Ep. 24 - Matt McCaughey: Director

Matt McCaughey is a a seasoned and well established director whose journey into filmmaking began as a teenager, sparked by an ad he saw in the cinema. A serendipitous moment that planted the seed for a career behind the camera. From humble beginnings, sweeping floors and puppeteering on the iconic ABC political satire, Rubbery Figures, Matt's path took him from aspiring cinematographer to directing music videos and co-founding Dogboy Films and The Pound. Matt is renowned for bringing creativity, humour and a pragmatic problem solving to his commercials, including the much loved Toyota Legendary Moments campaign, which captured audiences at AFL Grand Finals but then also became iconic Australian TV moments. In the chat Matt shares invaluable lessons for up and coming directors from the importance of having an insatiable drive and hands on experience to the art of balancing creativity with budget constraints. He talks about why editing is an essential skill for new directors, how working across different aspects of production sharpens storytelling instincts and the subtle nuances that separate great actors from good ones.