NORTHERN ALBERTA FILMMAKING & COMMERCIAL VIDEO PRODUCTION

Filmmakers for Hire

The Distillery is an independent film and video production company, with a focus on compelling client work and engaging original narratives. We are filmmakers for hire, with experience in branded content, commercials, feature film, documentary and shorts.

With key collaborators in Edmonton, Grande Prairie, and Calgary, we can lead video and film productions across Alberta and beyond.

OUR PORTFOLIO

Selected Work

ABOUT US

Meet the Team

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Gordie Haakstad

Owner, Filmmaker

An award-winning feature film director and writer, Gordie Haakstad's directorial debut, ABEL’S FIELD, was released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Gordie’s background includes both cinematography and editing—and graduating with honors from the University of Southern California's School of Cinema-Television’s prestigious Production Program. Haakstad has helped create industrial, short and feature-length projects, notably as director on the award-winning short films ANYONE OUT THERE and THE SOUVENIR.
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Chris Beauchamp

Owner, Filmmaker

Chris Beauchamp is a photographer, writer, and filmmaker based in Grande Prairie, Alberta. His background includes journalism, communications, and marketing. His photography work has included corporate, public, and industrial clients, as well as leading Canadian editorial publications. Since 2012, he has written, directed, and produced several short films and commercial video projects. His work has screened at festivals in Brooklyn, Houston, and Alberta. Chris is an active member of the northern Alberta media arts community, serving on the boards of the Peace Region Independent Media Arts Association (PRIMAA), Alberta Media Arts Alliance (AMAAS), and the Reel Shorts Film Festival.

SERVICES

What we do Best

BRANDED CONTENT

At its best, film tells a story. It can be funny, surprising, scary, heartfelt, or exciting. But it should always move the audience in some way. It should connect. It should teach. Commercial work is no different. It should be interesting, informative, beautiful. Preferably all three at once.

ORIGINAL NARRATIVES

As filmmakers we are constantly developing and producing original narrative projects. Our personal work is as important to us as our client work, and as individuals we continue to hone our craft in all forms of visual storytelling: from short films to episodic and feature-length projects.

DOCUMENTARY

Great documentaries are built on a foundation of research, tenacity and an unfailing commitment to honesty. Our documentary work is built on the same core principles. We also use the documentary approach on client work, when appropriate—finding authentic stories to tell on behalf of organizations of all sizes.

OUR PROCESS

Philosophy

Audiences understand the language of cinema.

They feel the impact of an intentional shot and a perfect cut. They’re moved by the power of music and the subtlest of sounds. Ultimately, they know when a story works, and when it doesn’t. Audiences can understand the language of cinema, intuitively.

At the Distillery, we speak it deliberately.

We have in-house expertise for every step in the filmmaking process, and we’re plugged into a network of crew and freelancers which allows us to scale our team up for larger projects.

Development

Idea Creation
Ideation
Screenwriting
Strategy

Preproduction

Locations
Casting
Scheduling
Wardrobe / Props
Crew and Equipment

Production

Directing
Performance
Cinematography
Production Design
Sound Recording
Data Management

Post Production

Editing
Sound Design
Music
Color Grading
Motion Graphics
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