episode 101season3

Turn your Palm Towards the Light

Todays Show is with Founder and owner of Calling Mountains Productions, Valerie St-Arnaud. Growing up in Quebec offered a wealth of inspiration but as she grew older there was always something calling her away from the city lights and when she arrived in Whistler, BC in 2013 she realized it had been the mountains all along. Valerie has her degree in Communication and Marketing from the University of Ottawa specializing in media studies. In 2012 she won the Ottawa international film festival and that's when her passion for film started. She is known to bring the feels right to your screen. She is passionate about her art form but even more about her clients. You will find her capturing memories and chasing the light in and around the Sea to Sky corridor. The mountains called her here and now she is returning the favor. See you in the mountains... They are calling!  

some of Valerie St-Arnaud's work

BREAK THREE: (5:38) let’s just dig into this a little bit. This was in 2012 the criteria for the submissions are things like, must be live streaming (no download required) language (English and French or French with subtitles), presentation copies, your typical deadlines, transportation and insurance to ship materials, selection process, now if you’re selected your requirements for type of file, sound quality, bios, photos, payment for submission, renumerations, and the different juries things like short film, international and children’s which are judged by children, pretty cool hey. We get into more detail about this shortly..

More of Valerie's work...can't you feel the emotion in these photos?

 WHAT A NEAT WAY TO MAKE SOMEONE COME TO LIFE AND LIFE 

BREAK FIVE: If you haven’t listened to my episode with Valerie Butters do, she is so casual and creative. Also Pemberton is located in British Columbia approx 160km from Vancouver, only 25km from the beautiful ski resort Whistler. This place is for people who love winter for the snow sports, cross country skiing, back country skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling and more…that fresh mountain air, can you just feel that - my favourite feeling is that!

BREAK SIX: I originally interviewed Valerie St Arnaud back in April of this year so at the start of covid here in Western Canada…we did the interview over Skype, she in her tank top, and ball cap, me in my favourite chair sitting cross legged…wanting to know her secrets to film, photography and creating these incredible memories in still and motion…

BREAK SEVEN: the basic rules for operation of a drone when you don’t have a licence - which is most of us - the drone must be under 250 grams in weight, there’s very specific areas that you are allowed to fly this tiny vessel so check your local regulations - Val here is so much to have someone who’s fully liscenced to help her with her videos as when you take the time to stop by you’ll be amazed at what she captures.

BREAK EIGHT: did you catch that slight tip she gave us - is you shoot your image and it’s blown out or too bright because of the sunny day…change it to black and white and voila you have a great photo! 

BREAK NINE: chasing the light is her motto - did you catch that tip put the palm of your hand and if it shows shadows move until the light is brighter - boom you got good light on your subject! 

BREAK TEN: get confidence, get creative and gain confidence..

BREAK TWELVE: wow what a story. You know I think this is something that we all need to hear, even tho we are here to do a job weather it be me podcasting or this Val in her specialty we will run into people that are critics and want to be heard in an opposing manner. Life is full of stories and here’s one that had made it’s mark on Val - she will always remember this women, who in the end gave Val more strength in the end to own her craft.

BREAK FIFTEEN: It seems so long ago when I interviewed her - and we are still even more heavily effec...