Life-changing moments: an interview with indie filmmaker Matty Ross

Matty Ross is an independent filmmaker and director based in London, who is originally from Forres in the Scottish Highlands. He has worked for/with the likes of Tom Hardy, John Minton, Hugh Laurie, Vanity Fair, Charles Henri Belleville and Scottish bands/musicians The Last Battle, Debutant and The Kays Lavelle.

When I began this blog Matty was one of the first people I wanted to interview for the Clear-Minded Creative Types series, however sometimes life gets in the way and it never quite came about.

Thankfully, we were finally able to have an in-depth chat recently as Matty had just completed work on his latest film, Bloodbridge, inspired by, and featuring the excellent song of the same name by Scottish experimental pop duo Graveyard Tapes.

[powerpress]

In this honest and revealing 35 minute conversation we discuss:

• How Matty first got into filmmaking
• How his first documentary was accepted into the New York International Independent Film Festival where he had his “Brooklyn Bridge Moment”
• The difficulties involved in being a full-time filmmaker
• His recovery from a serious head injury and how it has influenced his work and led to him reassess his lifestyle
• His experience collaborating with John Minton the main filmmaker from the band Portishead.

Click here to listen if you are reading this via email or RSS.

I’m also delighted to be able to share Matty’s latest film Bloodbridge below (it is also being premiered over at the excellent Fluid Radio):

[tentblogger-vimeo 68693225]

What follows is more info from Matty about Bloodbridge, with pictures and links where you can find more info about the film, the music that inspired it, and Matty’s other work, as well as how you can get hold of the brilliant new album from Graveyard Tapes.

“The film focuses on a hermit, a social recluse, and we join him on his journey through the darkest depths of his mind.

Shot entirely on 8 and 16mm film, it is an experimental project inspired by an interest in mythology, psychoanalysis, lucid dream research, and dream interpretation.”

The film was shot on location in and around London. A lot of time was spent in pre-production finding atmospheric locations that would reinforce the dreamlike and surreal nature of the project. Our masked man ventures forth from his dwellings in a derelict building onwards on a voyage of discovery. To what these places mean or represent is open to one’s own interpretation.

The film features bagua-inspired martial artists and a fire-performer whom our masked man meets upon his adventure. The significance of these confrontations could well be determined by an analysis of not just what they mean to our main character, but also what they represent in each particular location.

“In an attempt to create this world, I wanted to use Super 8 and 16mm film to create a dreamlike environment – one which is at times, dark, cold and foreboding. I spent a long time researching appropriate settings and used a colour scheme which would emphasise both the frightening and fantastical nature of this person and his surroundings.

It hopefully creates a rather strange and unsettling atmosphere, where one may start to question the way in which they themselves confront their own demons. A mysterious burlesque dancer introduces us to his world, and once the door is open it’s up to you what you bring back.”

You can also watch BBoys, BGirls Just B, Matty’s inspiring short documentary which he mentions in the interview, below:

[tentblogger-vimeo 17690384]

More info:

 Matty Ross online:  Vimeo | Facebook | Twitter | Bloodbridge Photos at Flickr | www.sleepysoul.com

Graveyard Tapes: Listen to/buy the album Our Sound is Our Wound at Bandcamp