Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
Hi! My name is Michael Matteo Rossi and I’m a writer, produced and director for just about 16 years now. I started making short films while I was in college at San Diego State and when I graduated in late 2009 I came back up to LA and began the journey into making feature films and just completed my 8th feature! Film is absolutely my life and passion and will continue to be for the rest of my life 🙂
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
While so much of this business is all talk or people saying what they have lined up, I pride myself on finding ways to make it actually happen. I’ve been blessed to make about a feature a year the last 5 years and hope to continue it. I am extremely ambitious and don’t look for excuses why something isn’t happening. Doesn’t matter if it’s a weekend or holiday, I will be working on films if that’s what it takes!
Describe THAT moment when you realized you’re doing what you were born to do.
It was my first short film and just seeing it all come together from paper to screen was intoxicating and I knew I wanted to continue to chase that high and I’ve never gotten tired of it since.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to go through and how did you grow through it?
I would say it’s a mix of vetting and trusting certain people in this business and also of course getting the right funding and budget for a film. We always find ways and the more you work the more you know who you want to work with again and who you definitely don’t want to. I think when you surround yourself with the right people that match you passion and energy and they belief in your work, it has a way of working out.
Who are the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could elevate your career or business? Why these specific individuals?
Martin Scorsese, James Cameron and Paul Verhoeven because they are all filmmakers that have heavily influenced me as an artist in their style and I’d love to pick their brains about things and just talk film in general with them!
Drop your social media links.
Facebook: facebook.com/michaelmatteorossi
Twitter: twitter.com/michaelmatteoro
Instagram: https://instagram.com/michaelmatteorossi
