Meet Matt Macedo | Film Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Macedo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in the Central Valley of California. Originally from Kingsburg, I moved to Hanford in 2008, when my mom purchased her first house. During that time, I was already writing short stories that would eventually become my first two feature length screenplays, Envision at ~120 pages and Dream at 247 pages.

Both of my parents are incredibly hard working, passionate, and driven. My father never graduated high school, and to this day, struggles with reading and writing, however, that never stopped him from owning and operating his own landscaping business. He’s also locally known for his ability to reliably repair lawnmowers and other landscaping equipment.

Right after purchasing her first home, my mom nearly lost everything. At the height of the financial crisis, my mom was suddenly laid off from her longtime job working in the armored car industry. Thankfully, she was smart with her money and had a savings. We lived off that for a while until she finally had to make a decision, but she still didn’t know what to do. She kept hitting roadblock after roadblock until she finally got her answer. One evening, she was alone and crying to herself in fear of losing everything, when our dog Roxy, a heavy set black lab, jumped on her to comfort her. In the process of doing so, Roxy changed the channel on the TV. It was now an interview on a local television station of someone who had to hitchhike to get to their oncology appointment. The lightbulb went off. This was it. She knew what she had to do. My mom withdrew her entire savings, bought a wheelchair van, and started her own business called All Family Transport. A non-emergency medical transport company, exactly what that person needed. She wanted to meet other needs for the community, and so she went on to create her second business called Welcome Home Room & Board, housing elderly who needed a home. Seeing my parents work so hard, even through the difficulties of life, have truly taught me the value of hard work, and earning your own success.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
This journey isn’t easy. Like most of my classmates after graduating film school, I was filled with excitement for the following year, anticipating any opportunities that could push me in the right direction. But then COVID-19 happened. Everything shut down. And everyone was suddenly in the same sinking ship. That certainly wasn’t what we all had anticipated. We definitely didn’t see that coming. But just like any other rough times we’ll come across in life, it’s pivotal on how we navigate through this. This pandemic might very well create a “New Wave” style of filmmaking. For most filmmakers, film making is our form of therapy and expression, so I have no doubt this time period we’re going through will have an affect on some genres of films and perspectives of storytelling. With film festivals going virtual, I’ve decided to save the money and instead self-distribute Our Oceans along with a few past projects that I hope to turn into feature films one day. So be on the look out for Drug of Choice, Without Regret, Homegrown, and Our Oceans on Amazon Prime! It’s time to focus on the future of Macedo Productions.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite place in the Los Angeles area is Cedar Grove in Griffith Park. It’s the best escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this Shoutout to my parents and stepparents. Thank you for your sacrifices, and your leadership. I wouldn’t be where I am without you.

Website: www.mattmacedo.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mattmacedo
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/mattmacedo/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Matt_Macedo
Facebook: www.facebook.com/directormattmacedo
Other: Matt@MattMacedo.com