Brynn's Adventures

Banff Film Festival Lessons for Creators

Dreaming of Banff, and finally getting there

I’ve always dreamed of attending the Banff Mountain Film and Book festival, and last week I finally got the chance! I expected to leave feeling inspired to go on bigger and more epic adventures, but instead, I left thinking a lot about content creation, storytelling, and climate action.

What BMFBF feels like

If you’ve never been to the fest, it’s a wild mix: filmmakers, scientists, writers, artists, explorers, and mountain enthusiasts all sharing stories about the outdoors. There are standing ovations, tears, laughter, and ‘holy shit!’ moments that hit you in a million different ways, and they stick!

While everyone there was talking about storytelling through the lens of film or literature, I kept thinking about how much of it applies to content creators. At the end of the day, filmmakers, authors, and creators are basically doing the same thing, just in different formats.

Adventure film vs. adventure content

The process definitely looks different though. Filmmakers spend weeks, months, and sometimes years in remote places trying to capture the perfect shot. Content creators move fast, chasing trends, reactions, and the next viral moment. I’m not saying that one is better than the other, but the similarity between the two is that the most important aspect is the story.

 The best films at the fest weren’t necessarily the ones that were super long or cinematic-they were about people, purpose, and emotion. That’s what good content does too! (At least it’s supposed to).

Stories that matter

Some panels left me thinking about why we tell stories at all. Glaciers are shrinking, landscapes are changing, species are disappearing-or moving into new territories. If these stores aren’t told, or heard, who will notice?

Even a short video or single post can reach far beyond your feed; a researcher tracking wildlife, a nonprofit raising awareness, or someone who’s never seen a glacier and doesn’t understand why this stuff even matters. People spend so much time on their phones… maybe social media content deserves more credit as a storytelling tool, especially about the planet we share.

Who’s got a seat at the table

I also noticed something else, the audience and the speakers at the events. Mostly older, mostly white, mostly people who’ve had the chance (and the funds, and the privilege) to spend decades in the mountains. Young people, who feel climate anxiety most acutely, were underrepresented. So were people of colour, who are disproportionately affected by climate change and often lack opportunities to experience the outdoors.

Social media has a massive, global audience. We can reach the people who aren’t in that Banff Film Festival Fire & Ice Symposium breakout session room —people who may never set foot on a glacier —but who can connect to these stories right on their phones.

Curiosity, connection, and responsibility

By the end of the fest, I wasn’t thinking about bigger adventures. I was leaning further into my curiosity; noticing, asking questions, sharing honestly-things that can spark connection in others. It’s really about responsibility; highlighting what matters, why it matters, and making space for others to do the same.

Some might wonder why content creators are invited to events like the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival. Panels like Social Responsibility in the Outdoors got me thinking;creators are the new storytellers in a space grappling with accessibility, equity and sustainability. Outdoor spaces, activities, and knowledge aren’t equally accessible, and social media can help bridge that gap.

Inspiration 🤝 stewardship

Content creators can balance inspiration and stewardship. We can make people fall in love with a place while encouraging respect for it, and weave climate awareness into stories naturally. Too often, creators capitalize on the land without doing enough to protect it. Maybe talking about climate change risks fewer views, but that’s a terrible excuse.

Being at events like the BMFBF is invaluable. It puts creators in the same room as filmmakers, scientists, and adventurers who have decades of experience telling these stories. It’s a chance to learn how to build narratives that evoke emotion, build empathy, and inspire action- all lessons that are totally transferable to short-form content.

Why creators belong here

Creators have reach, immediacy, and accessibility that traditional media doesn’t. Pair that with insights from artists, scientists, and storytellers, and suddenly we can create content that’s more than just pretty pictures. We can connect people to places, experiences, and issues that matter.

If we’re making a living by sharing the outdoors; the mountains, glaciers, trails, and wild places most people only see through their screens- we owe it to the planet to talk, even a little, about what’s happening to these places. Climate change isn’t abstract, it’s real, visible, and affecting the adventures we take in the places that we love.

We don’t have to be scientists or experts, but ignoring it isn’t an option. Small stories, thoughtful context, even little mentions in a post or reel can make people notice, care, and start asking questions. We really don’t need to be perfect- we need messy, consistent action.

Content creators belong in these spaces, not just as audience members, but as active participants shaping how stories about the outdoors, climate, and adventure are told online and beyond. At the end of the day, being a content creator in the outdoors means showing up responsibly. If we profit from the outdoors, accountability isn’t optional; it’s part of the deal. Our stories matter, and so does how we tell them.