Imagine a polished ice rink the size of a football field. Surrounded not by arena walls and fluorescent lights, but by snow-covered mountains, boreal forest, and a sky that produces northern lights overhead. Talent skating on glass-smooth ice in golden low-angle winter light that lasts for hours. That is what we build on Alaska's frozen lakes.
International production teams have been coming to Alaska specifically for this capability. When ice disappeared from their usual European and Canadian locations, they found us. We delivered walk-on ice in late October, Zamboni-finished surfaces for skating sequences, plowed basecamps on the lake, and full crew support in sub-zero conditions.
Zamboni-Finished Ice Rinks
We clear and finish frozen lake surfaces to Zamboni-quality smoothness in any size your production requires. A small rink for a tight talent sequence. A massive surface for wide establishing shots with skating talent, vehicles, or product placement. The finish is real, smooth, and skateable. Your talent's blades hit the same quality ice they'd find in a professional arena, except the backdrop is Alaska.
Plowed Snow Clearings
Precise snow removal to expose the ice surface underneath, or to create defined production areas surrounded by untouched snow. We create the visual contrast between clean ice and pristine white snow fields that makes these shots so striking.
Hybrid Surfaces
Some productions want ice in one area and groomed snow in another. A skating surface that transitions to a snow field. A plowed basecamp area adjacent to an untouched powder backdrop. We prep the entire lake surface to your creative specifications.
Brand and Commercial Campaigns
Apparel brands, footwear brands, automotive brands, beverage brands, and lifestyle brands have all shot on Alaska's frozen lakes. The visual of talent or product on a vast frozen surface with mountain backdrops is one of the most compelling winter images in advertising. We support full brand video production and commercial photography on ice.
Ice Skating Content
Professional figure skaters, hockey players, or lifestyle talent skating on a wilderness lake. Tutorial content, brand endorsement, social media campaigns, and cinematic hero films. We coordinate talent sourcing for skaters if needed.
Automotive and Product
Vehicles on ice. Product hero shots on polished frozen surfaces. The reflective quality of Zamboni-finished lake ice creates a natural mirror effect that no studio floor can replicate.
Fashion and Lifestyle
Winter fashion campaigns, holiday content, and lifestyle imagery shot on frozen lakes with deep snow and mountain environments surrounding the set.
Music Video and Entertainment
Performance sequences on ice. Dance, skating, and theatrical content in a natural winter amphitheater.
We provide everything your crew needs to operate on a frozen lake. Full grip and electric packages including generators for power on the ice surface. Heated crew shelters and warming tents. Local crew experienced in winter lake operations. Drone and helicopter aerial coverage of the frozen surface from above. Chase vehicle rigs for tracking shots across the ice. Craft services, lodging coordination, and ground transportation.
All ice surfaces are assessed for thickness and safety before any crew steps on. We monitor conditions throughout the production and maintain cold-weather safety protocols for the duration of the shoot.
The earliest reliable ice for production use is late October to mid-November in Interior Alaska. Peak season runs January through March when ice is at its thickest and most stable. For detailed ice timelines by region, see our frozen lake filming guide.
We begin planning ice surface productions 4-6 weeks in advance to coordinate lake selection, surface preparation equipment, basecamp logistics, and crew scheduling. Contact us with your creative vision and target dates and we will build the production plan.
45161 W Glenn Hwy #1185
Chickaloon, AK 99674
