Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Keith
Hi Matthew, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
As a child I loved my neighbors’ Barbies because—like me—they were cheerful, blonde and colorful. My family was filled with glum brunettes who weren’t cheerful. My father was an electrical engineer, and my mother was a lazy Greek hippie version of Joan Crawford. Obviously, they were not stylish.
When I was seven, my mother gave me an old Brownie camera. I enjoyed taking photos from then on. A few years later, my brother and I made short films with one of our babysitters.
My mother also gave me a sense of humor. She only responded to me and my brother when we made her laugh, so we learned how to craft jokes. I’m grateful for that sense of humor whenever I have to write captions or scripts.
My undergraduate degree is in Film, and after college I began to collect dolls. Combining my interests in photography and dolls, I started photographing Barbies in the 1990s.
Today I share my short videos and photos on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook as @dollsonthebrain.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My social media following stagnated several times. However, I didn’t give up and kept posting daily.
Another struggle is balancing the work I want to create with content that has a broad appeal. Going to art school in New York City made me believe that an artist’s emotions and intentions were more important than a clear message. However, I’m trying to create entertainment.
I get the best responses when I produce content that I’m passionate about while keeping one eye on the audience’s reaction.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I use wealthy-looking dolls to make jokes and tell comedic stories. I aim for high production values and relatable content—well, it’s relatable if you’re a sarcastic misanthrope.
I’m proud of my work ethic. One of inspirations are the newspaper comic strips I read growing up. There was a new comic every day of the week.
I’m also proud of the film techniques I incorporate. I try to mimic reality with depth of field. I also use the rule of thirds to avoid basic compositions.
I have a minor in art history. We studied a lot of 18th century “Grand Manner” portraits that contained symbolic items and backgrounds that told a story. I try to use those techniques in my work.
Another thing I learned in college is the Kuleshov effect. The Russian film director Lev Kuleshov discovered that viewers will project emotions onto an actor’s face depending on the context. So, I attempt get a “performance” out of the dolls through their pose, the setting, and the props.
I also try to have the dolls make eye contact with the camera. It creates a connection with the viewer that also mimics reality.
What were you like growing up?
I was horribly insecure because my parents were always telling me that I was wrong. They wanted to be me to be more masculine and tried to squash a lot of my impulses.
I was also desperate for attention because my parents gave me very little.
As a child I was interested in dolls, fashion, photography and movies. I’m still interested in all of those things, and I’m grateful that I get to explore them on social media.
These days I am not insecure in most areas of my life. It’s wonderful to have moved beyond that. Being truthful to who I am and what I want to do–photograph Barbies, for example–helped.
Pricing:
- Prints on Etsy: $15-35
- One paid partnership post: $400
- One original paid partnership reel 30 seconds or less: $600
- Live: $150 every 15 minutes
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dollsonthebrain.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dollsonthebrain/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557432853466
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@dollsonthebrain?lang=en
Image Credits
Matthew Keith / @dollsonthebrain
