Follow the link to read his interview with Pitchfork.
First off. Good news... the girls did do their own Choreography! I love the image of them talking it out in a living room practicing.
For those of you keeping score at home, Matthew is really the first since Chapman's big film school push to break through as a hot young director. (He graduated pre-Dodge College)
Matthew hit the scene with his senior thesis, (a very different beast at the time) called "Darling, Darling" which can be found on iTunes. The film stars a pre-fame Michael Cera, whose performance makes the piece, while the odd ball random humor lingers and at times entertains but never raises above Cera's trademark awkwardness. Cera's brilliance is perhaps mistaken for great directing, none the less the film won Matthew a comedy award at a film Festival in Michigan whose prize included Kodak film stock. With film in hand he made "By Modern Measure" which became a audience favorite at Sundance (Same year as Ray Tintori's "Death to the Tinman", similarities exist). Shot on black and white 16mm, in the style of a faux French documentary on American youth, this piece seems to be heavily influenced by the off kilter humor of Wes Anderson, and why others would find it charming, clever and even winning is evident, however I believe there is still something cloying about it. But that just might be slightly sour grapes and mild jealousy. (You can find "By Modern Measure" on itunes, or see either of the films for free by asking to see my iPhone, visit his website for trailers. It's pretty good, and includes another video he did for M83. )
Matthew also was commissioned by the BBC to direct documentary segments on Black Die and The Fiery Furnaces. Last summer he was signed by Greencard.
That aside, at the very least for you fellow Panthers out there, we should wish him well, hope for his success and chalk one up on the tally board for Chapman. However perhaps it should be noted he graduated under the reign of Ken O'Donnell. It is interesting to note, that the one director who is building Chapman's reputation is of the "pesky art-type" persuasion. I'm not one to overly bash on Chapman's upper brass as I don't actually believe they are anti-art film... I just think it's harder to enforce guidelines for those type of films that are so dependent on the filmmaker, and Chapman can't build the curriculum on a case by case basis... and make one set of rules for some students and some for another...
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