Name: Anissa Matlock
Discipline: Writer, Director & Actor
Film: The Hunted
Logline: A sex-trafficker posing as Prince Charming drugs and kidnaps a young woman he perceives as weak, vulnerable, and alone… but deep in the woods of rural Georgia, he and his operation learn the hard way that Karma is a raging bitch.
Cinema Life Festival(s): Atlanta Women’s Film Festival
City you’re based in: Atlanta, GA, USA
Short Bio: Anissa Matlock is an Atlanta-based filmmaker, actor, and visual artist. Her directorial debut premiered at the Atlanta Film Festival in 2019, with a sequel premiering at the same festival the following year, and was purchased for distribution by Indican Pictures in 2022. The oldest of three born into a military family, Matlock credits her family’s frequent cross-country moves throughout her childhood for her imagination and adaptability in life and her work. Matlock can be seen on network shows such as ‘The Resident’, ‘Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches’, and the globally renowned new series ‘The Power’ on Amazon Prime, and sharing the screen with Gerard Butler in disaster film ‘Greenland’, and Pierce Brosnan in action-thriller ‘Fast Charlie’.
Website: Demoreel.com/anissamatlock
Social Media Links: IG @anissamatlock, @_no.eyed.deer, @wretchedsoil
Interests/ Hobbies: Visual Art, Amateur Entomology, Gaming

How did you get started in the Film Industry?
Always loved telling stories and performing. I started with zero connections and first got on set to learn how it all worked from Background Acting. Made friends with PAs and ADs, then started to PA until I met someone who referred me to their acting class and agency.

What are your upcoming and active projects?
THE HUNTED proof of concept is screening in its 4th festival this month, the feature script is complete and ready for pitching. I also have 2 other feature screenplays in the works, and 5 additional short scripts on deck for production.

What type of stories interest you and why?
I am interested in all kinds of stories — as long as they are told well.

What is your genre of choice?
When I write — Horror is my entree, with a side of dark comedy and occasionally sci-fi.

How are you creating a path for yourself in this industry?
I’m no longer waiting for opportunities to come to me. I am writing the stories I want to tell, and I’ve been fortunate enough to find a community that wants to hear them.

What inspires you as a storyteller?
The social and societal issues that mean the most to me will always come across in my work. I always start with a seed of truth, be it a convicting thought, or a personal experience or grievance with the way the world currently works.

How do you prep for a film, from writing to being on set?
Very meticulously, on both fronts.

When I write, I use a grid that I customized from a basic outline structure that I use to track the development of a script — it’s especially useful when I collaborate, to keep everyone on the same page in real time with less time spent in meetings.

I have a set plan going into production that has considered as many monkey-wrenches as possible, yet I remain adaptable.

What is the first thing you do when you get a script?
As an actor, I look up the writer/director/producers and their previous works for tonal comps. Then I’ll read it like a writer/director—before putting my actor hat on. It’s important to know how my character is meant to serve the scene/story. It helps to view it objectively first, and then step into the character’s shoes.

What are a few lessons you’ve learned from your recent project(s)?
I should learn more about editing, collaboration is important — the people you surround yourself with can elevate and refine your work. Trust your instincts, but be prepared to kill your darlings.

What practical tips do you have for indie filmmakers (budgeting, marketing, directing)?
Write for what you have access to already. If you raise a budget — prioritize in tiers: Camera Dept and their needs (including G&E), Sound, and Production design should be at the top of your list. Cap your hours reasonably, even if you’re not union, and feed your crew good food. They’ll appreciate it, and your set will operate more efficiently. Don’t do it if it isn’t going to bring you absolute joy.