Hunter Boydell founded Breaking Jar in 2020 with a vision of changing lives for the better through storytelling. As Managing Director, Hunter ensures that every story we produce has the potential for positive impact, navigating real human issues in a way that is honest, authentic, compelling, and always points towards hope.
Previously, Hunter contributed to a major reinvigoration of the student film scene in St Andrews from 2017. During this time he wrote and directed several short films and other productions, including Sweet Cicely (2020), a 25-minute period drama conceived by Hunter and produced by a full cast and crew over the course of a year. He has been invited to speak on Directing at top UK universities, and has successfully led teams in a range of creative and philanthropic ventures, both in film and beyond.
Hunter’s ambitious productions have seen him collaborate with many fellow artists and filmmakers, bringing stories to life together. Below are a few words from some of the people who have worked with Hunter.
‘Hunter has always been a joy to work with, showing extreme commitment to each production and a deep insight in the mechanics of filmmaking. He displays strong leadership, a compassion for all those involved in production, an ability to compromise and incorporate differing points of view, an impressive ability to delegate responsibility as well as performing an adept supervisory role, and most importantly, a deep seated passion for film and its making. Hunter is a person who throws all of his time, effort, mind and interest into a project, which produces both an engaging production process and a strong finished product. He has a commanding but at the same moment warm presence on and off set that immediately puts one at ease, ensuring he has both conviction and humility. I am truly thankful to know Hunter as a colleague and friend, and look forward to the films he embarks on in future.’
— Joshua Mendelson
‘In every creative pursuit which Hunter undertakes, his relentless energy, optimism, and positivity shines through from the beginning to the very end. On Sweet Cicely, Hunter succeeded in establishing an environment in which creative ideas could flourish, with all voices being heard and ultimately contributing to his overall creative vision for the project. Having developed the story from his own conception, Hunter maintained good control and clarity in how he saw the project panning out, whilst also being open to suggestions. On set Hunter is a joy to work with. The mood was always elevated, even if conditions for filming weren’t the best; Hunter always fostered a positive atmosphere for the entire group. His people management skills are excellent and something which comes naturally to him. Anybody who meets Hunter will realise quickly that he’s a wonderful person to spend time around.’
— Ben Markey
‘Sweet Cicely was a fantastic experience from start to finish. It was my first experience working in front of a camera, introducing me to the various differences between stage and screen acting. I was incredibly impressed by everyone’s contributions to the project, and especially by Hunter’s infectious optimism, drive and whole-hearted commitment to it. This helped give me the self-belief necessary to attempt my first orchestral score. Ultimately, what I’m most grateful for is the team’s encouragement and positivity throughout the project, but also for the space Hunter granted me to express myself both musically and through my acting – an investment of trust which hopefully paid off!’
— Timo Marchant
‘I am grateful to Hunter. We had lots of time to do preparations before the actual filming. It started with me sketching a rough storyboard and Hunter giving his feedback, elaborating more on the scenes. Working with him was wonderful and easy because we spent this time preparing and planning, moreover, Hunter always had a shotlist, so the filming was efficient and on time. Hunter stayed focused even though some scenes were challenging acting-wise. The whole team was amazing to work with, very supportive and creative. Everyone was creatively involved and we never had a chance to run out of ideas – the whole production felt very lively.’
— Gabriele Damanskyte
‘Hunter is very organised, professional and friendly. It was an absolute honour to work with him and the whole project ran very smoothly and felt easy. He has great vision and ambition which was very inspiring to watch evolve. I developed very big trust for my director as well as co-actor, which was so important in creating a safe space in the filming as well as general enthusiasm for the project. He has made me feel so valued throughout the production. It was fun acting together, partly due to the slightly comedic moments we had, but also because it was clear that the role meant a lot to him. His integrity all round made the entire piece of art meaningful, and that was a pleasure, as well as a rarity to witness. I am very grateful to Hunter for giving me the opportunity to be part of this.’
— Margot Antignac
‘Honestly, such a good experience! Hunter was always so supportive of every choice and decision made, both with production-related things, and complications. The first weekend of filming for me, there was a national rail strike going on which messed up my travel routes, but Hunter was just there to help out and try and sort out alternatives for me. And when it came to being on set, he was always open to my ideas and opinions for certain scenes or even as specific as certain takes. It was great to know that as the director he wanted to have my creative input as well! The whole production team was fantastic; everyone was super involved and present throughout the production weekends … It was so nice seeing everyone so enthusiastic early in the morning and even late at night to make the project come together!’
— Giulia Di Bella
‘I am so grateful to have had the chance to work with Hunter. We worked together on the pre-production for Sparks May Fly, and he was always very organised and knew exactly how he wanted to portray his visions. He is also very ambitious, which inspired me to work even harder to bring his ideas to life and make the production run smoothly. He was open to listening to my opinions and ideas, as well as everyone’s creative input, which was great for the team dynamic. I have learned a lot from Hunter, and about how much of an impact pre-production planning has on the final piece. I enjoyed every minute working on this project and getting to collaborate with amazing creatives. I will be forever grateful to Hunter!’
— Kat Canoy
‘Since I was first introduced to Breaking Jar, the one thing that has stuck with me throughout the experience has been the emphasis on ‘Redirectors’, which in the Breaking Jar community is defined as someone who has the power to achieve positive change in the world through fictional films and media. As a passionate writer myself, I have embraced Breaking Jar’s stories as creative pieces with important topics, while also having the opportunity to explore my own creativity. I found Breaking Jar provided the perfect opportunity for me not only to be creative, but to create pieces of writing that I was passionate about and really enjoyed writing, especially since it gave me an opportunity to continue to do what I loved post graduating from my English degree. I will take many fond memories with me from my time at Breaking Jar, as well as knowledge surrounding filmmaking, and great insight that I will take with me in all my creative endeavours.’
— Chloe McGill
‘Hunter displayed the ideal combination of creative thinking, professionalism, and clear communication throughout the project. His ability to clearly define our social media strategy helped me to manage material across several platforms. His willingness to share insights and his personable attitude made him an invaluable resource for learning about social media management. I was able to improve my abilities and gain a deeper understanding of the details involved in producing memorable content because of Hunter’s advice and helpful criticism. I strongly recommend anyone looking for an interesting and creative work environment to check out Breaking Jar Ltd.’
— Emmarina Rocha
‘I worked with Breaking Jar Ltd over the course of a couple months, editing promotional videos for Sparks May Fly. Not only was this opportunity invaluable for my growth as a video editor, but throughout my time at Breaking Jar, I gained a deep understanding of the process of making a short film. Hunter is the ideal boss: kind, communicative, understanding, and he has a knack for expressing his creative vision in a way which allowed me to produce content that aligned with his ideas. I am so grateful to Hunter for this experience.’
— Anna Nolden
‘I am so thankful to Hunter and Breaking Jar for giving me the opportunity to explore the behind-the-scenes inner workings of a production company, whilst allowing me to develop my own skills in administration, data management, and social media outreach. Not only have I grown professionally throughout my time with Breaking Jar, I have also been inspired by Hunter’s dedication to changing lives through film, and I have been reminded why I wanted to get into this industry in the first place: to have fun, connect with other creatives, and make great stuff! The world needs to watch out for Breaking Jar – they are just getting started.’
— Rose Mudie
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Breaking Jar Ltd is an independent production company registered in the UK (SC667285).
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