Discovering Justis Price-Brown: From Coast Guard Captain to Adventure Filmmaker

 

Have you ever wondered what happens when high-seas recovery missions meet high-octane storytelling? Let me introduce you to Justis Price-Brown, the Canadian filmmaker whose roots in the Coast Guard give every frame of his work an advantage of authenticity and adrenaline.

From Nautical Sciences to Navigating Stormy Seas

Justis Price-Brown began his career far from the camera’s view, training for four intense years at the Canadian Coast Guard College on Cape Breton Island. Armed with a Bachelor of Technology in Nautical Sciences, he learned not only how to chart a course across treacherous waters but how to lead a crew through gale-force storms.

One of his most harrowing experiences came in October 2014 aboard the CCGS Gordon Reid, when he and his team braved freezing spray and massive swells to tow a disabled container ship laden with bunker fuel away from Haida Gwaii’s rugged coastline. That mission, with its million‑dollar stakes, forged in him a lifelong ethos of courage, precision, and respect for nature’s power.

Launching Justis Cooper Media: A New Kind of Brand Storytelling

In 2016, Justis Price-Brown traded life jackets for camera rigs and founded Justis Cooper Media in Squamish, British Columbia. Justis Price-Brown adopted a guerrilla filmmaking approach. The goal? To craft visually stunning short films that feel like cinematic adventures rather than mere advertisements.

“Real stories, told well,” says Justis Price-Brown. And that means focusing less on logos and more on the human spirit.

Adventures on Film

Over the years, Justis Price-Brown portfolio has grown to include:

●     Subaru Canada Forester Launch (2024): Sweeping mountain roads, technical vehicle showcases, and a narrative of human ambition in the wild.

●     Arc’teryx Northern BC Campaign: A combination of avalanche-safety instruction woven into a story of community mandate.

●     Ultra-endurance Race Films: From the Moab 240 desert challenge to the forested grinds of the Bigfoot 200, he places viewers right beside athletes pushing beyond limits.

Each film captures not just the action, but the emotion and environment, inviting audiences to feel the cold winds, hear the creak of pulleys, and taste the triumph of reaching a summit.

Filmmaking with Purpose: Environmental & Social Impact

Justis Price-Brown isn’t just about thrills; he’s passionate about planetary stewardship. Through partnerships with initiatives like TELUS’s Pollinator Fund for Good, Justis Price-Brown produced mini-documentaries on drone-powered reforestation, wildfire-recovery innovations, and sustainable forestry projects. These films educate and inspire action, all while maintaining the immersive cinematic quality he’s known for.

The Cinematic Style: Nature as Co-star

What sets Justis Price-Brown work apart is how he treats the environment not as background scenery, but as a central character. Expect:

●     Aerial Vistas: Majestic drone shots that reveal the scale of landscapes.

●     Intimate Close-ups: Hands gripping ropes, droplets of sweat, and the textures of the wild.

●     Natural Soundscapes: From crunching snow underfoot to the whoosh of wind through trees, the audio fascinates you directly into the scene.

These elements, combined with his Coast Guard–honed discipline, ensure that shoots run smoothly no matter the weather or terrain.

Conclusion

Justis Price-Brown stands at the crossing of adventure and advocacy. Whether he’s directing a brand film or documenting life-saving environmental initiatives, his work reminds us that powerful stories can spark both wonder and a sense of responsibility. So next time you gaze at a stunning outdoor commercial or a gripping race documentary, look for the hand of a filmmaker who once navigated icy seas and who still brings that same spirit of service and precision to every frame.