Tell us a little about yourselves
Oly: I grew up in the leafy side of Essex, where it was more common to drive tractors and combine harvesters than watch ‘The Only Way is Essex’. I am married and have a nearly one-year-old daughter, so a lot has changed over the past year. Some would say I am an obsessive Muse fan, but I have only seen them 15 times or more…
Varun: I grew up in Langley, Slough. My passion for filmmaking was kindled early on, after being introduced to Akira Kurosawa’s ‘The Seven Samurai’ by my father. This triggered a curiosity that developed initially through acting and performance. I was always experimenting with film throughout my professional acting years, and decided to make the transition to a full-time filmmaker a few years ago. I am also a qualified Yoga Teacher and a former Brazilian Jiu-jitsu competitor.
What are your professional backgrounds?
Oly: I studied graphic design at the University of Essex and quickly fell into the world of artworking. I’ve worked previously at several specialist property agencies. A few years ago, I transitioned into motion which, together with my previous artworking experience, has really helped to bring a broad set of skills into this role.
Varun: I studied Psychology and Drama at the University of Winchester before getting my Masters in Acting at the Mountview Academy of Arts. I then went on to appear in domestic screen projects as well as projects overseas. I was able to gather vital big budget on-set experience during my time behind the camera as an Assistant Director, on full length feature films and tv series. Working under the guidance of ‘the professionals’ helped me develop my eye whilst gaining a deeper understanding of what it takes to compile a perfect shot.
What has your initial experience at Hunter been like?
Oly: I have loved it; the people are genuinely lovely, and the work has been really fun. The support and onboarding process has exceeded any expectations I had.
Varun: Coming from a freelance background, it’s great to be part of such a talented team. The people are great and the deluge of creative ideas that I am interacting with on a day-to-day basis is really refreshing.
What are you most looking forward to during your time at Hunter?
Oly: Really pushing what Hunter can do in the digital space, I have some interesting experiences that we can start to investigate. And using tools I have learnt previously to give clients a more engaging experience.
Varun: I want to help build the filmmaking capabilities of the company and begin to produce ‘The Hunter Standard’ of high-quality visuals for our clients. I also want to grow as a filmmaker beyond just a camera. I have my sights set on adding a drone pilot qualification to what Hunter can offer.
Where do you see yourselves and Hunter in five years?
Oly: We will have a strong digital presence, with an ever-expanding team to cater for all the wide range of services. Being more digitally led will really help our clients’ presence in the ever-changing online space.
Varun: In 5 years, we will also grow into an established, quality, production house working internationally on luxury housing projects as well as all kinds of branding, delivering high quality, creatively disruptive and visually stunning digital content for our clients.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Oly: I was an artworker for 10 years or so but have always wanted to go into a more digital led role. Self-taught skills in motion helped me move over into the world of animation and video editing. Motion can add so much to pretty much any part of design and that’s what makes it so diverse.
Varun: With a background rooted in films, I keep a close eye on directors and what they’re doing. I’ve always admired Baz Luhrmann and, his visual pallet (Romeo & Juliet) with Damien Chazelle’s (Whiplash) style of videography. Whiplash is my favourite film, a masterpiece! There are also a whole host of travel videographers I follow, who are really pushing the boundaries of photography and filmmaking.
