We recently had the chance to connect with Paul Matte and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Paul , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
I lose track of time when I wander around my city. There have been so many times in the past couple years that I’ve set out to find some small corner of Toronto with a coffeeshop and get a writing groove on. It always happens. I bring my laptop, a notebook and take off into a random direction. So often, I end up drinking tea and writing for hours on end and it gets dark. Sometimes I bump into someone on my way home which is the perfect follow-up to an insular day of wracking my storytelling brain. Now I can just be social and wander with a friend and catch up on their life, their travels their career. Toronto is a city I’ve become more grateful for the more I’ve travelled. Every corner of it feels like home to me because I always see friends, family and industry peers around every corner.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Paul Matte. I am a Toronto based screenwriter and actor. I own my very own production company, MatteFilms through which I develop scripts, short films and now, a limited comedic drama. I am all about the storytelling aspect of this business. What is important to me is that when I look back on my body of work, I’d like to see unique works of fiction that carved their own space in the zeitgeist. I want to ask: “Is this new enough?” every time I sit down to write something I’m planning on sticking my name on.
This all began a few years ago when I started writing short poems and stories that I found spoke to me. it expanded after I moved to Scotland and began working in the film industry there. Once I started acting is when everything finally made sense. All my endeavours were immediately given context.
I’m currently developing my monster horror movie, Mimik. It follows a group of low-lifes who set out to kill a monster in order to liberate a rehab facility under its control. The project is big, atmospheric and hopefully terrifying. A slate of short films are on the way that will be headed to the world’s best festivals. As well as a Dramedy called “One-Eighty” that I’ve only broke ground on this week. It’s an immigrant story, a smalltown story and a raucous comedy wrapped into one.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What a thoughtful question! There’s so much out there that we can’t control that splits people up or smashes them together. I will say however that we can decide whether we are collaborating or competing. By that I mean that amongst creative peers, I’m often tempted to see them as the competition. Like if I don’t come up with something fast enough their brains will snatch my idea out of thin air and it’ll be theirs forever. That’s not what this is about though is it? Hurrying to the thought? Racing to some outcome just to spite someone else. I love creative people. I love writers. When someone has something cooking I endeavour to love it for them and collaborate. “Hey did you think of it from this angle yet?” Is a much better place to come from than “Hey I wish I thought of that!”.
I think my career will be spent among collaborative people who do this for the love of it – and not to outdo one another.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
Boy was it ever great I found acting for this very reason. It didn’t take me too long to figure out that the audience just wants to see you for who you are. There is pain in my past and in my present and I do draw on it. I’m grateful that it’s there!
My favourite thing about this career path is that a performance can breathe life into old wounds and let you explore them from a new perspective. My hope is that it makes me a more empathetic and understanding person as I take on new roles with diverse challenges.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’ll go with belief on this one. It is my belief that my projects will reach a large audience and that the work I am doing now is the direct cause of that happening. It gets me out of bed in the morning because I know it to be true. I look up to these creators like The Coens, The Duffer Brothers, Seth Rogen. How many years did they toil and throw away scripts and learn how to pitch before they started hitting?
The ultimate goal makes this work worth it and I can’t wait to share what I’m capable of with the world!
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I understand that this takes time. It’s a bit like the last question. The work you do today might not be rewarded for 10 or 30 years, but it will be rewarded someday.
A short story: When I moved back from Scotland to Canada and got my first acting agent, I told myself that I had 5 years to book a role. If I didn’t get any bites, I’d go back to writing and producing alone. I honestly believe that it was the patience that I approached the industry with that allowed stuff to start happening. It allowed me to not come off as desperate or in need of a job. I just relaxed, and let myself learn. I think people like that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://imdb.me/paulmatte
- Instagram: @paul_matte
Image Credits
Dan Lim, Arpan Parikh, Enrico Ferri, GoldenRoc Media, Adrien Marquet, TLN Studios
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
