I recently scouted and managed some Degree deodorant commercials and Internet episodes in West Virginia. The ongoing series is called the Chain of Adventure, featuring Bear Grylls, star of the Discovery Channel’s Man Vs. Wild. Also appearing in the spots were several sports celebrities, including Mark Messier (hockey,) Mark Sanchez (football,) Kevin Durant (basketball,) and Tony Hawk (skateboarding.) I began scouting in the Hudson Valley and the Adirondacks, but I soon realized we had to shoot in West Virginia. In addition to impressive cliffs and a drop zone for a parachute/skateboard stunt, we needed massive, dam release whitewater in the fall, and I found all of these in the beautiful New River Gorge area.
