CREATIVE SPOTLIGHT: DEREK FEARON
Derek Fearon is an Associate Creative Director at MATTE who has been with the company since our humble beginnings as six people working out of a New York apartment.
At the time in 2014, Fearon was our first full-time Video Editor, and from that day forward, his career evolved with the company.
As MATTE flourished into a creative powerhouse, Fearon made his mark with positions across projects and departments—from Director of Post Production, to Film Director, to where he is today.
Over the course of eight years, Fearon came to define the archetype of talent that MATTE is known for cultivating: resourceful, passionate, visionary.
Explore our interview with Fearon below where he reflects on his past at MATTE and his vision for our future.
by the MATTE Editorial Staff
"One that stands out from this year was the project for Cartier and the Dallas Museum of Art, a collaboration between us, an impeccable local team in Dallas, and a really fun client."
MATTE: In your time at MATTE, is there a project that you will never forget?
DF: One that stands out from this year was the project for Cartier and the Dallas Museum of Art, a collaboration between us, an impeccable local team in Dallas, and a really fun client. There was great chemistry between all parties involved. And being on the road with Lennon and Mike* was so creatively fueling. I think it all came through in the result: really gorgeous cinematography of archival high jewelry.
*Lennon Chuang and Mike Czeizinger are colleagues at MATTE.
MATTE: Was there ever a time when achieving that desired result was particularly challenging?
DF: In late 2019, we worked with Bloomberg on a conference in China. And the project had us firing on all cylinders. There was an animated film that opened the conference, and another film to close out the conference that we turned around overnight with on-the-ground footage. We had to literally chase after China’s Vice President to get a shot of him. I ended up getting it on my iPhone. It was all so exciting. We got to capture our own drone shots of the Great Wall of China–a total dream come true. And collaborating with talented friends like Chiao, Alberto, Brigitte, and Gigi* is always such a pleasure.
* MATTE talents Alberto Mojica, Brigitte Bishop, and Gigi Compagno worked on film production, and Chiao Chen was on edit and color.
"What’s unique about MATTE is that it’s home to so many different types of talented people."
MATTE: You keep fondly mentioning your collaborators. What makes being part of this team so special?
DF: What’s unique about MATTE is that it’s home to so many different types of talented people. In any role here, you have a front row seat to how the rest of the organization operates, getting exposed to design, experiential, business management, budgeting, production, filmmaking. You know, it’s the result of doing all these different services under one roof, and also being a small business. It attracts certain types of people, and the passion we put in together breeds a strong community that just inspires me every day.
MATTE: Speaking of inspiration, are there any artists who you would consider an influence of yours?
DF: Well, outside of MATTE, I’ve always admired the Director Melina Matsoukas, the Creative Studio Lobster Eye, which includes the editor Ruth Hogben, and the filmmaker Maya Deren.
MATTE: Is there anything else that inspires you?
DF: History, nature, nightlife, musicians, pressure, New York.
MATTE: What’s your favorite place in New York?
DF: My apartment! Just kidding. To eat: Baz Bagel. To drink: The Grill. To dance: The Vale of Cashmere.
MATTE: Speaking of inspiration, are there any artists who you would consider an influence of yours?
DF: Well, outside of MATTE, I’ve always admired the Director Melina Matsoukas, the Creative Studio Lobster Eye, which includes the editor Ruth Hogben, and the filmmaker Maya Deren.
MATTE: Is there anything else that inspires you?
DF: History, nature, nightlife, musicians, pressure, New York.
MATTE: Let’s say you left the island of Manhattan and found yourself on a deserted island instead. What are the three things you would take with you?
DF: I would bring practical things like a hammock, a knife, and a notebook so I can keep working on a more clever answer to this question.
MATTE: How would you describe your work as a Creative Director?
DF: I really believe in the service-oriented part of our work as a creative agency. I take what the client says very seriously and my measure of success often is their reception of the finished product. I believe that the work is made better by those genuine collaborations. I also love interviews, strong characters, and untold history. Any chance to tap into those themes for a project is energizing to me.
MATTE: Is there anything else about your job you find energizing?
DF: There is so much I love about it: collaborating with amazing talent, mentoring new talent, traveling, working with on-screen talent. It’s a long list! One particularly special thing I love is constantly being reexposed to different industries and people. Apparel, spirits, hospitality, tech, music, automotive–you never know what’s coming with the next project. And I believe that new experiences are precious. So, we’re definitely rich in new experiences here.
MATTE: What do you envision for your future at MATTE?
DF: We’ve grown explosively in the last two years, and I know it’s not slowing down any time soon. We keep getting larger, reaching higher, moving faster. So, I’m looking forward to wherever that’s leading us.
MATTE: What projects are you most proud of?
DF: Two I am really proud of are “The Precious Garage,” a project we did with Cartier all over the country– our “Food Is Not Enough” campaign for the supplement creator Solaray, which resulted in a massive OOH Campaign with ads blanketing Times Square and 1 in every 10 subway cars.
MATTE: What's your philosophy of work?
DF: I believe in knowing who you are and delivering it 1000%– whether that’s personally as a Creative, or from the point of view of a brand making a statement.
Things from earlier in my career
My history at MATTE is long! I joined in 2014 when the agency was only 6 people– and operated out of one of the founder’s apartments. At that time, I was seeking a Video Editor positon– I was coming from the world of freelance editing– and MATTE hired me. I edited many early projects for us, as we grew rapidly. As departments developed, I led the Post Production team. Ultimately, I became interested in Directing and Creative, and began work as a Senior Creative a few years ago. Now, at our current scale, I lead a “pod” of creatives as an Associate Creative Director. I still am very interested in video projects, and even get back behind the editing controls sometimes– but have had so many other experiences over the years together.
I also love not being the only one at MATTE who has had a story like this. My colleagues across the company– River Myers, Lennon Chuang, Ariel Panigel, and more– each have a similar story of building a career within a fast growing company.
What's your philosophy of work?
"I believe in knowing who you are and delivering it 1000%– whether that’s personally as a Creative, or from the point of view of a brand making a statement."
THE PLAYLIST THAT INSPIRES DEREK
