Meet Eric Mathis

We were lucky to catch up with Eric Mathis recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Eric with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

When people ask me where my work ethic comes from, the truth is—it’s rooted in so many places. It’s something I consciously work on every day, something I take real pride in, and something that requires consistent effort to maintain. It isn’t a switch I flipped one day; it’s a foundation that’s been built over years of experience, influence, and personal growth.

My earliest and most powerful influence came from my parents. Growing up, I had a front-row seat to what real hard work looks like. My dad was an incredibly successful businessman—he built a wildly successful nightclub, and when he moved on from that, he went on to build a major labor industry that expanded across multiple states. My mom worked right alongside him. Together they built something extraordinary, and after that chapter, she carried that same drive into other businesses, continuing to build and succeed.

I watched them pour everything they had into their work. Long days. Big decisions. Smart risks. They didn’t just talk about work ethic—they embodied it. My dad constantly taught us about giving your all, how to treat people, and how to carry yourself with self-respect. His lessons were simple but lasting: put everything you have into what you do, lead by example, and never let anyone outwork you. Those early lessons became the bedrock of how I approach everything in my life today.

My second major source of work ethic came from my time in the military. I served in the Air Force for six years, and that chapter shaped me in ways I’ll never forget. The military doesn’t allow for a weak work ethic. You’re held accountable every single day. The work is real, the stakes are high, and there’s zero room for anything less than your best.

While I’m glad to have transitioned out of that chapter, I’ll never downplay the impact it had on me. The structure, the standards, and the expectations molded me into someone who understands discipline on a deep level. Those values—responsibility, consistency, leadership—are now part of who I am. I carry them onto a film set, into a production meeting, and into every aspect of my work. As a director and as the owner of a production company, I lead from the front. I hold myself to the highest standard first and inspire others to meet it—not out of fear, but out of shared purpose.

My third source of work ethic comes directly from my filmmaking itself. In many ways, it’s the culmination of everything I’ve experienced—on and off set. When I step into a project, I do it with a clear vision of what I want. Executing that vision isn’t easy. It requires relentless discipline. It requires me to be the standard I expect from everyone else.

For me, it’s not just passion—it’s necessity. My films involve real stakes. There’s significant money on the line, often from investors who’ve put their trust in me. That trust is sacred, and I take it seriously. My responsibility is to guard that trust, to pour everything I have into my art, and to make sure that those who invest in me, support me, and believe in me always get the absolute best I can give.

That means holding myself to the highest standards, pushing that extra mile, and surrounding myself with people who bring that same energy. My work ethic is driven by my love for cinema, by the respect I have for the craft, and by my refusal to be average. I didn’t come here to blend in. I came here to build, to create, and to climb.

Work ethic is the engine behind everything I do. It’s the combination of my upbringing, my military discipline, and my passion for filmmaking. It’s the promise I make to myself, to those who believe in me, and to the art I create. And it’s that relentless drive that will keep pushing me to the very top.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a filmmaker, writer, director, producer, and the owner of a film production company. Over the course of my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to win multiple awards, travel the country on tour with my films, and have my work selected for some truly exciting festivals. Most recently, we were accepted into the prestigious Smodcastle Horror Fest, founded by film legend Kevin Smith — someone who has been a huge inspiration to me. At the time of this interview, we’re getting ready to head out to New Jersey to take part in the festival on November 1st.

Right now, we’re hitting the road hard across the country, bringing my latest feature film, INfernal, to audiences nationwide. It’s been incredible to see the reception the film is getting at each theater. We’re currently seeking the right distribution partner while continuing to build momentum and connect directly with fans.

INfernal is an outrageous horror-comedy, heavy-metal monster movie — easily one of the most over-the-top projects I’ve ever created. It’s wild, fearless, and an absolute blast to experience with a crowd. What makes this moment even more special is that I’ve just completed the novel adaptation of the screenplay, which will be released very soon.

At the same time, I’m in pre-production for my next film, Rougarou — my opus project. This story is rooted in the Louisiana werewolf folklore and voodoo traditions, and as a Louisiana native, it’s a film that’s deeply personal to me. It’s a project I’ve been putting together for many years, carefully shaping it to reflect both authenticity and scale.

Rougarou will be my first studio-level production in terms of budget and scope, and I couldn’t be more proud or excited to finally bring it to life. My business partner, Drake Teer — to whom I truly owe so much — has been instrumental in making my film career possible. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have connected with him. Together, we’ve built something massive, and this film will be a defining benchmark for what we can achieve on a large scale while remaining fully independent.

We’re financing Rougarou completely in-house through Eric Mathis Films and Teer/Mathis Productions, which means we’re creating without compromise. No one holds any cards over us. We’re bringing in major, heavy-hitting talent, sparing no expense, and pushing to make something unforgettable.

For me, this film isn’t just another project — it’s a statement. It’s a culmination of everything I’ve worked for and everything I believe in as a filmmaker. This moment, between the success of INfernal and the massive vision of Rougarou, feels like the most exciting chapter of my career so far. And the best part is — this is only the beginning.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, the three biggest qualities that have helped me the most in my journey are resilience, ambition, and restraint.

Resilience is absolutely essential in this business. The film industry can beat you down, especially in the beginning. It will give you a million reasons to quit—or even to never start at all. You have to be willing to push through the noise, to get up after every setback, and to face every “no” with one more try. It’s the ones who keep going, who bounce back again and again, who ultimately get somewhere. My mindset has always been simple: don’t let someone else outlast you.

Ambition has always been the engine behind everything I do. If I want something, I don’t tiptoe toward it—I jump in headfirst and refuse to stop until I’ve made it real. I live by the belief that “the answer is always no if you don’t ask.” You can’t just want something; you have to actively pursue it—relentlessly, through every possible avenue, even when the door is slammed in your face. And when you hit a wall, you find a way to break through it.
But ambition doesn’t mean stepping on people to get ahead. It’s about pushing hard for your goals while maintaining integrity and respect for others.

And finally, restraint. This is a big one. In this industry, you’ll run into abrasive personalities, ego clashes, and public drama. People attack each other online, air private matters publicly, and try to tear others down to build themselves up. I’ve made it a hard rule to never engage in that kind of behavior. I keep private matters private, stay above the noise, and always take the high road. I see public fighting and drama as unprofessional and damaging—not just to reputations, but to the art itself.

For anyone just starting out, my advice is this: build these qualities like armor. Be resilient enough to outlast the storms, ambitious enough to kick down doors, and disciplined enough to rise above the chaos. Those three traits will carry you through more than talent or luck ever could.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

The person who has been most instrumental in helping me overcome challenges and grow is without a doubt my wife, Liz Mathis. She is my anchor, my biggest supporter, and the voice that keeps me grounded and focused. Liz constantly pushes me to hold myself to the highest standards. She reminds me why I should never settle—why my work deserves excellence and why my goals should always remain ambitious and unapologetically bold.

She believes in me fully. When I say I’m going to achieve something, she believes it as much as I do. She champions my ideas, encourages my vision, and never once discourages me from pursuing what I love. And when the road gets tough—when it would be easier to take a shortcut, hire the cheaper option, respond to an online hater, or accept a subpar deal—she’s the one standing beside me, reminding me of who I am, what I’m capable of, and why we’re not here to settle for average.

Liz protects my integrity. She’s my sounding board, my trusted counsel, and my unwavering partner in every sense of the word. Her influence doesn’t just make me better as a filmmaker—it makes me better as a leader, a creator, and a person.

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