Matt Szymanowski

WORK EXPERIENCE

FOUNDER & LEAD CREATIVE AT WOLVES FILMS ongoing since February 2014, San Francisco and Los Angeles

Lead producer and creative working with brand clients, startups, and production companies to offer creative video production services and strategy. Responsible for all aspects of business development, client negotiations, concept ideation, project management, execution, and delivery. I manage a team of 3 to 20 creative contractors including cinematographers, editors, designers, producers, and colorists. 

CREATIVE PRODUCER AT IMMORTALS, LLC January 2018 - February 2019, Culver City

Immortals is an esports company funded by Lionsgate and AEG (Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center). I managed daily operations of the internal creative team of four as well as external creatives including editors, cinematographers, motion graphics artists, and designers. I oversaw production of all videos and associated deliverables from conception to final delivery and online distribution for all of our brands. I manage expenses and monthly spending. I conceived and executed new content initiatives based on partnership contracts, including cross branding opportunities with partners, social media, physical events, and marketing teams.

CREATIVE PRODUCER, BRANDED ENTERTAINMENT AT STORIES INTERNATIONAL, LLC February 2016 - September 2016, Culver City

Expanded branded entertainment division, acquired new business, managed existing clients. Developed, pitched, and produced campaigns for various global clients. Worked with creative management clients and creator network to pitch and execute campaigns. Work with Japanese counterparts to conceive and develop project and campaign briefs.

INSTRUCTOR & LECTURER AT SAN FRANCISCO FILM SCHOOL September 2012 - December 2015, San Francisco

I taught at every level, in each program, from the flagship 18 month program as core teacher, down to all the smaller programs, including: 12 month, six month documentary track, three month, five week, and one day workshops.

PRODUCER AT CBS INTERACTIVE, CHOW.com August 2010 - August 2011, San Francisco

Worked on webby award winning video team, handling all video production aspects – shooting, editing, coloring, sound editing, exporting - including delivery for distribution ready channels across affiliate networks.

PLAYWRITING MENTOR AT EACH ONE REACH ONE May 2010 - November 2015, San Francisco

I guided incarcerated youth one-on-one in the process of writing one act metaphorical and oftentime semi-autobiographical plays which are later performed by volunteer actors in a staged reading. The two week process involves a breakdown of the basics of plot, character and story development, as well as a constant reinforcement and encouragement to self reflect and probe issues and concepts close to one's self.  

This experience has lead me to develop the Reach Out, an animated series based on plays written these incarcerated youth.

HONORS 

Berlinale Talents Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin, February 2012

Annual summit and networking platform of the Berlin International Film Festival for 300 emerging film creatives from all over the world. Nearly 5000 filmmakers apply annually. 

MacDowell Artist Colony New Hampshire, March 2012

I spent one month at the MacDowell Colony writing my feature film script, THE PURPLE ONION. The colony provides an all expense paid retreat into the woods, with room and board provided, emphasising interdisciplinary interaction, among composers, writers, architects, film and video artists, playwrights, interdisciplinary artists, and visual artists.

WRITINGS

CONTRIBUTOR TO FILMMAKER MAGAZINE

https://filmmakermagazine.com/author/matt-szymaowski

CUPERTINO a 66,000 self published manuscript

Cupertino is a vivid tale of troubled adolescents and misfits - a perceptive fiction debut from a promising new literary voice. This raw portrait of a lost generation traces the lives of teenagers and their experiments with vices of all kinds, struggles with family and one another, as they succumb to passivity, self destructive and often heartless nihilism.

"Cupertino" available on Kindle

EDUCATION

EMERSON COLLEGE Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Film and TV in Boston

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities in Los Angeles

NATIONAL POLISH FILM SCHOOL Certificate of Completion in Directing for Film, TV, and Theatre in Łódź, Poland

*References available upon request