Producer Matthew Metcalfe has worked in film and TV for the past seventeen years. In that time he has produced over NZD 100 million worth of production, representing nine feature films, ten tele-features and numerous other TV shows, TVC’s, documentaries and music videos.
Matthew’s most recent film, THE DEAD LANDS, screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014. THE DEAD LANDS is a NZ/UK co-production being produced in association with LA-based XYZ Films. Matthew is also in production with 25 APRIL, an animated feature film about the Australasian experience at Gallipoli in World War I, and ATOMIC LOVE a NZ/German/Israel co-production that tells of mismatched love in the Middle East through biting political satire.
In 2013 he had theatrical releases with BEYOND THE EDGE 3D, the true story of the conquest of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and the 1953 English expedition and GISELLE a feature co-production with the Royal New Zealand Ballet directed by multi award winning director, Toa Fraser. Both BEYOND THE EDGE and GISELLE were invited to screen at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.
Matthew’s film THE DEAD LANDS, which released in New Zealand in late 2014 following its world premiere via a Special Presentation at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, was Matthew’s fourth film at the ‘A’ list festival.
Previous films produced by Matthew have been nominated for thirty NZ Film Awards and have won thirteen as well as being recognised at festivals such as Cannes, Toronto and London. Films produced by Matthew have also been long-listed for two BAFTA’s and nominated for a London Critics Circle Award. Matthew also received a Tui Award at the 2002 NZ Music Awards for producing the iconic music video for FADE WAY by Che Fu.
Matthew has extensive experience in co-productions and was the first New Zealand producer to carry out a tri-partite or three way co-production between New Zealand, Canada and the United Kingdom with the US funded feature film, NEMESIS GAME. Produced in association with Lions Gate, NEMESIS GAME has sold to over 30 territories including the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Australia and most of Asia.
In 2008 Matthew produced DEAN SPANLEY, a NZD 15 Million co-production between New Zealand and the United Kingdom that starred Peter O’Toole, Bryan Brown and Sam Neill. Released in Australiasia by Paramount and domestically by Miramax, the film was nominated for thirteen New Zealand Film Awards and won seven. It was long-listed for two BAFTA awards and nominated for a London Critics Circle award.
In 2009 Matthew successfully worked with Polyphon Films in Germany to create, finance and produce the EMILIE RICHARDS series for German network ZDF. Regularly drawing an audience in excess of seven million viewers EMILIE RICHARDS has become a smash hit in Europe and is the most successful New Zealand/German co-production venture of all time. Matthew also acted as co-producer on the German mini series for ZDF, BIRD OF PARADISE and associate producer on the ZDF series THE DREAMBOAT.
In 2010 Matthew produced LOVE BIRDS a NZD 11 Million romantic comedy starring Rhys Darby (FLIGHT of THE CONCHORDS) and Golden Globe winner Sally Hawkins (HAPPY GO LUCKY). International sales are handled by Icon.
Matthew also produced and appeared in the top rating TVNZ documentary VIETNAM – MY FATHERS WAR and the groundbreaking TV3 documentary for Inside New Zealand, SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE. Other TV credits include producing and writing the top rating prime time series for TV One, AIR FORCE and the CanWest TV 3 series, STERIOGRAM – WHITE TRASH TO ROCK GODS.
Matthew has also contributed to the New Zealand screen sector by serving for three years on the New Zealand Film Commissions SPIF Committee (SPIFCOM) and as a member of the 2012 Government Steering Committee for the Screen Sector Review. In 2014 he was appointed to the NZ SPG Significant Economic Benefits Verification Panel.
Matthew holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Auckland and an Advanced Diploma in English History from the University of Oxford.
Session info: Financing with Matthew Metcalfe
