MATTHEW SUTHERLAND
Owner, Matrimony Films
Brides and grooms, for years, have relied on Matthew Sutherland to capture the essence of their special day. But, don’t let the name fool you: Matrimony Films isn’t only wedding videography.
On the web: www.matrimony-films.com
Phone: 818-262-5402
Email: [email protected]
You had early visions of becoming an actor. How did you end up on the other side of the camera?
I had great success as an actor out of college. Acting has been my passion my whole life and it continues to be a passion of mine, but I have always loved the complete process of making films. There’s such a great sense of accomplishment in creating the shots and then editing them together into a story that moves people. After I got married and decided to start a family, I realized that I could give my family much more stability if, rather than hoping that someone picked me to be in their film or commercial, I got behind the camera and made films that people were interested in paying for. Filming weddings, events and corporate films has given me the freedom to raise a family and continue pursuing my love for acting in between projects. My acting background serves me well because it’s given me the ability to bring energy and fun to every film set I’m on. I love it, at the end of a long day of filming, when my clients thank me for a great shoot even though they haven’t seen a single frame of what we’ve shot. Making it a more fun and memorable experience for everyone is a big part of our brand.
Your company, Matrimony Films, has built a sterling reputation for wedding videography. But that’s not all you do. How can you be of service to businesses and other professionals?
I have been making corporate films now for about five years and with social media and video becoming such a big part of corporate websites, businesses have realized the power of a well-made corporate film and that’s what we deliver. About a year ago, I became one of 12 companies sponsored nationally by Panasonic. They made me a Panasonic Lumix Ambassador and that has really jump-started the company. I not only make films for Panasonic, but they send me out across the country to teach other filmmakers how to make more compelling films. Several companies have noticed us from this and we now are telling great stories for YouTube channels and making Instagram videos and corporate messaging for companies like Union Bank, Xprotex and Promediagear.
Words are great. So are photos. There is a distinct power in video, though. Why?
There’s something about a great film with great audio that just puts us right in the moment we’re watching. Not often does someone cry from looking at a photograph, but almost every meaningful family film we make, we get tears, laughter and we move people. We take great care in the music we choose and through very skillful editing and great live audio moments, we help the people watching our films feel like they are living these moments all over again.
Look into your crystal ball, say, five years into the future: What’s your company look like?
In five years, I see our corporate brand growing by leaps and bounds. It’s been predicted that, by 2019, video content will be the driving factor behind 85 percent of the search traffic in the United States. We are positioning ourselves as a leader in the corporate video field and we are ready to help companies tell their stories, get out their messages and document their histories through great films.
