We’re so pumped about our conversation with Matt Rosenblatt. Matt is a Filmmaker and is also a content partner. Content partners help Voyage in so many ways from spreading the word about the work that we do, sponsoring our mission and collaborating with us on content like this. Check out our conversation with Matt below.
Hi Matt, thank you so much for sitting down with us again. For folks who might have missed our initial interview, can you start by briefly introducing yourself?
Well, my name is Matt Rosenblatt. I guess to put it simply, I am a filmmaker. I work as a writer and director, more recently I have been working in the horror genre specifically.
What inspired you to write/direct Movie Night?
I had been having nightmares about getting a video tape in the mail, which consisted of me being killed by my doppelgänger. From there it really transformed into the film you see now. I wanted to try to make something that felt like it could potentially happen in the real world. I mean going on a date in the world today is pretty scary if you think about it. A lot of people use online dating as their method. So sometimes you don’t know who you’re meeting until you get there. I guess I wanted to take that initial fear and put it into a more dramatic setting of “what if my date is a killer” type of scenario. If we’re talking strictly from a movie standpoint, I would say narratively Cache and The Ring. Then for aesthetics I would say It Follows and House of the Devil.
How do you feel being a part of the future horror filmmakers in Dallas?
I mean I don’t how to feel about it, I never really considered myself in that conversation really. If people feel that way about me though I suppose I feel immensely flattered by being in that conversation. There are a lot of people in the scene that I look up to and admire so being in the same sentence as them is an honor already.
What are some of the inspirations behind Movie Night?
I would have to say the big ones were Cache, It Follows, The Ring, and House of the Devil.
How do you feel about the attention Movie Night has been getting?
It has been a nice surprise to say the least. I never really know how people are going to react to something I make, so to see a good amount of positive things has been nice. I just want to make stuff that people can have a good time with that also makes them think a little bit. So I hope I am achieving that goal with Movie Night. Naturally there has been some negative stuff too but I enjoy that feedback as well since it helps me find out what I could be doing better as a storyteller.
What was it like working with actors like Skeeta Jenkins and Natali Jones?
It was both a pleasure and an honor, they’re both great in every way you can think. It was my first time working with actors that had been a part of large-scale films before which felt intimidating at first, but they both made things so easy. They both just bring a level of professionalism that is elite. Aside from that they’re both just so much fun to have around. I want to keep working with the both them on whatever it is I am doing. They just bring that type of energy to a set. To put it simply, I love working with them and I want to keep working with them.
Do you see yourself as the future of Dallas filmmaking?
I’m not sure honestly, there are a lot of people making stuff in Dallas that are all incredibly talented. So, it is hard to say that one sole person is the future, I know there are a lot people I admire greatly. If people feel like I am or have the potential to be that would be flattering to say the least. Obviously, it is large praise and large expectations to fill. So, if I am, I just hope I don’t disappoint myself, as well as others around me.
Thank you so much again for sharing all of this with us. Before we go, can you share with our readers how they can connect with you, learn more or show support?
Yeah for sure, my Twitter and Instagram handle is just @Matt_Rosenblatt, that is probably where I post the most of my film stuff. You can also find my work on Vimeo at https://vimeo.com/mattrosenblatt
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vimeo.com/mattrosenblatt
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matt.rosenblatt1
- Twitter: @matt_rosenblatt
Image Credits
Photos taken by Carson Bailie and Tony Casillas Posters designed by Riley Cusick and Holden Foster
