
A few things we keep in mind during this time of year:
• Always watch the week’s forecast, not just the day ahead.
• Build flexibility into the schedule, more than we would in spring or summer.
• Set up lighting early, since natural light disappears fast.
Nothing slows progress like having to break down gear in heavy snow or scramble to reframe a shot with the sun already gone.
Travel Delays and Remote Locations
Some of the prettiest spots around Salt Lake City or Jackson aren’t easy to reach. That doesn't stop us from using them, but it does mean we plan more carefully. Driveways get buried or blocked. Remote pullouts might be fine for a quick stop in July, but in January, they’re snowed over or too slick to be safe.
We’ve had trucks get stuck in powder and gear sledded out by hand. It’s not ideal, but it’s part of the work in winter.
Here’s what we run into most during winter shoots in harder-to-reach places:
• Roads that are technically open but frozen or narrow.
• Detours adding unexpected drive time.
• Long hikes or snowmobile rides for final access.
That extra travel time cuts deeply into on-camera hours. Once we know what the access looks like, we build our day around it, no surprises, no lost daylight.
Gear That Doesn’t Like the Cold
Most of our equipment works well in cooler temps, but freezing cold creates its own set of problems. Batteries die out more quickly. Monitors stop refreshing. Lenses fog over during quick warm-ups and freeze during long breaks.
Even things like tripods or follow-focus rigs stiffen, making smooth moves harder to control. Gloves help, but they make small tasks feel clumsy. That slows down adjustments and adds extra setup time to each shot.
To cut back on gear delays, we focus on a few steps that work every time:
• Keep spare batteries in interior pockets, close to body heat.
• Warm gear slowly to avoid fogging from temp swings.
• Use pop-up tents or heated bags when possible to protect sensitive tools.
This kind of prep doesn’t eliminate problems, but it makes the difference between waiting out a frozen lens and getting back to record after five minutes of defrosting.
Permitting, Access, and Terrain Rules
Some areas around Salt Lake City and Jackson have winter rules that can mess with timing if we don’t check them early. Permits that work for summer shoots may not carry over when the snow hits. Park hours change. Some public lands shift to seasonal permission based on snowpack or wildlife patterns.
We always call before we scout. A spot we loved last November might be off-limits by January.
Terrain rules and local access issues that slow things down:
• Changing permit rules for high-elevation or wildlife-protected areas.
• Limited parking space after heavy snow.
• Restrictions on trail use, especially with equipment.
Missing those details leads to frustrating last-minute changes or wasted hike-ins. Instead, we clear all access questions up front and lock in routes that work regardless of storm patterns.
Crew Fatigue and Physical Demands
Working outside in deep snow and below-freezing temps demands more from everyone. Moving cables in icy conditions takes longer. Climbing small hills through snowdrifts eats up crew energy. Simple tasks like calling for a lens swap take longer when your fingers are numb and everyone’s got layers packed around their ears.
Add safety checks, warm-up breaks, and slower walks between setups, and suddenly a half-day shoot turns into a full-day plan.
To keep things running smoothly:
• Schedule regular breaks and build them into the timeline.
• Use radios or hand signals so we don’t rely only on shouting.
• Keep everyone layered in ways that allow for movement.
It’s surprising how fast time passes just staying warm and working safely. So we treat winter crews like we treat time-sensitive gear: prepare, protect, and adjust where needed.
Plan to Wait, Move, and Adapt
Winter doesn’t allow for straight-line plans. Shoots run longer, setups take more effort, and movement between spots happens at a different pace. What looks like a simple half-day location switch on paper becomes an all-day event once ice, gear warm-ups, and mountain access are added in.
We’ve learned that the most reliable part of a winter schedule is that it will shift. Delays come with the season, but when we expect them and build room around each shot, we don’t lose momentum.
Après Visuals is familiar with guiding crews through high elevation and remote wilderness locations, staffed with team members who hold winter safety and drone operation certifications. The company has worked on advertising and branded film projects for national clients in both Jackson, WY and Salt Lake City, UT, managing mountain logistics and location access for every winter shoot.
Every outdoor video production company that works through winter knows this rhythm. Padding start times, overpacking gear support, and calling weather delays before leaving base are all part of doing it right.
Cold, wind, distance, and timing all test our ability to adapt. But with the right mix of preparation and patience, we still come away with the shots we showed up for, even if they take a little longer than planned.
Winter shoots around Jackson, WY and Salt Lake City, UT demand more planning, more patience, and a real understanding of how terrain and timing affect every shot. At Après Visuals, we work closely with each client to keep projects moving even when the weather doesn’t cooperate. As an outdoor video production company, we know how to build flexibility into every part of the process without losing focus on what matters most. Ready to make your next cold-season shoot efficient and successful? Contact us to start planning.