As a former psychology major, the idea of one day reigning supreme in the film industry was never something Brent Kunkle dreamed would happen.

Fast forward several decades later, and the Lehighton native finds himself in rarefied air after winning an Emmy for best nature documentary.

Kunkle and his team recently garnered the award for one of their episodes of “Photographer” on National Geographic currently streaming on Disney+.

For Kunkle, co-executive producer of National Geographic’s Peabody Winning Series “Photographer,” it was a feeling of utter disbelief.

“Shocked,” said Kunkle, as he learned of his fate at the 46th annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards held June 25-26 at the Palladium Theater, Times Square, New York City. “For about 20 minutes after, I think my wife said to me, ‘I think you’re still in shock.’ ”

A 2000 graduate of Lehighton Area High School, Kunkle said, “It was a very special series to work on.”

Kunkle said their series, “Photographer,” was nominated for three Emmys, Best Music, Best Science and Technology Documentary, and Best Nature Documentary.

“We didn’t win the first two, so by the time they got to third one for best nature documentary, when they called our name, just so sweet and so shocked,” he said. “It was just nice to have our entire team recognized.”

Kunkle said the film was one of six episodes that made up the series called “Photographer.”

The National Geographic and Little Monster Films production wrapped up production on the series in the fall of 2023.

The Emmy was also a dream come true for his two ocean photographers, Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier, whom Kunkle said have dedicated their lives and their photography work to protecting our oceans.

As co-executive producer, Kunkle said he was heavily involved in choosing which photographers they were going to follow.

“Once we go into production, I actually go into the field with cameraman and small crew,” he said. “I do verita (real life) filmmaking, I work with subjects in the field, work with cameramen to tell the story we should be telling.”

They were in the Bahamas for 10 days, and for other episodes of the series he has been in Romania, Jordan, Amsterdam and filmed a massive tornado in Texas.

“We sailed around looking for whales and sharks,” he said. “Their main objective was to find this oil rig down in the Bahamas. They wanted to shed light on how close these operations were going on to these environmentally protected areas.”

Kunkle is also producer of Showtime’s award winning series, “The Trade.”

“It’s been a pretty wild sort of eye-opening journey that I’ve been on,” he said. “Then when we get into postproduction, I work very closely with our editors helping to bring the film to life.”

From psychology to filmmaking

Kunkle began working in film in 2005, though 2007 was his first production credits.

Prior to that, he was a psychology major in Siena College.

“I realized that’s something I could do for a career, but is it what I wanted to do?”

He took a chance on film.

Kunkle started contacting people while working as a bartender at JT’s Steak and Ale in Jim Thorpe.

“I got an unpaid internship in New York, was crashing at a friends’ house in Lake Harmony,” he said. “Filmmaking is very word-of-mouth; if you start doing good work for people and bring you on, it kind of just is an evolving thing.”

Kunkle landed at a small boutique company called Glass Eye Pix.

“That’s where I really was able to learn my producing chops,” he said. “We were making these really cool low budget indie genre films.”

In 2013 he transitioned full-time into documentary.

“Since that moment, I have just been nose to the ground and working and enjoying every moment of navigating this filmmaking world that I never imagined I would be in,” he said.

Kunkle was quick to credit others for his success. “I’ve landed in a good place where I work with talented filmmakers on meaningful projects,” he said. “I didn’t get into film to win awards — I never even thought I’d be in film — so the idea of winning is wonderful, but it’s about the work being recognized. We work incredibly hard and sacrifice a lot.”

“For me, filmmaking is a trade—telling people’s stories, earning their trust. I just see myself as another hardworking person.”

He’s currently working on a feature documentary about the America’s Cup sailing competition, the oldest trophy in sports.

Kunkle, 43, lives in Chalfont, Bucks County, with his wife Kate, whom he met on an indie film in 2009, and their daughters, Faryn and Enid.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my parents, Bill and Cindy Kunkle of Franklin Township,” he said. “They always gave me the freedom to be who I wanted.”

Kunkle’s work spans acclaimed nonfiction series like National Geographic Explorer, CNN’s Inside Man, and The Zoo, as well as dramatic features like Sundance’s The Comedy, cult horror Stake Land (Toronto Midnight Madness winner), and the werewolf thriller Late Phases. With Glass Eye Pix, he worked alongside indie legend Larry Fessenden on I Sell the Dead and The House of the Devil.

His series The Trade tackled the opioid crisis. Kunkle brought an episode to Lehighton Area High School and joined a panel with local EMTs.

And as for being a small-town kid from Lehighton?

“Why not a kid from Lehighton?” he said. “Focus, take some risks, and you can make things happen.”