Stillwater Gazette: “On the Lot” filmmaker displays talents on FOX TV show
by Elliot Mann, Stillwater Gazette
Andrew Hunt spent last year filming a campaign commercial for eventual Washington County Sheriff Bill Hutton, quite a change from having Carrie Fisher and Garry Marshall analyzing his work on national television.
Hunt, 31, is one of the contestants on FOX’s “On the Lot,” which features 18 filmmakers in a competition resembling “American Idol.” Each director must create one film each week to stave off elimination in order to win a $1 million film development deal.
“There’s no doubt he’s destined for Hollywood,” said Stillwater resident Jesse Kurtz, Hunt’s father-in-law.
Kurtz has watched Hunt film several shorts near his Stillwater home. The one-minute-long “Spaced Out,” in which a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy pulls over two inebriated aliens, was broadcast nationally on the show.
“We are proud of him,” Kurtz said. “We knew that he was going to excel.”
Originally from Pittsburgh, Hunt met wife Christine in Minneapolis about 10 years ago and eventually moved to the area in 1999.
“If I could have a home office anywhere, I’d be in Stillwater in a heartbeat,” said Hunt, who now takes up residence in Minneapolis.
Although he’s not native to Minnesota, he hopes to represent the Midwest well with a strong showing during the competition.
“For me it’s very cool because the first two movies shown – “Spaced Out” and “Polished” – were made 100 percent in Minnesota. To me that means a lot,” he said. “I’m representing the Midwest – I’m sick and tired of (people) saying they’re the flyover states.”
On the show, contestants are given a basic premise each week, which they must turn into a short film. Each time out, Hunt tries to put a humorous twist on the situation. All of his films used during “On the Lot” can be viewed online at www.thelot.com.
Hunt was chosen for the show based on “Say Nothing,” a two-minute comedic spin on a popular scene from the film “Say Anything.”
“The big kicker was that the movie only cost me $7 to make,” Hunt said.
The “On the Lot” producers liked his film enough to request another, this time on a short timeframe, which led him to the show.
This past week, Hunt created a film based on high-speed chase, called “Zero2Sixty.” During the short, a hapless car salesman gets thrown into a high-speed chase when a suspect steals a car from the dealership.
Although admittedly not a huge fan of car-chase scenes, the director said he tried to mesh humor with the feel of famous car-chases, particularly that of Steve McQueen in “Bullitt.”
“I just like to make movies fun and entertaining,” Hunt said. “I like to find a typical scenario and just completely twist it.”
Back in the St. Croix Valley, Kurtz said the usual group who ends up watching “On the Lot” at Grumpy’s Bar and Grill in Minneapolis loved the car chase film. The judges have also reacted favorably to his son-in-law’s movies, Kurtz said.
Another local fan base has sprouted – Sheriff Hutton said he’s a dedicated “On the Lot” viewer. Hutton’s family has even voted for the director a couple times.
“He’s a cool guy with great ideas,” Hutton said. “He’s a well deserving young man with a great attitude and he’s very creative.”
Even as Hunt battles several other filmmakers, he focuses on his own work, rather than looking over his shoulder.
“I honestly look at this a lot of like golf,” Hunt said. “You can’t look at what your competitors are doing. If you do that, you lose sight of what you’re trying to do.”
Kurtz said that outlook is characteristic of Hunt’s mindset while directing.
“He’s one of these guys that you just like him,” he said. “He’s not pretentious and when he gets his mind on filmmaking, he gets so focused. Everything is very, very serious to him.”
Even more serious is a check showing a one followed by six zeroes.
“I want that million dollar development deal and I want to make movies in Minnesota,” Hunt said.
