A decade of putting out fires at the Discovery networks had prepared me for just about anything. So, when the new HD Channel asked me to direct some of Discovery’s top hosts and promote their upcoming series, I was psyched, but nothing had quite prepared me for the challenge of Bill Nye the Science Guy. Imagine a genius level IQ, a fast forward button, and a mature man headed out to his dream vacation of spring training with an MLB team in Arizona. My job was to get Bill to say “yes,” whatever it took. So, I promised we’d go to him in Arizona and get him on a plane home in three days max. Now all I needed was a location — perhaps a National Park or two?

Grand Canyon National Park seemed perfect, except winter was approaching fast. Also, I’d heard through the grapevine that the rangers in charge of public relations almost never granted a permit. I proceeded to schmooze like I had never schmoozed in my life: “It’s Bill Nye . . . there’s an educational angle . . . we’ll go to any location the rangers want for a safe shoot . . . we’ll bring an experienced director of photography and a small crew — anything you want!” Then I waited.

Five days later we had our answer: “Yes!” So, we prepped for Bill Nye and the Grand Canyon in the snow. We wrote scripts, stocked up on insulated snow boots, down coats, and hand-warmers, and jumped on a plane headed west. Soon I met a man with an extraordinary brain who, like me, didn’t know how to take “no” for an answer and also had no idea why “filters” might be a good idea. We spoiled, schmoozed, and fed Bill Nye and listened to his endless stories about how all nature of beasts procreate in detailed, scientific terms. Then we spent one long, glorious day doing Steadicam shots on the snow-kissed ridges of the Grand Canyon. It was hard, cold work, but we laughed and joked and captured images of scenery so breath-taking that our exhausted director of photography stayed late to do a time-lapse sequence of the towering cliffs at sunset. After hugs, selfies overlooking the Grand Canyon, and nightcaps in a hotel bar, we all marveled at our unforgettable day.