Matt Kieley, 22, is a director. Born and raised in Bakersfield, Kiely is a man filled with a passion for film. “I always responded to film as a child,” said Kieley. Inspired by the classic slasher film “Scream,” Kieley became infatuated with the idea of creating films. Receiving a camera two years later, he began to experiment, first creating what he describes as a parody of slasher films, and soon moving on to other projects.
Since creating his first short film, Kieley never stopped making movies. Influenced by John Cassavetes and Stanley Kubrick, among others, he has shot over 100 short films in 10 years, developing quite the filmography for a man of his age. However, Kieley has not released a feature film yet, but that will soon change.
Titled “Carte Blanche,” the film tells the tale of a young woman who has just ended a relationship and soon meets a young filmmaker. One of them soon develops feelings for the other. Set to be released soon, “Carte Blanche” is Kieley’s first feature and most ambitious work yet.
Kieley began working on “Carte Blanche” in 2006 and started filming in February of this year, wrapping in March with various re-shoots throughout the following months. The film’s premise is based on Kieley’s own experiences and when asked if a certain character was based on him he stated, “Absolutely. I’ve always tried to hide the fact that one of the characters was based on me. I eventually decided to make the character a filmmaker as the similarities were already there.” The film is now in the final stages of editing.
Before working on “Carte Blanche,” Kieley worked on a documentary called “Conversations” about human dialogue and a black comedy titled “The Art of Suicide.” Always working on something new, he has already begun to write the script for his next project. Currently untitled, the film is about a young man who still lives with his parents while those around him are moving out and getting married. He soon begins dating a girl who will soon exit high school, a story some of us can relate to.
“I’m interested in making personal films. I keep everything in a way people can relate to,” said Kieley about his film making process. It is clear that the personal aspect is what he emphasizes in productions such as “Carte Blanche.”
His films are shot in and around Bakersfield using mainly stolen locations. When asked about his experiences shooting in town, he replied, “It’s pretty good, I use mostly stolen locations, it’s fun . . . I can’t think of anything that stands out [about his experiences shooting in town] but I think it’s pretty funny that I live across the street from a middle school and use it as a backlot.”
Kieley sees himself making films for a long time. You can view his films at www.Vimeo.Com/matkieley or www.Youtube.Com/mattkieleyfilms.