dan hunt - director / producer
marqaux lapointe - director

Daniel Hunt: Director, Executive Producer, Print Return, Print Shipper, Producer, Submission Contact
A former national board member and current member of both the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and also of the National Association of Television Program Executives and the International Television Association, Dan serves as TNE’s Managing Partner in charge of Production. His 30 years of film and television industry experience include both major motion picture and TV series work (including Producer and Unit Production Manager, HBO’s The Skell; Technical Director, M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable and the Disney Channel’s The Jersey; Casting Coordinator, Lucky Numbers, Fallen, Snake Eyes) and independent film projects (including Unit Production Manager and First Assistant Director, Bottomfeeders). Dan is currently an adjunct at Villanova University teaching advanced documentary film‐making. In addition to his entertainment industry experience, Dan has held management level positions in manufacturing, distribution and retail businesses.

Margaux LaPointe:Director
A junior, Communication major at Villanova University, Margaux had her directorial debut with “Price of Life”. Prior to this project , Margaux’s expertise resided in musical theater and stage production, having previous experience in acting, singing, dancing, as well as costuming, photography and publicity. In the fall Margaux will be interning with the Gail Williams talent agency in Philadelphia, PA, where she hopes to gain further experience and knowledge of the film industry.

In the summer of 2007 a friend of mine, a professor at Villanova University, Steve McWilliams, came into my office, he said he had an idea for a new class. He was excited and animated as he told me the details of this class that would be a marriage between the Peace and Justice and the Communication Department at Villanova. He said we could get a select group of students and produce a documentary. It would be a project that Villanova had never done before. He ended the conversation by saying “and by the way do you want to teach it with me” not thinking much of it at the time I said “sure you put it together and I will help you in any way I can”. I definitely didn’t know what I was getting myself into.

About a year later he called me into his office at Villanova where I was handed a pack of paperwork as an adjunct instructor and met the other teacher of the class Dr. John O’Leary of the communication department. It didn’t really dawn on me that I was about to teach a college course until I came home that night and talked to my finance who is a teacher of a 7th grade class, who started drilling me on a book, lesson plans and a syllabus. Fast-forward to the spring semester of 2009.

I walked into a classroom and started talking to fifteen kids about the industry. It seemed that they were hanging on my every word. It is very difficult to intimidate me but at the end of my first class I asked myself over and over again what have I gotten myself into. That first day I told the kids that if we were going to do a project we were going to do it with quality in mind and that my goal was to win film festivals with our finished project. I think they all looked at me like I was nuts.

For the next fifteen weeks we researched our subject, we shot over 30 hours of video, and spent hundreds… ok thousands of hours in my dinning room, that we converted into an edit suite. We set the class up like a little production company, every student in the class had a job, from camera, sound, lighting, and even continuity. About the fourth week of the class I identified the student that got “it” everything, she was like me at that age. While she had no previous production experience she had the ability to have 5 balls in the air at one time. She watched, she learned, and she understood the concept of seeing the whole picture and not just what we were doing at that time. She truly reminded me of myself at 20 years old. At that point I made Margaux LaPointe the co-director of this project.

It was inspiring to watch her earn the respect of everyone on the crew including myself. On May first the day of the screening we were still rendering the final product 30 minutes before it was to be seen in a room of over 300 people. The response that we got that evening was incredible. The applause lasted through the entire credits and the tears of the audience were genuine and plentiful. Fifteen students in fifteen weeks produced a product that we are all extremely proud of. The relationships, that have been forged between the students and between me and the students are bonds that I know will last a lifetime. We set out to achieve a few simple goals, teach the kids how to make a film, give the kids an experience that they could learn and grow from, and create an environment so they could work in a group together. I believe that we achieved these goals and so much more. The finished project “Price of Life” is a story that has and will continue to change people’s lives. This film and the programs that will be established because of this film will help educate and inspire for years to come.

“Price of Life” began as a Peace and Justice Documentary Film course. When I registered for the course I had no idea what I was getting myself into – a life changing experience. I signed up for it because it sounded like an interesting hands-on project and I had room in my schedule.  I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my Communication major then, but now I have found a passion.

On the first day of class an unfamiliar adjunct professor entered the room and told us about his background and the upcoming project.  That day Dan Hunt put his production experience on the table and his heart on the line as he fully dedicated himself to the film and to each individual student. He said we were going to produce a film good enough to win festivals…but we didn’t even have a story yet.

All we knew was that we would be working with the National Comprehensive Center for Fathers. We were introduced to Robert Ali Childs who would become the focus of our film. Robert is a natural-born story teller, and he certainly has some stories to tell.  He opened his life to us. We were incredibly fortunate to forge a bond with him and the Center.

I came into this project with almost no film experience, but I was captivated.  I dedicated every extra minute to the project, which allowed me to experience things beyond my imagination.  I have heard stories to learn about a new lifestyle. I have seen grown men cry.  I have walked around the streets of Philadelphia and found that everyone has a story they are willing to share. I have seen students rise above expectations and work through the middle of the night. I have seen professors donate their time and resources beyond the call of duty. I have been inspired in every way.

Dan opened his door (and his refrigerator) to us as we spent long hours editing.  He guided us in the right direction while understanding that this was student produced.  He pushed us to a professional level.  I was able to learn so much; I learned how to direct.  While directing may seem to be strictly decision-making, I found that it was largely about listening.  Despite my lack of experience, I earned the respect of my fellow students by dedicating myself to making decisions that would be best for the project.

“Price of Life” began as a course, but I know it will change lives.  It has already changed my own. Unfortunately, many face the same challenges as Robert. His story can give them hope for change – a better life earning an honest living.