There are a lot of talented videographers in British Columbia. What makes Distill Media different starts with where Curtis Allen came from before he picked up a camera for clients.
Before founding Distill Media, Curtis spent 10 years in broadcast journalism, working with national networks including CBC and CTV, and local stations like CFJC-TV Kamloops. He covered breaking news, long-form documentary stories, and everything in between. In those newsrooms, the standard was unforgiving. Stories had to be accurate, compelling, and clear – and they had to be ready fast. That training shapes everything he does today.
The journalist’s instinct is to find the real story, not the polished version. When Curtis walks into an interview, he is not looking for a rehearsed answer. He is looking for the moment when someone stops performing and starts talking. Those are the moments that make a video worth watching. They are also the moments that most corporate video crews never get to, because they do not know how to ask for them.
That background is especially valuable in local government work. Municipal projects often involve complex technical information, competing community interests, and a communication challenge that requires both clarity and empathy. Curtis brings a reporter’s discipline to all of it – asking why, pushing past jargon, and finding the human angle that makes a viewer care.
He is also, as more than one client has noted, just a pleasure to work with. Easy-going on set, respectful of people’s time, and genuinely interested in the subjects he films. That combination of professional rigour and personal warmth is harder to find than it sounds.
Want to meet Curtis and talk about your next project? Start the conversation here.
Learn more about Curtis’ passion for municipal videography here.
