M Works Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary with New Film Festival in Toronto
Toronto film lovers will be excited to discover a new festival on the rise. The first ever M Works Film Festival marks a new beginning for music video director Matthew Kelly, as he breaks into the film industry. The festival took place on May 16 at Innis Town Hall to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of “M Works,” and honour the unique vision of five independent short films.
The film line-up features an array of different genres with abstract storytelling. To kick things off was director Aaron Alter’s Timbuktu, a funny distillation about a young man torn between selling a family house or keeping the memories alive. In contrast, the eerily toned RSVP, from filmmaker Fatty Soprano, brings new meaning to a date gone wrong with a shockingly twisted ending. No James Harden, directed by Adrian Wallace, depicts a comedic story about two best friends and the game of basketball. While director Mitchell Leblanc’s film Melody delivers a perplexing tale about a woman crippled by mental health and poverty. The festival came to a close with Mind of the Mask, directed by Matthew Kelly and shot by The 97, which reveals what happens when two best friends skip school and let curiosity get the best of them.
After dedicating 10 years to directing music videos for notable Canadian hip-hop artists, Kelly is ready to take his talents to the next level and make waves in the film industry. He gave us a first-hand look into his rebrand, major milestones, and what to expect from “M Works” in the future.
For those who may not know, what is the history behind “M Works”?
In 2013 I started "M Works.” The majority of my early work was filming music videos for local Toronto artists, a lot of my clients are now globally recognized.
On average, I was doing 7 to 10 music videos a week, sometimes three in a day
which seems crazy when I look back at it. This diligent work ethic propelled my brand to become one of the top hip-hop music video platforms in Canada.
You’ve had a lot of success as a music video director, what motivated you to switch paths?
I started exploring the idea of making a film in 2019. I really liked J. Cole's "She Knows" music video and wanted to adapt that concept of two boys skipping school into my own film. The more I worked on the storyline, the more I thought about other film ideas I wanted to create — both animated and traditional. Being hands on with the entire process of creating my film exposed me to the what could be life of a movie producer. I enjoyed every moment of making my film, so the transition seemed evident. I still have a strong passion for directing music videos, but I also have many great film ideas that I want to execute over the next decade.
What inspired you to do a film festival? Why not a regular movie premiere?
I set the date of my film festival to May 16 because it falls on the 10 year anniversary of “M Works.” The idea of creating a film festival stemmed from me wanting to do something more impactful than a single premiere. Essentially, I asked myself, “What could be bigger than a movie premiere?... A film fest!”
With the premiere of “Mind of the Mask” and the success of your first film festival, what does this milestone mean to you?
This milestone is a direct result of my dedication to the craft. I worked extremely hard over three years to put my first short film together. When we started pre-production in 2021, I broke my shoulder, so I couldn't physically write the script. We filmed during the peak of COVID-19, so crew size limitations were difficult to meet. Day 1 of filming was challenging for me because I didn't sleep for three days straight — highly not recommended. Over two years, I worked tirelessly on the editing, sound design, animations, and more, with the help of my team. The version of the film I premiered in theatres was exported only four hours prior. The film process from start to end allowed me to learn a lot about myself and how far I was willing to go to achieve a dream. Hosting and curating a successful film festival elevated my brand and self-admiration to a new height.
Now that you’ve seen the success of your first film festival, how do you feel going forward and planning the next one? Is there any added pressure?
I was extremely happy with the turnout of my festival and grateful for everyone that came. On the flip side, it puts a great amount of pressure on me to sell out the theatre again at future festivals. Even one empty seat can be viewed as a decline in attendance. I should just enjoy the moments with friends and family and not let numbers skew the vision of what it really means to me.
What’s next for “M Works”?
My main goals right now are the WBK Academy and shooting the sequel to [Mind of the Mask]. The WBK Academy is a movie making workshop that’s going to teach youth how to film, edit, animate, and essentially produce a film occurring this Thursday, July 6th. What makes this stand out from most traditional workshops is that students will be creating a film throughout the course, so when the seven days are up, students will have created their own film that they can use on their resume.
Another thing I think makes this program stand out as well, is that we’ll be using newer age applications that you typically won’t learn if you sign up for a regular filmmaking workshop. Towards the end of the summer, I’ll be doing a back to school charity give away. For long term plans, I’m going to make a claymation film, but I’m going to take a lot of time to work on that – it’s about a five year project. I also want to have studio spaces around the world, starting locally in the GTA and then expanding.
Make sure to check out the trailer for the short film Mind of the Mask here, and stay tuned for M Works’ next upcoming film fest.