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

Hi Matthew, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I own and operate Film Crash, an annual boutique film festival and screenplay competition held at the Laemmle Royal theater in West Los Angeles in October. 2024 will mark our 40th year of operation. I started making films in New York City as a kid, and after I graduated Cooper Union school of art, I was looking for venues in the city to screen my films, and getting rejected everywhere. So, in 1985, instead of waiting for venues to accept and screen my films, I decided to create my own screening series at my art gallery in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The 80s were an exciting time in the art scene in New York, full of possibility.
The screening series was a way to show films, not just mine, but other filmmakers as well. It was empowering. In 1988 I adopted the name Film Crash and joined forces with filmmakers Karl Nussbaum and Scott Saunders. Programming Film Crash we learned how to build an audience, how to choose films and curate shows, how to meet and talk with filmmakers. We still do. We’d love to see your films. If you’re interested, please submit your films and screenplays to Film Crash through FilmFreeway.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Recently I wrote and directed a new short film titled LETTER starring Jordan Kerns. We premiered LETTER at Film Crash (out of competition) in October 2023. LETTER is part of a longer film Jordan and I are working on. I’m also writing the screenplay for a found footage feature titled THE UNEXPLAINABLE DISINTEGRATION OF ELISE MARTIN about a young woman who realizes she’s disappearing. She wants to fully live the last twenty four hours of her life, wouldn’t you? Currently I’m working with Kino on a 4K restoration of the 1995 Sundance Jury Prize winning feature film RHYTHM THIEF that I cowrote and directed. We filmed on 16mm in the Lower East Side and the story follows a music bootlegger. RHYTHM THIEF chronicles a New York City that has long-since vanished, so if you haven’t seen it, give it a view in the new 4K. In early 2020 I founded Headquarters Television with my writer/showrunner friend Barry Vigon. We develop episodic television pilots, and have ten writers signed. If you have a pilot, look us up. I love Billie Holiday’s quote “If I’m going to sing like someone else, then I don’t need to sing at all”. A thousand forces in this life try to crush us down, tell us we ain’t nothing. I think of Billie’s quote when I need a reminder to be who I am.

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?
Honestly, as I’m raising a 13-year-old boy, in Santa Monica, our idea of the best time ever is breakfast at Bagel Nosh at 16th & Wilshire, a bike ride down to look at the ocean, then back to the main branch of the Santa Monica Public Library, and home to read the books. Not exactly painting the town red, but we love it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my amazing son Malcolm who believes in me, makes amazing art, and always helps us with Film Crash. Also, to my family, and my Film Crash partners Karl Nussbaum and Scott Saunders, and my close friends Tiprin, Evan, Bettina, Maria, Mimi, Barry, and Anna.

Website: filmcrash.com

Instagram: instagram.com/filmcrash

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/harrisonfilms

Twitter: twitter.com/filmcrash

Facebook: facebook.com/filmcrash

Youtube: youtube.com/c/MatthewHarrison185

Image Credits
Sonia Meg

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