Rising Stars: Meet Piotr Matyja

Today we’d like to introduce you to Piotr Matyja.

Piotr, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
When I was a child I used to play with my dad’s video camera, but I didn’t think too seriously about pursuing filmmaking as a career. Then, at fifteen, it hit me. I had to edit a video for a school assignment that I discovered the power of a cutting a film. What a series of images could do to elicit a feeling. I became fascinated by this simple but very powerful tool. Connect different shots together and create a story that connects all those different moments into one piece.

I shot my first short film when I was sixteen and continued to explore the possibilities you have with this medium. I did a bunch of music videos and promo videos back then, trying to learn how to operate the camera and tell the story with images.

After high school, I wanted to learn more about writing and storytelling as a craft and not a hobby. I enrolled in the Creative Writing program at the University of Wrocław. I did many film courses at that time and tried to get on as many sets as I could to gain experience. I met many incredible people back then, many of whom I still work with. While I was still in undergrad I started working professionally in the AD department keeping my eyes on the flow of set, the set culture, the actors, and the directing. I learned so much that I put toward my own work.

I applied to American Film Institute after I didn’t get into Łódź Film School and to my surprise – I got in! I never thought about living here, but I really appreciate the last two years I spent in LA. AFI made me realize what kind of cinema I want to make and how I want to work as a director or assistant director.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The first bigger film I did, we lost the location a day before the shoot. It was tough, but we found a different place that could also work for the story. We brainstormed with the cinematographer what we need to change in the script and reworked our shot design from scratch. I think that the movie works even better than it would in the original location. Making movies is hard, but I try to embrace it. There is always a way to make it work, but it requires creativity and thinking outside the box. Communication is a key component of filmmaking, and if you’re working with the right people, it’s going to work out.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Work that I’m the most proud of is the short film “Everything is Fine”. We shot it over ten shooting days and more than a hundred people were involved in making of this film. The production team was incredible in organizing this shoot and all of my collaborators were on top of their game to make the production value so high. Adam Pietkiewicz’s cinematography in combination with Mateusz Mioduszewski’s production design makes every frame look incredible. I also couldn’t ask for a better cast – all of the actors that I wanted to work with agreed to do this movie, making my vision come to life.

I’m a film director, but I also work as an assistant director. I love the organizational aspect of a film production. Coordinating everybody on set so that we’re efficient and in synch is exhilarating because we all want to make the best movie possible.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matyja.piter/ 

Image Credits
Jeremi Poraj Różecki Sam Beasley