Andrew Hunt is an award-winning artist, writer, producer and director from New Zealand. His unique career has spanned multiple continents and earned him numerous awards in Film, Television and Art.
Born in New Zealand, Andrew’s first love was basketball, which led to Andrew being one of the youngest players selected to play for Auckland in the, then titled, Countrywide Basketball League (now the National Basketball League) at the age of 18. That year, he also received an invitation to trial for the national team and was placed on the national selectors list.
His career began in the Performing Arts as an actor, dancer and musician in a book musical which toured every major city for a year. His musical gifts led him to join as a founding member of the renowned NZ band Houseparty, an early pioneer in the home grown Kiwi Hip-Hop scene created by Phil Fuemana. (After Andrew left NZ, Houseparty would later change its name to OMC - Otara Millionaires Club - and release the single "How Bizarre" which would go on to reach no. 1 in six countries.)
Andrew shifted course and traveled to Egypt, Lebanon and Kurdistan, where he worked with the urban poor in Cairo, with those who had lost their sight during the war in Beirut and with an NGO in Kurdistan where he was involved in delivering medical supplies to villages. He returned to New Zealand to teach at the Excel School of Performing Arts before leaving for the US when he was offered an opportunity to work in television. Andrew then directed five episodes of the series Kampung Boy, winning an Annecy award for Best Animated Children’s TV Series for Matinee Entertainment, based in Beverly Hills.
Andrew’s global interests led him to live in six countries over a nearly 30 year period where he achieved notoriety as an award winning writer, producer and director in broadcast television and film. Because of his in-depth knowledge of the Middle East, Andrew was able to consult on the first non-Muslim drama series, House of Abu Yousseff, that was shot in Ramallah, Palestine and broadcast throughout the Arab World. He recently consulted for the BBC on a 30 episode drama series in the Arabic language, in Amman, Jordan.
Andrew’s versatility led him to produce TV commercials for worldwide companies such as Nestle, Chiclets, Libby’s and Halls. In 2000, he started his own production company, Tu Meke Productions, and created corporate films for such international giants as Cisco, UBS, AWM and CCC. Andrew’s unique global perspective and ability to work with diverse cultures has resulted in his filming in over 25 countries to date.
He wrote and directed the award winning short film, The Accidental Activist, based on the “Make Poverty History March” (titled "One" in America) created by Bono and Bob Geldof and filmed in Scotland. After winning a number of awards on the film festival circuit including The Garden State (NJ) Film Festival and the Houston Worldfest International Film Festival as well as a screening in the Short Film Corner at Cannes, it was picked up for distribution by Palm Pictures and broadcast in 42 states of America on Comcast.
With Andrew’s next film, The Love Game, he was one of five filmmakers selected from across America to compete in a Nationwide film competition. The “Bflix” series was sponsored by Bloomingdale’s as a part of their Fall 2009 Film-themed campaign. He was up against a talented selection of filmmakers that included Academy Award winner Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) and Robert Redford’s daughter, Amy. The films were showcased online and in all the Bloomingdale’s stores throughout the US where people could shop, watch and vote. At the end of six weeks of viewing and voting Andrew’s short was awarded the winning film sending him to the 2010 Film Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles.
In 2010 Andrew produced and directed a six episode series based around the New York Times bestselling book "The Reason For God" by Timothy Keller. It was released on DVD in October and within one month had surpassed it's annual sales prediction.
He directed a set of celebrity interviews with two time Oscar winning actress Marcia Gay Harden, Elizabeth Hurley, Julie Benz (Dexter, No Ordinary Family) and Karina Smirnoff (Dancing with the Stars) for Bloomingdale's which played in their stores during the Breast Cancer Awareness month of October.
He followed this by directing a spot for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation starring the beautiful and talented Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Up Daisies, Glee, Promises Promises) along with a short film on world-renowned flautist Sir James Galway.
Andrew’s most recent film was a feature documentary titled "Funny You Never Knew" about three 1950's American comedians, Imogene Coca, George Gobel and Martha Raye as re-discovered through the eyes of two contemporary comedians, Fred Willard and Kevin Pollak. Interviews include Bob Newhart, Lily Tomlin, Carol Channing, Norman Lear, Carl Reiner, Mitzi Gaynor, Michael Feinstein and others. The film won “Best Feature Documentary Film” at the Garden State Film Festival, “Best Director of a Feature Film” at the Chicago Comedy Film Festival, “The Gold REMI” award at the Houston Worldfest International Film Festival, “Best Comedy Documentary” at DOCUTAH, “President’s Citation” at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and “Outstanding Achievement in Filmmaking: Editing” at the 20th annual Newport Beach Film Festival which he shared with his co-editor Colin Goudie B.F.E (Star Wars, Rogue One.) See more about the film here: www.FunnyYouNeverKnew.com
Over recent years Andrew’s work as an artist has been gaining attention with several recent exhibitions in New York including two group exhibitions at Sothebys. You can view some of his work at www.instagram.com/artofandrewhunt
At the beginning of 2020, after nearly 30 years abroad, Andrew made his seventh country move - this time back to New Zealand where he now resides with his wife and two sons. He has a studio in Auckland where he is currently painting full time whilst maintaining a connection to the film industry as a consultant.