Today we’d like to introduce you to Cody Hunt
Hi Cody, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up just outside of St. Louis, I was always fascinated by art making and film. Early on I was mesmerized with the Jurassic Park franchise, as an immersive experience and a technical achievement. I recall being terrified to enter the theater When my mom took me to see, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park. In order to calm me down she told me, “It wasn’t real. It was just a movie.” From that point on I was fascinated about filmmaking. I began drawing dinosaurs, Batman, anything I saw in theaters. Soon I became very passionate about artmaking, attempting to recreate the world around me. I knew a career in the arts was in my future, but I was never sold on what path I would take.
In 2010, I attended the Kansas City Art Institute and planned to pursue a degree in illustration or graphic design. In the first year at KCAI you enter the Foundations program where you have the opportunity to learn a lot of different disciplines from painting, sculpture, to filmmaking and photography. In my spring semester I decided to take a workshop about sound design and the moving image. This workshop, taught by Professor Dwight Frizzell, opened my eyes to the process of filmmaking. The idea that I could create an immersive experience by picking up a camera and putting sound to an image. It was a new and exciting endeavor. As someone who never used a video camera before this workshop, filmmaking finally felt like a practical and sustainable creative outlet.
It became pretty clear that I was drawn to the technical aspects of how a camera worked and the way in which you could shape light. I believe my years of drawing, particularly faces, translated to having a good eye for cinematography. In the sense that I was attentive to detail and consideration of the perception of the viewer when creating a composition. Throughout my time at KCAI, I was the person who was always asked to shoot other student’s projects. In doing so, I really fell in love with the collaborative nature of filmmaking and it gave me the ability to effectively communicate my ideas and serve others’ visions. Upon my graduation from KCAI I received the film department’s Mentorship Award.
After a couple years doing freelance work, post graduation, I secured a videographer position at progressive political media firm, GPS Impact, where I primarily worked on Chris Koster’s campaign for Governor. Following that election I was brought on full time and have now been at the company for 8 years working with dozens of political candidates nationwide from congressional to presidential races. If you would have asked a 10 year old Cody, “what he would be doing in 20 years?” it certainly wouldn’t be this. Though I can see how my technical and communication skills would be an asset to the work that I am doing.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Yes and no. After graduating I worked at the Kansas City Household Hazardous Waste Center. I had previously worked there in the summers while I attended KCAI. My days entailed lots of days sorting through recycled paint cans and I worked there for a year and half before I was able to book a gig at a summer camp up in rural Maine that I found through Indeed.com. While it was a short contract, it was a rich, fun experience and my first job in the field of my degree.
Following that, I sought out producers around KC and worked as a freelance production assistant. Where I explored a lot of different departments on professional sets and gained experience. After about 6 months I was offered the position at GPS Impact thanks to the recommendation of fellow KCAI grads and professors. I recall my professors said the relationships we develop during college would be important down the road in our career and sure enough they were right.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My current title at GPS Impact is Video Director. In simpler terms, I am the in-house director of photography and video editor. We produce campaign ads for progressive political candidates and initiatives nationwide. Our small video team consists of fellow KCAI grads such as Matt Lloyd, Sara Perkins and formally Molly Garrett and Jon Lim. The most notable clients we’ve worked with are Amy Klobuchar’s and her 2020 presidential campaign, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Governor Laura Kelly and other progressive candidates up and down the ticket.
Having been at GPS Impact, I have really been able to grow my passion for cinematography and create impactful work that I am extremely proud of. My skills have given me the opportunity to meet people and visit places I’d never dreamed I’d be. I’ve had the opportunity to meet President Biden in my time here and others that have the power of real change. I’ve led countless sets as a cinematographer and am truly happy with my position here. Outside of GPS, I photographed all of the Black Lives Matters murals in the Kansas City area, which had been featured in USA Today and The New York Times.
Any big plans?
I don’t anticipate any big changes coming up. I’m looking to continue my work at GPS Impact through this election cycle and beyond. Always seeking new and exciting projects to work on, both narrative and documentary. Last year, I was the director of photography on John Ramirez’s short film, How Do You Take Your Coffee. That was an exciting project to work on and I wish to collaborate with many others in the KC film community. I am also a freelance wedding videographer as well so I will continue that business moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cody-hunt.com
- Instagram: @codyhuntfilms
- Facebook: @codyhuntfilms
- Twitter: @codyhuntfilms
