Alumni Spotlight - Paul Matthaeus
In 1995, Digital Kitchen (DK) was founded by EvCC alumni Paul Matthaeus. Paul is the Founder, Chairman, and Chief Creative of DK, with 13 Emmy nominations and three wins. In 2011, Paul garnered the Grand Prix Award (Best of Show in Design), at Cannes for the experiential content at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. Digital Kitchen has created all the broadcast brand and promotional content for AT&T's entry into entertainment, growing the U-verse brand into the third largest cable provider in the U.S. inside of seven years.
Paul is probably best known for his creative approach in television entertainment, which includes the main titles for TV shows like "Narcos," "Six Feet Under," "Nip/Tuck," "House," "Rescue Me," "Ghost Whisperer," "True Blood," and "Dexter."
Under Paul's leadership, DK became the largest independent design-driven production company in North America, with offices in Seattle, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The work of DK has been celebrated in Newsweek, Time, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Communication Arts, Graphics, and AdWeek.
How did you choose EvCC? Was there a selection process involved in your decision making?
EvCC was the only Washington College that offered a balanced program exploring design, commercial and fine art photography, with professors equally engaged in each discipline.
Do you think your time at EvCC helped you pursue your current career? How?
Within the first 15 minutes of my time at EvCC, I learned all I needed to start a company 20 years later, that eventually changed the paradigm of TV main title design and commercial production. That company grew to 150 creative digital filmmakers across three offices in Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Can you please describe what you mean by learning all you needed within the first 15 minutes at EvCC? That certainly sounds intriguing.
Yes, that was actually the theme of my recent presentation at EvCC.
I walked into the photo department, and there was this traveling fine art photography exhibit that Lloyd Weller put together:
Photo Credit: Jerry Uelsmann
The photographer was Jerry Uelsmann— an early pioneer in image manipulation. That showed me that photography could be both literal and figurative; real and surreal.
Then this man stuck his head out of a doorway:
Lloyd Weller— a very approachable but disciplined thinker, and the guy in charge of the photography program. I enrolled in EvCC’s associate program, and took Lloyd's evening workshop classes, which taught me the power of the “collaborative auteur”— (auteur theory is the French film theory that looks for the author in filmmaking). Lloyd’s workshop showed me the value of a collaborative studio environment in the pursuit of both personal and collective creative pursuits.
Those two ingredients are the basis for Digital Kitchen, period. When computer technology came along to manipulate film and image, I adopted desktop technology in a collaborative studio environment, where all contributors (designers, editors, animators, art directors) have an ability to work together and add to the final work product. DK used image manipulation, video editing, graphics and sound design to elevate filmmaking. We looked at “post production” in the same way Brian Eno reimagined digital sound manipulation— like another musical instrument, not just a tool for assembly.
I saw the Uelsmann show and met Lloyd in a space of 15 minutes in 1971. I started DK almost 25 years later. The rest is history. My studies at the University of Washington were valuable, but Lloyd and Jerry are essence of my career.
What did you do after you left or graduated from EvCC?
A lot of stuff. I became a photographer. I started a printing company. I returned to the UofW and double majored in Design and Advertising. I entered advertising as an art director, exited as an Ad Agency Owner and President. I started Digital Kitchen in 1995. I was nominated for 13 Emmys®, won 3 Emmys® Awards and a Gran Prix “Best of Show” at Cannes® for the world’s first digitally immersed hotel in Las Vegas. I’ve mentored hundreds of designers to became successful filmmakers. I’ve spoken around the world on my creative process. My work is part of the permanent collection at MOMA.
What words of advice would you give to current EvCC students?
This I know: a community college can give you a level of involvement you won’t necessarily find elsewhere.
Any other information you would like to provide?
I wouldn’t be where I am without EvCC.
For a more complete look at the work of Digital Kitchen, check out this highlight reel on Vimeo.
