Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Hill.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
In many ways, my path has been very linear in that I’ve been drawing, writing, and creating since I was very young. My parents like to reference the fact that, as a child, I used to carry a clipboard with copy paper and crayons into restaurants so I could draw while the grownups spoke. Over time my art met other arts and found symbiosis. When I was in junior high, I met theatre (initially as an actor and then as a technician). In high school, I met film production.
I entered college intent on a double-major (art and creative writing), but was quickly drawn to animation, theatre design & directing, film, religious studies, technology, anthropology, literature, history, and more. I was fortunate enough to have the guidance of Ruth Trotter, then chair of the Art Department at the University of La Verne. She saw my sprawling interest and encouraged me to create my own major. I was only just beginning to realize it at the time, but what I’ve always been interested in is storytelling, which is what I wanted to call my major. Ruth, however, felt that I needed a title that included or referenced my technical acumen. To this day, I believe I’m the only person to graduate from the University of La Verne with a degree in Narrative Technologies.
After college, I worked in several tangential fields; a bit of graphic design, some small theatre design, some student films. I did a residency at the National Theatre of Croatia which was hugely influential for me as it introduced me to a thriving community of lifelong artists. I think I felt for a long time that it was only a matter of time before my art became just a hobby and I’d have to give in and go get a “real job,”. My time in Croatia helped me to feel that I could be an artist. I think it was after my time there that I started describing myself as an artist by trade and by heart.
My first “break” was on the animated “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” motion comic series. I worked as the Lead Illustrator. It was shortly after that that I started doing production design for commercials and from there it was just a hop-skip-and-a-jump to feature films.
It is difficult to talk about my story without mentioning a few people. I’ve had some amazing teachers: Cindy Ireland, Melissa Herr, Cindy Little, Bill Cox, Steve Kent, David Flaten, Ruth Trotter, and Sean Dillon to name a few. Each of them has imparted some piece of themselves into me. I am the artist I am today because of their (and others) collective wisdom.
I also have to say that Sean Cawelti, the mad genius and Artistic Director of Rogue Artists Ensemble, has had a huge impact on my career. It was through Rogue that I gained entry into Los Angeles theatre in a serious way. And it has been by working directly with Sean, both at Rogue and abroad, that I have learned and grown as an artist.
24th Street Theatre also should be mentioned as they too have given me an artistic home. In fact, many of the most important and meaningful projects of my career have happened there, including my proposal to my wife.
The more I think about it, the more I want to mention more and more people who have impacted me, taught me, nurtured my art, taken a chance on me, or otherwise encouraged and supported me. My story is as much about the community around me as it is about me. I hope I manage to pay that forward in my time on this Earth. Really my story seems to be a series of just saying yes to things that excited or intrigued me.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I think the road has been more like a treacherous mountain pass. It has been at once steep and winding, rife with dangers and approached with trepidation, but also beautiful and invigorating. I don’t think I’ve faced any particularly unique obstacles, but rather that I’ve encountered just about all of the common beasts along the way.
Early on, I was learning how to be a professional at this thing I loved. And that is dangerous territory. How does one separate their art from themselves, especially when hired to create something on behalf of another? I’m not sure I’ve entirely figured that one out yet, but I’m working on it.
Of course, there is the ever-present feast-or-famine of the freelancer that I had to learn to weather. And the self-doubt I think every artist struggles with.
I feel silly admitting this, but in college, I had a foolish notion that certain projects wanted to be worked on at certain times–that the spirit of the time of day or year might somehow seep into the work. Well, that doesn’t work particularly well when the design is due on Friday. So I had to learn to just put my head down and work; to conquer that blank page without waiting for that ever-fickle spirit of inspiration to show up.
And then there is money. I mentioned already that for years, I was anxiously awaiting the day when I was going to have to give this all up and go get a “real job.” And it was tough. There were some really challenging times where I had to humble myself and ask for help. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have friends and family that have supported me emotionally and otherwise. To this day, I work very hard not to allow money to be the determining factor for the work I do. I want to work on things I love with people that I like. Life is too short to be wasted.
Please tell us about LogicINK.
My craft is storytelling. And I’ve been lucky enough to get to explore my craft across several disciplines. I’m a visual artist, an illustrator, a designer, a director, a writer, and a producer. The unifying factor for me is storytelling. What is the story I’m telling? What is the language I’m using to tell it? Who am I telling it to? What do I want them to feel or be thinking about when it’s over? These are the cornerstones of my work, whether I’m writing, directing, or designing.
As a designer, I work in film, theatre, VR, and live entertainment. I’ve designed several feature films, many commercials, dozens of plays, some live concerts, and multiple immersive experiences. Recently I’ve been co-designing a lot with the incredible Darcy Scanlin. We designed a massive immersive event for the premiere of “The Alienist” for TNT. And then earlier this year we did the premiere for the “I Am the Night” mini-series.
As an illustrator, I’ve drawn comic books, painted album covers, and art directed animation. I’ve also worked as a concept artist and storyboard artist.
I’ve written for the screen, the stage, and the page. I’ve won both the Kairos Prize and the inaugural Chronos Prize for scripts I co-wrote with my longtime collaborator and best friend, Landon Johnson. Landon and I often co-direct the films we write together.
I am drawn to directing stories that reflect the complex and diverse nature of the world. I believe that as Brecht said, “Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.” As such, the projects I direct seek to create a bridge between the world that is and the world as it could be.
As a theatre artist, I take a hyper-theatrical approach by way of a motley toolbox of multi-media, emerging technologies, and ancient techniques. Puppets, interactive projections, immersive storytelling, and VR are frequently employed in my stage work.
In terms of things I’m very proud of, I’d have to say that it is the fact that I’ve managed to get to play in so many fun arenas. I remember constantly being told that I was going to have to choose one day, between being a designer or an illustrator; between film and theatre; between directing film and creating comic books. And yet, working in so many disciplines is actually what has enabled me to build a career. I’ve designed feature films, co-designed puppets for Kayne West, worked on concept cars, recreated history in VR, worked in countries all over the world, and collaborated with wonderful individuals.
I’m also incredibly proud of the feature film which I co-wrote and co-directed with Landon Johson. It is titled “Burning at Both Ends” and it’s the story of a man who, along with a group of disparate dissidents, broadcasts a message of hope and resistance while hiding in Nazi-occupied France. It’s about the infectious nature of hope and the power of a single light to stand against the darkness. It stars Cary Elwes, Judd Hirsh, Jason Patric, and Greer Grammer. It will be released early next year.
As for what sets me apart, I think it is that I have experience with so many types of storytelling. Having directed film makes me a better designer, and having designed makes me a better writer. For me, they are all related. I might add that I really love collaboration. I think the best art is made on the anvil. That is to say that you need someone acting as the hammer, forcing change. And you need someone to act as the anvil, resisting change and holding onto what is strong, good, and purposeful. The art then is therefore refined between the two forces.
Currently, I’m working as the Artistic Director on several high-profile projects with Little Cinema, an immersive art collective & production company, preparing my next feature film, developing several personal projects, and serving as the Associate Artistic Director for the Rogue Artists Ensemble, a 15-year old theatre company based in Los Angeles.
The future is very exciting. I’m working away on several personal projects that are starting to gain traction, which is great. I’m eager to see how they develop in the years ahead.
I just took on the role of Artistic Director with Little Cinema, an immersive art collective & production company. I’ve been doing work with them for about two years and am now taking on a bigger role in the company. The team is great and we have some amazing high-profile projects on the horizon, mostly in the live event space. I can’t say too much, but I am thrilled by the work I get to do with these boundary-pushing artists. We are exploring how cinema and live events interact and attempting to push the limits of what an immersive experience can be.
Landon and I are hard at work on our next film. I’m a big history nerd so it’s exciting to move from the research phase, which I tend to lose myself in, to the story-building phase.
With Rogue Artists Ensemble, we have several really exciting projects on the horizon, including a show at the Getty Villa Theatre Lab early next year.
And then there is the unknown. You never know what is coming your way. This last year took me to parts of the world I had never been to and introduced me to things and people I didn’t know. That’s one of the most exciting things, I think: the opportunity to continue to learn and grow and explore.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
That is a difficult question. I’m very grateful for the journey I’m on. It took me to places I never would have imagined. In fact, many of the best things I’ve experienced have been things I didn’t expect.
I suppose I might have made a few more intelligent business decisions, said no to a few projects, and yes to a few other opportunities, knowing everything I know now. But largely, I’d hope to just maintain my desire to say yes and bounce between various industries, stories, and collaborations.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.logicink.net/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/logicink/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/logicinkismgh
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LogicINKisMGH
Image Credit:
“I Am the Night” premiere – Tod Seelie / Little Cinema; “The Alienist” premiere – Tod Seelie / Little Cinema; “Señor Plummer’s Final Fiesta” immersive theatre – Chelsea Sutton / Rogue Artists Ensemble; “Man Covets Bird” theatre – Cooper Bates / 24th Street Theatre; “Burning At Both Ends” feature film – DP: Spencer Hutchins
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