Dan Hunt

Title

Associate Professor of Communication and Media Arts

Department

Communication and Media Arts

Email

dhunt1@mmm.edu

Phone

212-517-0664

About

Professor Hunt teaches classes in media theory and production. Hunt brings over 20 years of award winning documentary experience as a producer and director whose work focuses on topics as broad as gender and sexuality, prison reform, aging, and environmental sustainability.  His work has broadcast on PBS, ABC, Netflix, Logo, Hulu, and WEtv and screened at film festivals all over the world.  His work has been funded by the MacArthur Foundation, Viacom, Robeson Fund, Phillips Foundation, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Subaru, CitiBank, Soros Foundation, and the NEH.  Past documentary work has been awarded several Telly Awards, the Cine Golden Eagle Award, Gracie Allen Award given by American Women in Radio and TV, National Association of Education’s Media Award, and nominated for multiple Emmys.  Hunt is a Soros Media Fellow and works on the programming team at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Degree(s)

BA, Communication Arts / English, Westfield State College

MFA, Integrated Media Arts, Hunter College 

Recent Work

Little Miss Westie.  Director.  A feature length documentary chronicling the lives of two young siblings who both are transgender.  2018 World Premier – DocNYC.  International Premier – British Film Institute’s Flare Film Festival.  Best Documentary Award from OutFest Miami.  Will broadcast on PBS in 2020 (TBA.)

Assisted Living.  Director.  A fiction short exploring the intersection of dementia and dance through the story of elderly man.  2017 World Premier – Newport Beach International Film Festival.  Community Engagement Premier – NAPSA Conference Milwaukee, WI.

Mr. Angel. Executive Producer/Director.  A feature length documentary chronicling the life of gender activist, educator, and pioneer Buck Angel.  2013 World Premier - South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival.  International Premier - Rio International Film Festival.   2012 NY State Council on the Arts Individual Artist Grant.  Featured at the 2011 IFP Documentary Showcase - Lincoln Center.  Distributed by Breaking Glass Pictures.  Best Documentary Seattle LGBT Film Festival.  Telly Award for Social Issue Documentary.

In the Life. Executive Producer.  Award winning PBS series on LGBTQ issues.  2007 -2008.

BEAR RUN. Executive Producer/Director.  Following four men over three years, this documentary explores body image and the subculture of men who identify as “bear.” Broadcast in 2008 launching LogoTV’s documentary series REAL MOMENTUM.  Distributed by PW Productions, LLC.  

Cruel and Unusual. Producer/Director.  This feature-length documentary is a first look at the lives of transgender women incarcerated in men’s prisons through the lens of the 8th Amendment.  2006 World Premier - South by Southwest Film Festival.  2007 broadcast on Women’s Entertainment TV. Film won the Audience Award for Best Feature, NewFest; Jury Award for Best Documentary, Frameline; Freedom Award, Outfest; Best Documentary, Warsaw; Audience Award, Kingston and a Silver Telly Award for Social Issue Documentary. Hunt was awarded a Soros Media Fellowship and a NYSCA Individual Artist Grant for this project.  Distributed by Reid Productions LLC & Alluvial Filmworks.

Dangerous Living. Supervising Producer.  This feature-length documentary examines “gay identity” in emerging nations by following the arrest, torture, and imprisonment of 52 men in Egypt as its central narrative.  The production won awards at Chicago, Hartford, and Barcelona film festivals and the Gold Aurora Award. Dangerous Living originally was broadcast on Logo in 2004, and screened in dozens of film festivals around the world. Produced by After Stonewall Productions, Inc.

Oliver Button is a STAR.  PBS.  2002

After Stonewall.  PBS.  2000.

Teaching

Storytelling Across Media

Directing Video:  Documentary

Senior Capstone:  R & D

Television Studio Production

Professional Experience

Hunt has worked as an independent producer and director and for WGBH, KUAC, Twin Cities Public Television, WGBY and a number of production companies around the country.  

Office Hours

T- 12:00-2:20, Th-2:20-3:20, and by appointment.

Location

Nugent Hall 560