Matt Friedman is a teacher, writer, director, actor, filmmaker, and composer in seaside Virginia. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Matt helped organize and launch the film program at the prestigious Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia, where he adapted and directed their educational film drama “The Unknown Variable,” and where he continues to teach all aspects of filmmaking and film production. He also teaches screenwriting at the Muse Writer’s Center in Norfolk. He wrote and assistant-directed the local independent feature comedy “Moving” in the early 2000’s, then his second script earned a fellowship to the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, where he was sponsored by the Sloan Foundation for its science themes, and was later an invitee to the Tribeca Sloan Film Summit. He assistant directed the 2012 Doritos commercial “Man’s Best Friend,” which became the #1 ad of that year’s Superbowl, and co-wrote several followups, including a collaboration with Andy Samberg and The Lonely Island. In 2016, he co-produced the short film “Moss Manor,” which won Best Film at the Hampton Roads 48 Hour Film Project and also garnered him the award for Best Original Score. He has been a screenwriting panelist at the Virginia Festival of the Book, a presenter at the CNU Writer’s Conference.

He is also active in the theater, having directed several plays, including “Hand to God” (which won Best Play at the local AltDaily awards), “Enron,” “Endpapers,” and “Twelfth Night,” co-wrote the Z Fringe Fest play “Her Horror” (with Sylvie Green), and was a co-artistic director and producer at a Norfolk theater for several years. He has scored several productions, served as set designer for others, and has played roles ranging from John Adams to Mercutio to Seymour Krelbourn, to Ed Boone in “Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”

He has also kept himself occupied over the years as a volunteer EMT, musician, book editor, and graphic designer. He cooks a lot, and is the proud parent of a traveling French piggy named Jam-Jam (follow him @filmtraveler #piggyjamjam), a sick but happy dog, and two cuddly cats. He maintains a tiny personal YouTube channel where he occasionally posts orginal scores and silly comedic shorts & songs. He spends much of his spare time volunteering as a victim’s advocate for YWCA, helping domestic violence & sexual assault survivors. Please consider supporting YW’s mission of eliminating racism & empowering women.