Camp Misery was founded by local photographer and filmmaker Justin Kauffman with a simple idea: bring creative people, local expertise, and practical production resources together under one roof.

Born and raised in Whitefish, Justin grew up exploring the mountains, backroads, and wild places of Northwest Montana. What started as a love for adventure turned into a career behind the camera, building relationships with a talented network of filmmakers, photographers, and production professionals who share the same curiosity, work ethic, and appetite for getting outside and making beautiful work. 

Today, Camp Misery brings those people together to tackle everything from national commercial campaigns to remote productions in places that aren't exactly easy to reach. We're just as comfortable building a production from the ground up as we are supporting an incoming crew or spending a few days getting our asses kicked in the mountains to get the shot.

We believe the best work comes from good people, a little grit, and a willingness to take the long way around.

And the name? Camp Misery is one of our favorite local trailheads. Seemed fitting.