Meet Matthew Beavers of MattyBeavs Freelance Cinematography

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Beavers.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I never sought out to be a cinematographer as a kid, heck, I never even knew that people made movies, I just thought they were magical and always existed.

I began getting closer and closer to my passion while attending junior college at the College of Sequoias. It was during that time I bought a camera and fell in love with taking photos of anything and everything. I knew this was a passion when I joined the campus newspaper as the sports editor and learned how to tell stories with photos. With the passion to tell stories, I applied to the Television Production program at Cal State Northridge.

After being accepted into CSUN I met incredible friends who were all like-minded and also got an incredible education. All through college, I found ways to keep using my camera and tell stories, which is how I found myself making videos for the campus newspaper, The Sundial. I continued to push the boundaries with telling stories with my camera and began to film one of the campus’ A Cappella groups with my best friend Alex Cheung.

After the caps were thrown into the air at graduation it was time I took my diploma and experience to the next level; so I started my own brand and began to seek work as a cinematographer. Since I needed a day job to pay the bills I found myself working at a movie theater where I met my mentor and friend Nelson Rodas who was also a filmmaker and loved to tells stories. We began filming our own short films and were so ambitious to film 5 short films last year.

I still have so much to prove to myself and goals that I am still chasing to become a full-time Cinematographer working in the commercial and narrative space. Each day I work towards the goal and am always looking and applying for cinematography jobs. I continue to push myself and not just apply for jobs but make my own shorts films with my friend and also have started a YouTube channel to help educate others about Cinematography.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Absolutely not, as a matter of fact, as the new year started, I told myself, “I hope I hit so many walls, twists and turns to get bumped and bruised this year”, as I know each challenge will make me a stronger person and also a better cinematographer. One of the struggles I hit along the way was not so much an external struggle with being ignored from almost every application I turned in but the will to keep getting up after those failures.

I thought after graduating and having an official college “certificate” that tells the story of the processes and commitment would open so many doors, and don’t get me wrong, opportunities have come from graduating, but I still have not had the post-graduation job in my particular field. Every day facing the fact that I still have a “regular ” job keeps me pushing to be in the field I dream and aspire to be in.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the MattyBeavs Freelance Cinematography story. Tell us more about the business.
As a freelance cinematographer, my goal is to tell stories. Now whether those stories be commercials or a dramatic narrative story, I specialize in how to visually show each beat and concept of the story. Choosing the proper lenses, lights, camera movements, and color schemes are all visual cues that help unfold the story.

I guess what I am most proud of is the same thing that sets me apart from others and that is as a cinematographer I just want to continue to tell stories in the most elegant way I possibly can. I don’t rely on fancy camera movements, expensive cameras and gear to tell the story but rather let my clients and directors’ vision be the focal point of my decisions as a cinematographer.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think good luck is being prepared and well versed in your particular craft when the opportunity arises. So “good luck” has been with me for the entire life of my business. I never look at things in a negative way, but strive to take life as it comes and make the best out of any situation or circumstance I’m placed in.

In other words, I firmly believe in making your own luck.

Pricing:

• my day rate for cinematography – $350

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mattybeavs.com
• Phone: 5598051709
• Email: countonme213@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/mattybeavs
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/matthew.beavers.56
• Other: www.youtube.com/beavers42891

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.