Matt is the cofounder of Summit Fever Media, an “agile creative studio with narrative at its heart”. The company specialises in creating compelling commercial content for the adventure, travel, and lifestyle sectors. They deliver visually stunning and engaging narratives that resonate with audiences. From dynamic one-off adverts to immersive brand campaigns.
Can you tell me about your background and how you’re involved with sports, please?
I grew up in a very sport focused environment, a mixture of team sports and outdoor sports at a competitive level.
How important is sustainability to you, and what led you to become interested in this area?
Sustainability is incredibly important to me, I think about it a lot. I guess it’s always kind of been on my radar, when I was young my mum studied environmental science at university and would talk about what she’d learned. Also growing up in Scouts we learned more about nature, why it’s important to respect it and look after it.
“…the sports industry should be leading the way.”
In what ways have you seen the climate emergency affect your work?
The climate emergency has profoundly affected everything! On a local level we’ve noticed significant trending changes to the weather even in the last 12 years since we started working in the outdoor industry. I remember the first year we were filming on the spine race, a group of racers got snowed in one of the huts … in recent years you’re lucky if there’s any snow at all.
What steps are you taking personally to reduce your environmental impact?
Trying to be more aware of what our impact is and then take actions to reduce it. That could be anything from car sharing to choosing to spend more time locally.
We’re also doing what we at work to communicate the climate emergency and reduce our impact.
Can you share any specific examples of events or seasons you know of that have been impacted by extreme weather or environmental changes?
Storm Desmond was the first time I’d personally experienced a weather event that serious, the level of devastation was significant, hundreds, if not thousands of people affected by flooding and other damage.
Do you believe the sports industry has a unique role to play in addressing climate change?
Everyone does, and the sports industry should be leading the way.
“Is there hope? I think so.
Will it be difficult? Yes.“
Are there any athletes or sports organisations you admire for their commitment to sustainability?
There are so many people and organisations taking great action – to name a few – The Green Runners, POW, Re-Run, Damian Hall and many others!
How can sports events be made more sustainable without compromising on the excitement and engagement they offer fans?
Honestly, I think we need to expect some level of compromise and not moan about it – it’s too serious a problem and sports events are a luxury! Of course a lot can be done without compromise, tackling travel, money (banking) etc. Perhaps more importantly they could nudge participants and staff to take more environmentally positive actions and reduce negative actions.
What are the cobenefits you envisage in your sport that we could enjoy if we focused more on sustainability in this field?
At a basic level I really think it has the potential for massive and widespread benefits – health is a huge starting point, not just from movement but also from what we eat – particularly regarding UPF foods. From health, comes wealth – less days off work, more productive and less cost for the health service – more public money for other things!
I am aware though that often environmental action is often looked at benefits for people – so it’s also nice to consider the improvements for nature, the habitats that we’ve destroyed and the endless species that we’ve brought to the brink of extinction (or beyond).
Is there hope? I think so.
Will it be difficult? Yes.
Huge thanks to Matt for sharing this fascinating insight into how the outdoor film industry is being affected by climate change.
To follow Matt and Summit Fever Media (and trust me, you’ll want to!), head over to Matt’s Instagram page, the SFM Instagram page, or the SFM website.
Please note that the views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the interviewee. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Marjolein Thickett, The Native Crowd or its affiliates. The information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Readers are encouraged to explore their own views and to read as much as possible on this topic.
