Overnight, the world has transformed.
Rooted in Montana’s Yellowstone Country and inspired by a decade of family explorations, this tale invites parents and children alike to share in the beauty of the wilderness, the joy of discovery, and the warmth of returning home.
Ten-year-old Torrey awakens in her family's cabin on the edge of Montana's Yellowstone Country to discover a winter wonderland unlike anything she has ever seen. When her shaggy companion, Loki, spots a winter-white ermine and charges into the wilderness, Torrey is swept headfirst into an adventure she never imagined.
Bundling up against the frozen morning, she sets off in pursuit. But the deeper she travels into the winter wilderness, the more extraordinary the journey becomes. Along the way she'll encounter towering giants, mischievous gnomes, ancient mammoths, steaming hot springs, and the untamed beauty of one of the wildest places on Earth.
Will Torrey find Loki? Where will the trail lead? And when they finally return home, will either of them be the same?
Inspired by more than a decade of real-life family adventures exploring Montana's Yellowstone Country, The Snow Day: A Yellowstone Adventure is a beautifully illustrated bedtime story celebrating courage, imagination, family, and the wonder of the natural world.
It is the book that inspired the hand-drawn, live-action animated film from SINTR® Studio, premiering Winter 2026/27.
Left alone sans phone, Wi-Fi, or television, Torrey—the young protagonist in Bryan Schaeffer’s Legend of the Snow Day (SINTR®, $19.95)
—discovers a leather-bound book and matching amulet which transport her to a fantastical, yet familiar world where Norse mythological figures like Odin, Ullr, Thor, and Jörmungandr (the snake who encircles the earth) inhabit the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Keep your eyes peeled for the animated film yet to come.
—Carson Sprague
An adventure crafted in Big Sky Country
Books, artwork and film.
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Be among the first—exclusive pre-release editions available only at Black Diamond level sponsor The Bookstore, Dillon.
Hand-crafted in
The Last Best Place.
Meet the Team
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TORREY SCHAEFFER
ACTOR/STUNTPERSON
Torrey Schaeffer is a 10-year-old rising actress hiker, mountain biker and skier who stars as both the live-action and animated lead in The Snow Day. This Montana-made film blending frontier grit with heartfelt adventure. T does her own stunts—mostly, anyway—and brings fearless energy, imagination, and charm to every scene.
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Bryan Schaeffer
CREATOR
Bryan is a Bozeman native, raised by a Montana Forest Ranger and an English teacher. He has received regional EMMY® recognition for his work in promotional television campaigns and has collaborated on multimedia projects with various well-known brands, including Microsoft and Boeing.
His illustrations and animations have been featured in publications like Outside Online and in films for The American Alpine Club and BBC Earth.
Bryan lives in Bozeman with his wife, daughter, and golden doodle, Loki. He enjoys Nordic, backcountry, and alpine skiing and skied 564 miles, ten miles beyond skiing the full I-90 across Montana, during the 2021/22 season.
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Cory Birkenbuel
PRODUCER
Cory Birkenbuel is a fifth generation Montanan growing up in Dillon and now lives in the rural town of Polaris.
He has produced and directed two private films for the Yellowstone Club and three private films for the Warren Miller Freedom Foundation working with Warren Miller on all three films.
In the winter of 2024/25 Cory skied 116 days.
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KIERSTEN SCHAEFFER
CINEMATOGRAPHER/ANIMATION ASSISTANT
University of Montana Wildlife Biology major, talented flutist and moth-box scientific data construction engineer. Kiersten is fun-loving and a quick study adding her talents to The Snow Day Film production.
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TROY DUNNING
ANIMATION ASSISTANT
Troy is a recent graduate from Montana State University with a degree in Film. Troy was born and raised in Bozeman, Montana. Passionate about animation, motion graphics, and visual storytelling, he aspires to build a career in motion graphics, and is excited about the work on Snow Day.
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BILL ARBANAS
Bill Arbanas is a third-generation photographer raised in a family-owned portrait studio in Chicago, established over 100 years ago by his grandparents. He holds three AA degrees in Art, Photography, and Creative Writing/Journalism, graduating on the President’s Outstanding Scholastic Achievement List.
Since 2006, Bill has worked as a 3D Animation Affiliate with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, contributing to animations for the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers and the Ingenuity Mars helicopter.
Outside of his work, he is a passionate conservationist, nature lover, and nature photographer, frequently sharing his work on Instagram. @billarbanas
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“Plenty of people can deliver cookie-cutter creative. Bryan and his team will invent not just re-invent solutions."
Byron Tucker - Advertising Executive
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“Bryan's professionalism and creativity always supersedes any expectations.”
Mark Feijo - Former Creative Director King 5
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“I've worked with Bryan for about twenty years and can say that he is one of the best, if not just The Best, period."”
Vandy Kindred - Creative Director C+C
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“My go-to person for creative direction and execution of projets of all sizes.”
David Johnson - President, Mind Opera
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"Animation was the only way to truly show how layers in the snowpack can turn deadly, and Bryan delivered beautiful, engaging visuals that made the science clear and memorable. It was essential to making the film work."
Irena Peliha - Former Producer BBC Earth
Join the Journey
FAQs
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The Snow Day follows a lone skier crossing the winter frontier to deliver a leather-bound book filled with knowledge, independence, and hope. It’s a visual fable grounded in Montana values.
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We’re offering a few premium sponsorship opportunities to brands that reflect the story’s core: independence, resilience, and purpose. Your brand becomes part of the film’s credits, screenings, and storytelling.
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Production is underway. Sponsors get early access to visuals and are featured during our festival and premiere campaigns. Follow on Instagram and Substack for weekly updates and releases.
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