We were lucky to catch up with Paul Matte recently and have shared our conversation below.
Paul, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?
The first dollar I ever made as a creative was all the way back in Scotland in 2022. I had just crossed over from working crew positions on film sets and I was now stepping into the realm of acting. A friend of mine, Valor Grey, knew I was getting started and referred me to a heavy metal band who were shooting a music video in Cumbernauld.
A couple of text messages, emails and just like that without a proper headshot I was booked to work an afternoon for a guerilla shoot in a small town in Scotland. I’m sure you can type in “Decay – Suffer Under Sorrow” and find that video on YouTube. I had a great time. The big cheque was for £50 but the best part of the experience was the lunch break. There is something special about having your food paid for you when you are living a tough life as a travelling artist trying to find your way. And we got my favourite. Fried chicken.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My mission has always been to contribute to films and television in meaningful ways. In any position, I always think about “How can I make this project better?” and the answer is always something simple. Something small that is within my control. I put my best foot forward and add what I can.
As an actor, that means becoming prepared for your role beyond the point that anybody would expect. Once you’re there, that’s where the ideas come. When I write my own films or shows, the ideas flow naturally because there is no personal performance in the way yet. I think that my process as an actor is to make the work feel like I wrote it. Hence the preparation. I can’t suggest a different action or an idea for the scene if it doesn’t feel like mine – and I know I’m walking a fine line when I work this way. I’m not saying I wrote anything that I didn’t, but it’s a body feeling and not an intellectual truth.
My film company as a brand is committed to development of ideas that come from organic areas of life. We develop stories from real places. The feeling of frustration in dealing with technology is a common one; and ‘Hotspot’ plays on that. The terror of not having your voice heard in your safest spaces brings to life my horror film ‘Mimik’ which is now in pre-production.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
It’s difficult to put a finger on what’s different about my life as a creative from those who work in other areas. I think the main driver for me is stepping into areas that I feel I’m unprepared. That brings me joy and is my main reason for pressing onward. Repetitive tasks don’t satisfy me once I feel I understand them. I suppose that if earning money was more of an incentive to me I would see more value in performing these positions that I know but for now the momentum is too strong to settle on something. I’ll keep pushing into new roles until I feel at home and recognized as a creative force. Next up for me is directing my own feature-length film which when I began was a lifetime goal but is now only a year away from reality.
I spent years working retail and hospitality jobs and felt fine. But I didn’t feel excellent or that I was pushing my own limits. That being said I do believe I am capable of being happy in either world.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
When I began, I had really accepted that I was alone in this endeavour. Many people who succeed in this craft will tell you how many years they felt alone in the world trying to accomplish the same things I’ve set out to do. I subjected myself to a year of that isolation when settting out to join the film industry. I saw some progress, but the joy of my work only began once I decided to collaborate with others. I look back on so many people from my time in the UK – a time when I really knew nothing about how to find work in film – with so much gratitude. You never know who can help you or give you a tip or piece of advice that you will use for the rest of your career.
Not doing this alone… That’s the biggest thing I had to figure out.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: paul_matte
