I took the long way here.

Here’s the tl;dr up front: I tell stories. News and feature stories that build big-tent media brand footprints. Longform documentaries that connect on an emotional level and drive a viewer to action. Short films that make people laugh. Brand stories that are designed to change a person’s buying habits. Social media pieces you won’t numbly scroll past while staring at your phone walking down the street.

Stories that amass views (billions to-date) and get killer critical reviews and win awards, while driving true success metrics like audience retention, loyalty, and conversion.

Above all, I try very, VERY hard to tell stories that people will actually watch.

But stepping back, MY story is this: it took me a while to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. A college newspaper writer, PoliSci and English majors, and creative with my head always in the clouds. Naturally, like any logical-thinking creative kid, I took a series of sales jobs out of college. Go figure. Luckily for me (and the companies I worked for), that didn’t take. Words on the page have always been my first love and once I figured that out, I took something like a 93.9% pay cut to do that full-time. I vividly remember the moment I sat down to write my first article—for money!—probably the most freeing feeling I’ve had in my career and I haven’t looked back since.

Along the way, I discovered a true hidden talent—taking words on the page and bringing them to life on screen. Something about the process of filmmaking and TV production just made sense to me: thoughtfully written words, paired with well-communicated direction, to tell a story chock-full of purpose and value, and BOOM ... you’ve got a show or a film on your hands. It wouldn’t call it a career pivot; more like a career glow-up. Once again, I took an opportunity (this time to produce a syndicated TV show) and never looked back.

Selected Work: 2011 - Present Day

I’ve been a director, showrunner, writer, executive producer, show doctor, and content strategist. I’ve had the opportunity, creative freedom, and production resources to create everything from successful live syndicated studio shows to streaming-first doc series for ABC, ESPN, and NatGeo. I’ve worked in sports, entertainment, news, and comedy. My teams and I have created and produced multi-platform programming with brand integration and multiple revenue streams. I’ve recruited, developed, managed, and mentored large creative teams, working in production models I have fine-tuned over the years to produce content that can scale efficiently. I've started and sold a production studio. I’ve taken countless creative risks that have paid off, countless that have not.

Over the years I’ve worn a lot of different hats, but they all come back to my truth:

I’m very good at telling stories. I’d love to help you tell yours.

- Justin Allen