-Who is Matthew J. Roch?
An ordinary kid from a small American suburban town in Rhode Island. I have been writing stories and entertaining people with them since the first grade, where I won my first young author award. Since then, I’ve written a few books. It was a skill that came natural. Among writing, I am also a soccer fanatic. I’ve played the game since I could walk and played all through my collegiate years. As a lover of most sports I also enjoy the outdoors such as hiking, fishing and camping. My greatest joy, besides making films, is hanging out with my family. They are my biggest inspirations for my writing. I consider myself very lucky to have all the opportunities I’ve had with my life.
-What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
It was more of a career and life change that made me decide to get into this industry. Upon finishing my bachelor I was offered a job at a hospital and was also offered help financing my graduate program. It was at this point that I knew this wasn’t the direction I wanted my life to go and knew that there was more out there for me. That moment is when I searched within to chase after the dream that has lived inside me for so long. With all the great filmmakers and story tellers in this world it is Christopher Nolan who inspires me to write stories that hopefully challenge my audience to think.
-Do you think cinema can bring change to society?
Absolutely, it can bring change. There is a cancel culture who is taking storm and trying to get books and films banned for the messages that they bring to people. If cinema can have that much of an impact that people want to cancel it or get it banned then it could also have the same strong effect with hopes in a positive way. It’s all about the message you wish to send and the media you want to use to send it.
-What would you change in the world?
If I had the ability or power to change one thing in this world it would be hunger. Nobody deserves to go to sleep with a hungry stomach. There is enough food on this planet and resources to get it there that we should be able to feed everyone.
-Where do you see the film industry going in the next 100 years?
I’m afraid to even think about that. With all the new technology that is being released such as AI, I’m afraid people are going to be more dependable on these. It’s scary to think they might use AI to write about human emotion, which they are incapable of feeling or using it to portray human emotion which again is impossible for it. They say everything goes in cycles and I’d like to think that people will get bored with the digital world and revert back to actual film.
