Born with a fiery passion for storytelling and high-SPF sunblock, writer/director Matt MacDonald grew up in the sweltering desert heat of Phoenix, Arizona. Scourged by the sun’s villainous UV rays, Matt opted at an early age to embrace air conditioning — devouring books, video games, and large quantities of sugared cereal.

An accomplished voice-over actor and nationally published author, Matt received his MFA in Film & Television Production from the prestigious USC School of Cinematic Arts. His work has screened at more than 40 film festivals worldwide (including the Palm Springs International ShortFest and San Diego Comic-Con), been highlighted multiple times as a Vimeo Staff Pick, and featured by the likes of Mashable, Kotaku, io9, Bloody Disgusting, Rolling Stone, and HBO’s Project Greenlight. Matt’s dad frequently tells him to “keep up the good work.”

As a writer, director, and editor, Matt has worked with brands such as Microsoft, Playboy, McDonald’s, Nike, Activision/Blizzard, Electronic Arts, and Taco Bell, among many others. He was most recently selected as a writing fellow to the 2017 Shudder Labs, an independent horror development retreat produced by AMC, as well as directed the viral sensation “Not Normal,” a 12-minute animated short film created entirely with the video game Grand Theft Auto V and nominated for a 2018 MPSE Golden Reel Award. Collectively, Matt’s work has amassed close to 16 million online views.

In his free time, Matt enjoys spin class, theoretical science, and pie. His favorite Beatles song is “Hey Jude” and you’ll frequently find him in one of the many Greater Los Angeles Area Yogurtlands.