Matt has recently completed his debut feature ‘Row’, a psychological thriller made for cinema. This Independent British film is a collaboration with a cast of note-worthy actors including Sophie Skelton (Outlander) and Bella Dayne (Troy: Fall of A City). Its ambitious conceit was only made possible through his innovative ‘in-camera’ approach.
This follows on from a string of short independent dramas which he both directed and edited. Already a multi award winning director of promos, he has won more than 100 high-end commissions for TV and cinema.
While directing commercials for numerous international brands such as Mercedes-Benz Sony and Coca Cola he has also been recurrently employed by major British TV broadcasters. Between 2006 and 2016 he made a significant contribution to the design and direction of the BBC circle idents and directed special drama sequences to promote TV programmes for BBC, ITV and Sky TV. Including the highly acclaimed award-winning cinema trailer for Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary.
Matt now seamlessly blends directing and editing. His work spans a diverse range of broadcast and digital media.
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Inspired by real-life expeditions, the film follows a failed transatlantic world record attempt that sees a woman washed ashore on a rowing boat, who must piece together her memories to prove her innocence regarding her missing crew.
Filmed in Caithness, Scotland, Row is the feature debut of UK-based director Matthew Losasso, who wrote the film alongside Nick Skaugen. Outlander star Sophie Skelton, Bella Dayne, Akshay Khanna, Mark Strepan, Tam Dean Burn and Skaugen are among the cast.
Skaugen produced the film for his UK company Immortal Elements.
“It’s been a long journey getting to this point and despite the practical difficulties of creating a film set out at sea, in an isolated yet visually stunning location, it has been worth it to create such an unusual and gritty-feeling film,” said Skaugen, while KFD CEO Spencer Pollard described it as “a tense, brilliantly- made, best-of-British thriller.”
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Psychological survival thriller, ROW, has just had its test screening at the Duke of York's cinema. The Edit are proud to have finished the sound on Director Matt Losasso's and Writer Nick Skaugen's captivating feature film, teaming up with Splice Post on picture. It's a compelling and imaginative story, brought to life by an incredible cast including Outlander's Sophie Skelton.
Watching it come to life on the big screen at the Duke of Yorks cinema in Brighton was a joy for the whole team, and even though the team have seen it many times during production, it still keeps them on the edge of their seats with every viewing. This film is set to make waves!
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Sophie Skelton has played Brianna Fraser in Outlander since 2016, when she joined the cast in season two but she is set to take on a new role on the big screen.
Many will best know Sophie Skelton as Brianna Fraser - Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser Fraser's (Sam Heughan) grown up daughter – on the hit historical drama Outlander.
However, the actress has just landed a new role in the upcoming movie Row.
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Any thriller worth its weight in cinematic gold needs a solid opening act with a premise which is dangerously razor sharp and which instantly puts our shackles up. Mood and atmosphere generally needs to be established right out of the gate, as well as solid characterization of people we can root for (and against). Davin Fincher has nailed all of the above - and a whole lot more - during his directing career (Seven, Zodiac) as has Oliver Stone (JFK, U-Turn) and Danny Boyle (Shallow Grave). Of closure, the real maestro when it comes to structuring a taut suspense thriller has long been the nigh legendary Alfred Hitchcock (Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds). So what's a director in 2023 or 2024 to do to follow those Masters of Suspense? Well, if you're visionary helmer Matthew Losasso you grab your paddles, slide on your galoshes and life preserver and, along with wordsmith Nick Skaugan, set course on the open waters with a tiny boat...and Row.
From our Lifeboat and Dead Calm aficionados over at The Hollywood Reporter comes the news today that freshman director Matthew Losasso has filled out his cast for the upcoming thriller entitled Row. Jumping aboard this who and whydunnit are Mark Trepan, Sophie Skelton, Bella Dayne and Akshay Khanna. Screenwriter Nick Skaugan also has a plum role in this new feature film.
According to Losasso, Row, looks to be a real pip: "An immense ocean appears to stretch infinitely in all directions and yet on board the Valiant, the lack of space fuels paranoia and intense drama. It’s a compelling and fabulously ambitious script," explained Losasso in a recent interview. "If filming on water wasn’t enough of a challenge, throw in a twisty dark plot, complicated techniques to avoid green screen backdrops, a commitment to capture the rugged beauty of ocean landscapes and the constraints of independent filmmaking."
Hey, if the directing gig doesn't pan out, Avon would welcome this natural born salesman with open arms.
More specifically, Row has to do with a woman who finds herself washed ashore on a rowing boat which is covered with blood. It's a real Mary Celeste- type of mystery with no crew members to be found by this hapless woman who has no memory of what could have possibly occurred. We're going to venture whatever did happen, it wasn't good.
Row is set to begin filming next month in the Scottish Highlands.
The 'Outlander,' 'Troy: Fall of a City' and 'Red, White & Royal Blue' stars will appear in the film, from director Matthew Losasso and writer Nick Skaugen and revolving around a woman who washes ashore on a blood- stained rowing boat.
Sophie Skelton (Outlander, Blackbird), Bella Dayne (Troy: Fall of a City, Humans) and Akshay Khanna (Red, White & Royal Blue, Chloe) are set to lead the cast of U.K. thriller Row, now in preproduction and set to start shooting in Scotland in the coming weeks. The film - the feature debut of director Matthew Losasso and writer Nick Skaugen, who also stars - revolves around a woman who washes ashore on a blood-stained rowing boat. With all of her crew mates missing, presumed dead, she must try and piece together fractured memories of the ordeal to prove her innocence. Mark Strepan (Before We Die) has also joined the cast.
"An immense ocean appears to stretch infinitely in all directions and yet on board the Valiant, the lack of space fuels paranoia and intense drama. It's a compelling and fabulously ambitious script," said Losasso. "If filming on water wasn't enough of a challenge, throw in a twisty dark plot, complicated techniques to avoid green screen backdrops, a commitment to capture the rugged beauty of ocean landscapes and the constraints of independent filmmaking."
Row begins principal photography in September, shooting in the Scottish Highlands. With the aim of moving away from reliance on postproduction VFX, the production team has constructed a bespoke water tank on the edge of the ocean. This will be used to enable action sequences to be captured cinematically on water and “in-camera," which filmmakers hope will help retain raw reality of the elements. The design of the tank has been overseen by production designer Alex Jones Nash.
Skaugen produces alongside line producer Matt Schichter.
Dayne is repped by Identity Agency Group, Agenteur Vogel and Cultivate Entertainment. Skelton is repped by Independent Talent Group and Alchemy. Skaugen is repped by Imperial Artists Agency. And Khanna and Strepan are with Independent Talent Group.
Marianne / directed by Matthew Losasso
The only truly experimental film of the first showcase features the narration of a man obsessing over a talented young woman whilst we see her exploring a rundown rural environment. Featuring gorgeous black and white photography Marianne is posessed of a surreal and engaging atmosphere. It’s enigmatic but undeniable captivating.
Matthew losasso's short film, 'Marianne' has been selected to be shown as part of the 2019 FrightFest film festival at Leicester Square London.
Filming begins for 'Row' September 2023, on location in Scotland.
September 27th 2023 - Day 8 of 'Row' shoot Sophie Skelton on set with director Matthew Losasso
14/2
Feb 2018
With heavy snow expected outside, I’m glad to be directing an interior scene. Just time for a last minute read through the script while camera is being rigged. Lets make a film!
Posted Jan 2017 BBC One idents - Really missing seeing these popping up on TV and iPlayer. They disappeared at the end of last year. These are the ones I directed in their original full length glory. They had a good run. Magic forest and Mission Control were shot nearly 10 years ago! Might be a record for an identity? Great to work with producer Ella Littlewood, creative director Charlie Mawer, Laura Gould and the all brilliant people at Redbee Media on these over the years.
Working on a Mercedes-Benz commercial at Park Royal Studios, London in 2016
February 10th, 2016
Arrived at ITV's London TV centre to direct Tom Bradley and Julie Etchington in a commercial for ITV News At Ten at 10.
Photo taken by our talented D.O.P. Richard Mott
On set for a music video - studio in Istabul 2015
An Indian street recreated in Malaysia for tracking shot. Matt Losasso directs for ‘Nonsense’ London Agency in November 2014
July 15th, 2013
Great to get to direct Dominic Cooper and Lara Culver in this a sumptuously colour graded production; Fleming. Graded at Framestore by Steffan Perry
What an incredible experience filming with Matt Smith and Jenna Coleman for 'The Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary' cinema commercial!
March 28th, 2012
Fantastic location and we got lucky with the weather. Two days of glorious sunshine in the middle of March 2012, definitely not typical of West London. At the time this was a complex of abandoned factory and office buildings used previously to manufacture vinyl records by EMI. This provided us with a massive forecourt and car park tucked away from real traffic and surrounded by incredible looking architecture. Carefully framed shots, a small collection of choice vehicles and a smoke machine provides fake fumes to complete the illusion. This, my 5th Little Big Planet intro, is set on a motorway as traffic has ground to a halt.
Sadly I wasn’t permitted to fully utilise Andrew Burnard’s parkour skills on these incredible buildings, for insurance reasons, but he did a pretty good skateboard jump for us from a low loader as he is seen escaping from the back seat of a vintage Ford Zephyr. Great stunt also from Addis Williams playing a cab driver, as he uses an ejector seat to escape his taxi and land in this retro blue MG convertible.
Ok I did have a bunch of very talented musicians with their own dance moves and the use of a small kitted out studio plus the greatly talented DOP Clive Norman and his gear. The rest was achieved with a large piece of polystyrene, painted black, hence the £10, and my laptop loaded up with ‘Final Cut Pro Express’ for editing and post. The camera viewed the band through our home made polystyrene window, seen here mounted between two light stands with me lurking in the shadows. Luckily I really liked this track, so happy to listen to it the million times I had to, while directing, editing and posting for hours and hours. We created the ‘Queen of Alimony’ promo for the Holy Vessels in the summer of 2012 . Sadly the ‘Holy Vessels’ are no longer performing and Banana Park Studio, where it was filmed, is no more.
Production stills for 'Catalyst'.Top: Shelley Conn, bottom: Matt and Co-producer Bridie Harrison
Preparing to shoot a scene for a 2010 Little Big Planet intro.I was secretly filmed showing young Ellis how to space walk at this minimalist kitchen location in South London.
