Cheers to the Holidays!

Joy to the world, the Holy days are upon us once again, and while most of the population of Hollywood (and beyond) is warding off their inner-Scrooge and venturing outdoors to flex those credit cards by participating in the age old tradition of extreme consumerism (beware the pepper spraying moms shopping at Walmart!)...

...I've decided to kick back once again, armed with a cold pint of my favorite brew in hand (Stella Artois), and take full advantage of great deals via the good ole' interwebs.  Cheers to life without Holiday stress!  

I've also taken advantage of the Hollywood "down-time" by revving up the creative engine and shepherding a number of new projects into development for 2012. 

Do you enjoy physical comedy?  Mystical adventure?  Sexy Genies?  The voice of God? 

Well these are just a few of the groovy elements that will be popping up in some of the new projects I'm developing, and as always, I promise I'll do my best to make you L.O.L. (that's "Laugh Out Loud" for all you social media-acronym challenged peoples).

The other day I was watching one of my favorite Holiday movies "Elf" and I got to thinking about Santa's sleigh breaking down in Central Park near the end of the flick.  Remember that part?  So sad.  The sleigh's jet engine broke and Santa pleaded for everyone to perk up their Christmas spirit to help make the sleigh fly again.  So there I was on the sofa, just as I had done so many times in the past during this part of the movie, yelling at the top of my lungs, "I believe!!!" 

Okay, perhaps that's a bit of an over-exaggeration, but I was definitely yelling it on the inside.  Then I got to thinking, wouldn't it be cool if Santa ditched the old fashioned sleigh and packed his trusty reindeer inside of an all-American hot rod?  I mean, who doesn't love a classic muscle car?  That would seriously rrrRRROCK!

Looking back at the past twelve months, I'm checking off the things I feel I've accomplished, the ways in which I've given of myself, and other ways I feel I could improve as a person.  I'm hopeful for a place on Santa's "nice" list again this time around.  

I still get excited for my favorite Holiday and for the quality time I get to spend with my family and friends.  When Christmas eve arrives, the six-year-old inside me still has the same reaction to the idea of Santa coming down the chimney (it's a very similar reaction to the video clip from "Elf" below).

I hope 2011 has brought you many gifts and blessed you with an abundance of growth, opportunity, and joy at every turn.  I look forward to celebrating a brand new year and hearing about all of your amazing accomplishments as we continue this magnificent journey called "life." 

Blessings and Happy Holidays! 

Matthew

Giving Thanks...

Here it is, the day before one of my all-time favorite Holidays, and as I sit here conjuring up the massive list of people, experiences and opportunities past and present for which I am grateful, I find myself decidedly overcome with a sheer abundance of nearly uncontrollable joy and gratitude.  

The year 2011 has undoubtedly been (equally) the most challenging and rewarding year of my life.  I've found myself taking on more creative responsibility and more risks, stumbling upon more obstacles, experiencing more success, and feeling more love in my heart than ever before.


I give thanks for the love, support and blessings from my immediate and extended family, near and far.


I give thanks for all of my friends and the new friendships that have graced my life and brought joy and happiness this past year.


I give thanks to the love of my life, who willingly co-creates and shares in all of the joy and happiness I have been blessed with, and continue to be blessed by.  November 9th marked our one-year anniversary and I very much look forward to celebrating our 20th, 50th and beyond.  I am eternally grateful for you, Kristen!   

I give thanks for the enthusiastic guidance and gracious support of my entertainment family, Barry and Melanie, and for all of the wonderful opportunities you have blessed me with this past year.  Thank you! 

I give thanks to the Leaps 'n Boundz Foundation, for giving me the opportunity to give of myself in support of an amazing community.  Thank you! 

Last but certainly not least, I give thanks to the eternally benevolent Universe, for continuing to lend an abundance of inspiration and opportunity, and for doing so in the most magical and awe-inspiring ways.  

Looking to the horizon and beyond, I find myself filling with excitement for the joy and happiness that I am certain awaits each and every one of us if we so choose it.  I hope you are filling with excitement as well, because the gift of life that we've been blessed with resides here and now.  It is here in "the present" moment that we get to declare to the magnificent Universe who and what we are.  Everything else follows that declaration, and I look forward to giving thanks every day for the next year and beyond for this expanding awareness.  


Here's to wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving, and the Happiest of Holidays. 


Cheers! 

Matthew & Kristen

Hi Friends!

Matthew Prater dropping a line to say "hello" and welcome you to a brand new creative space.  I plan to use this nifty little outlet to share my adventures in the entertainment biz, and I am forever grateful for your gracious support and positive energy as I incorporate this platform into my social circles.

The wheels are spinning so quickly these days it's becoming quite a challenge to see which way is up or down.  I am eternally grateful for this experience, although I find myself in awe of how quickly time is flying by.  Seems like yesterday I was landing in L.A. for the very first time, wet behind the ears and eager to plant my roots in Hollywood.

Nearly 12 years later, a major part of me is still feeling like the sprite 21 year old (photo above) yearning to make my mark in Hollywood, and I find myself reciting the same inspirational lyrics from that classic tune by Tom Petty...

"Runnin' Down a Dream"
 
Now that the creative juices are warmed up and flowing gracefully, I have a few things to share with you in this inaugural post.  The first is a link to a little bit of press I received recently, and I'd like to thank Alexandra Juryte for the terrific opportunity.  Kindly check it out and leave a comment below. 

Revolution 360 - The Contender

For those of you who get a kick out of Superbowl commercials, our talented production team consisting of Steve Broxterman (Director of Photography/Editor), Amelia Yaron (UPM/1stAD), Cameron Selan (Sound Mixer), Robert Robbins (Actor/Lighting), Anissa Roberts (Exec Producer/Actress), and little ole' me in the director's chair produced a very entertaining spot that is receiving some terrific feedback.  Special thanks to Anissa Roberts for creating this great opportunity and for donating her beautiful house for the location.  Check it out and let us know what you think! 

Doritos "Midnight Rendezvous"

In other news, a project I had the privilege of co-producing recently titled "The Funny Man," an original 10-episode thriller/horror web series created and directed by award winning filmmaker Jake Barsha, continues making waves via exclusive distribution on the second largest web platform in the world (DailyMotion.com).  In a short three weeks on the web, this series has surpassed 640,000 views in the U.S., been dubbed in French for international distribution, and received a special offer to premiere at the Cutting Edge Film Festival in the United Kingdom.

"The Funny Man" - Trailer

What's next on the slate?  Well, there's a lot of projects coming your way in the very near future including several web comedy series, entertaining commercials, a music video for a very talented indi rock band, and a few reality style "enthusiast" shows that are gearing up to pitch to major networks.

I thank you again for joining me on this adventure, and for sharing this blog with anyone you think might find interest in one man's epic journey through Lala Land.  I suppose I'll leave you with a personal favorite bit of inspiration, brought to you by my favorite rock band of all-time...  Foo Fighters.  ROCK 'N ROLL!!!