THE GUEST LIST: Getting to know Matt Austin, co-creator, director of The Right Hand.
Filmmaker Matt Austin is the co-creator and director of The Right Hand. He is the first profile in The Guest List.
Photo/JUAN MONTALVO
In my first column for InsideToronto.com, I sat down with an entertainer I know best - Matt Austin-Sadowski. Matt is a filmmaker, music aficionado, father and a former green Power Ranger. He is also my husband.
Matt is currently directing (and is the co-creator) of The Right Hand on The Movie Network. He is also currently 'starring' on a new radio show on CBC called Trust, Inc.
He also recently helmed a pilot for a new comedy web series called The Last Man on Earth; won the 2012 Drama Prize from the National Screen Institute for his short film Never Sunny; and his timely documentary about teen zeitgeist auteur John Hughes, Don't You Forget About Me, is currently playing on MuchMore Music, TMN and is available for download on Netflix.
DGS - You co-created and directed The Right Hand, currently shooting its second season. How did you come up with the idea for this show?
MAS - The producers came to me with the desire to make a show about this outlandish, notorious, absurd, dynamic producer named Porno Dan. They said they knew they couldn't make a show just about him, as his antics would just be too much. I pitched them the idea that we should see Porno Dan's circus-like world through the eyes of a kid who is just coming of age. He'd be our eyes. And that we should only take a look at the "I can't believe I'm watching this," funny angle, and not the sordid unsettling underbelly. We shot a pilot and it got picked up from that.
DGS - What is it like to work on a reality show?
MAS - Chaos. Small crews. Extremely long days. Uncertainty. Happy accidents. Dumb luck. An obscene amount of footage. Unlike a lot of other "reality" shows, everything we shoot is totally unscripted, so it's completely spontaneous. You have to make extremely quick decisions on what you want to follow and how you want to shoot it and then live with the results.
DGS - The show gives viewers an idea of what it is like to work in the adult entertainment industry. What did you find most surprising?
MAS - It's just a job to these guys. To them, attending conventions is the same as any other trade show.
DGS - You're also currently on CBC's new radio drama Trust, Inc. How do you like being on a radio show?
MAS - I love it and I think it's amazing in the age of podcasts that series radio drama is not only being listened to, but it's being listened to all around the world. We never have to do another take because of bad lighting or camera work, and they always bring us in to act opposite the other characters, so it feels completely genuine. Also, I think this particular show is amazing to be a part of, and is breaking new ground with their multimedia/social media campaign, which allows people to truly interact with the show, and see visuals for what they are hearing. I also think the subject matter, PR companies responsible for spin, is really interesting.
DGS - What are you working on next?
MAS - I'm knee-deep in Season 2 of The Right Hand, and writing the final script "renovations" on a feature film called Kiss and Ride. I'm about to edit the short I shot for my NSI Canada Drama Prize-winning screenplay, and I continue to contribute a regular column to DailyXY.com
Follow Matt on Twitter @mattyaustin
Just more than 12 years ago, Debra Goldblatt-Sadowski launched rock-it promotions, a full service public relations firm that specializes in promoting lifestyle clients, fashion, health, beauty, film and more across Canada. She has had the opportunity to work with talent such as Helen Mirren, Woody Harrelson, Jane Seymour, Lord Richard Attenborough, Joaquin Phoenix and James Brown, to name a few. rock-it promotions clients include Frigidaire, Electrolux, the Drake Hotel, President's Choice Home, Fashion Design Council of Canada and much more. Debra has appeared as an expert in her field on MuchMusic, eTalk, ET Canada and has been interviewed for publications such as the National Post, Toronto Life, Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail. She is also a blogger for The Huffington Post Canada and Toronto Special Events. For details, visit www.rockitpromo.com or follow them on Twitter @rockitpromo. Their daily blog, On The Fourth Floor, can be found at www.onthefourthfloor.com