What’s the story?
“As an actor, writer, and filmmaker this is the essential question I begin with on every project. It’s an investigation into the message that may not be immediately apparent: looking beyond the image, reading between the lines, understanding subtext nestled under words spoken.
This passion for excavation of story is the center of everything I do. As a professional storyteller, I work to secure a message and determine the most effective way to deliver it to an audience. My skill set is applicable to theatre, film, brand management and social media marketing.
A film, a play, a brand identity or ad campaign, I am here to help you discover your story.”
For the love of storytelling.
Born on the heels of Hurricane Hugo as it ripped through Buffalo, New York, Matt O'Shea was destined for a life filled with dramatic flare. He grew up in the suburbs of Buffalo where he developed a passion for storytelling. With no siblings to torment or to be tormented by, he often occupied the time of his youth recreating scenes from his favorite films using couches as castle towers, mixing bowls as space helmets, and the family dog as a dragon (no animals were ever harmed, Matt is an avid animal lover).
He attended college in Cleveland, Ohio for arts management and music. As a musician, songwriting and playing shows with his band satisfied his desire to tell stories for some time, but the power of cinema lured him back into acting and ultimately the world of filmmaking. Some of his fondest movie memories are with his grandmother watching old films on Turner Classic Movies. Matt was very close with his grandmother, and it provides him with a great warmth that she was able to witness his first professional acting performance 2 months before she passed away. The production was 4,000 MILES by Amy Herzog, which fittingly enough is a play about a grandmother, a grandson, and their unique bond.
Matt would go on to build his resume working with some stellar regional theatres in Cleveland and began his film career shortly thereafter. He spent a year in Chicago studying at the famed Second City before moving to his current location in New York to study at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Matt is currently developing several film projects with other creative professionals through his production company, Alternative MO Productions.
Imagination Amok. Circa '94.
