Matthew Brendle may not be a face you recognize right now, but the Junior Cinema COPA major is working hard so eventually you will see his films being on the big screen. Let’s get to know this wonderful Cinema major!
HC: What made you decide to come to Point Park?
Well, after getting my associate’s degree at CCAC, I had the option between Robert Morris and Point Park. I really wanted to stay within the cinema entrainment. Robert Morris has more of a business end to it while Point Park has more of a hands-on crew. It’s convenient that it is downtown as well!
HC: What are some of the major films or productions that you have worked on this attending Point Park?
I was an audience coordinator for American Ninja Warrior when they came to Pittsburgh. I got to be on TV a few times even though I wasn’t supposed to be. I worked on a few small indie films as well. I can’t name any of them yet because they haven’t been released. I have worked as Production Assistant, worked under the Director and Assistant Director, and I’m working on student projects. I’m a P2 but I’m lucky to have senior friends and be working on some P4s.
HC: What do you hope to do after you graduate?
After I graduate, I hope to go out to Hollywood for a few years. I feel like everyone does that to test the waters. I don’t want to live out there but I want to experience it at least.
HC: So what are you going to become after you work in Hollywood for a few years?
I’m going to be trying out producing, become a director, screenwriting, and since I am a sergeant in the United States Army, it allows me to make something great out there and know to have control and make some great. Creative things as well.
HC: So First off, thank you for your service. But how long were you in the army for? How is civilian life different from military life?
I was in the army for four years and about eight months so I was close to five years in total. I started as a private E1 and then moved my way up to sergeant. I went to Iraq and served a deployment year in three different locations as an Intelligent Analyst. So I worked with top secret clearance from the government and all that super secret stuff. When I got back, I was unfortunately flagged with symptoms of PTSD and anxiety adjustment. I had rigourous treatment. Civilian life is really interesting though. It’s very different from the military lifestyle. It’s very structured. You know what to do to advance, how to have a successful day, and you do very well. Civilian life is just kind of running around, screaming, and some people have stopped screaming. You try to find your own path and it’s hard because you could do something and have five people screaming at you how you could have done thing differently and then two people screaming how you did it well. Its good to find your own path but I do miss the military structured lifestyle at times.
HC: So final question, how would you say is your favorite director/producer or role model?
Well, I did not grow up with role model. The men in my family were all good people in their own way but not people I could say I looked up to. There was nobody I wanted to be growing up besides myself. But my favourite director is Stanley Kurbrick. He’s done The Shining, 2001, A Clock Turned Orange, and all that. There’s a certain approach that he always took with his films and the way he layered his directing and cinematography in his films always made sense. There was a good story and a reason that everything was shot the way it was. I would like to get to achieve something like that one day!