NYC Based theatrical director, filmmaker & Photographer

mattsimpkins.net
mattsimpkinsfilm.com
mattsimpkinsphotography.com

Based in New York City, Matt has been involved in the visual and performing arts his entire life. Moving to NYC for his career as a professional union performer, he later expanded from the stage to explore and create visual-driven storytelling within film + photography.

Theatrically, Matt now currently works as a director bringing his experience with visual aesthetics, technology, choreography & a life-long performing background to collaborate with artists bringing unique re-imaginings to audiences. Matt approaches the stage like a film frame - filling it visually while sculpting and shaping the audiences eye to focus on the intimate moments between character and audience.

Matt’s award-winning work as a cinematographer can be seen on HBO Max with the feature documentary UPROOTED: THE JOURNEY OF JAZZ DANCE and Amazon Prime with FREE and EARLY MOURNING. Matt has worked on dozens films featured at international and domestic film festivals thru On The Rocks Films, where he serves as a co-founder, creative director and a co-producer.

If it was his childhood imagination that launched him into the theatrical performing world, it was his life-long interest for travel photography that developed into his filmmaking career. He currently still shoots portraits, headshots, has interior/architectural clients, travel landscapes and works out of his Brooklyn photography studio.

He has worked all over the US as well as in the UK, Canada, France, Italy & Türkiye.