Matt Checkowski and Kurt Mattila have already become one of today’s most innovative directing duos, combining their extensive and award-winning background of graphic design with an acute sense of visual and aural style. Their visionary storytelling technique has garnered them notices as directors to watch both inside and outside of the industry.

Checkowski and Mattila directed their first feature film, “Lies and Alibis,” for Sony Pictures Entertainment. The film, written by Collin Friesen and Noah Hawley, is a witty “sting” comedy about a man who creates alibis for cheating spouses. When circumstances force him to confront his own criminal past to get a client out from under a murder charge, he finds himself in over his head. The film stars Steve Coogan, Rebecca Romijn, Sam Elliott, James Marsden, Selma Blair, James Brolin, and John Leguizamo and debuted at the closing night festivities of the CineVegas Film Festival. The film went into theatres after a great Los Angeles premiere at the AFI fest.

Checkowski and Mattila recently finished reinvigorating the Monday Night Football franchise, for ESPN, with a new cinematic look for each game and a state-of-the-art graphics package. As creative consultants for the network, Checkowski and Mattila oversaw the entire broadcast package, including writing and directing the new Monday Night Football open starring a different celebrity every week, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eva Longoria, Ashton Kutcher and Samuel L. Jackson. The premiere season of ESPN Monday Night football, thanks to the mandate of excellence established by the network, went onto to become the highest rated program in the history of cable television.

Prior to directing their feature debut with “Lies and Alibis,” Checkowski and Mattila gained extensive practical experience in the world of graphic design, filming and editing commercials and product and brand films, as well as theatrical trailers and numerous feature film title sequences. Checkowski and Mattila are perhaps best known to audiences for their work with director Steven Spielberg. The duo created the dream sequences for Spielberg’s acclaimed science fiction masterpiece “Minority Report,” starring Tom Cruise and Samantha Morton. Having successfully spearheaded the look and style of these arresting futuristic images, Spielberg coined the epithet “Black and Decker” for Checkowski and Mattila, representing their keen knack for creative problem solving and technological precision.

Focusing on key thematic elements of a story, Checkowski and Mattila use their visual expertise and a longstanding admiration of masterworks from directors like Spielberg and The Coen Brothers to craft films which meld the best of human emotion and cinematic spectacle. Drawing inspiration from design, architecture, comic books, and classic films, the duo often begin the directing process with animatics, drawings, and short videos to systematically bring a basic story to visual life.

Prior to their experience with Spielberg, Checkowski and Mattila spent several years at Imaginary Forces, crafting design and editorial work for directors including Ridley Scott and Michael Mann. Checkowski’s body of work includes an office for IBM that responds to its inhabitants, a stadium and broadcast identity for the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers, and digital signage that spans a full New York City block for Morgan Stanley. Checkowski graduated from North Carolina State University School of Design. Mattila, a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design’s Film School, garnered a Student Academy Award for his comic book inspired short “Johnny Zero.” Mattila also functions as the duo’s editor and has a background in music and sound design, a skill set that he has applied to several title sequences, commercials and film teasers.

The Boston natives are currently working on their next film project in Los Angeles, collaborating on a political thriller with former national security advisor Richard A. Clarke.

20th Century Fox
Absolut Vodka
American Center for Design
Baltimore Ravens
Bellsouth
Budweiser
Buena Vista Pictures
Cadillac
Central DuPage Hospital
Coca-Cola
Coors Light
Davie Brown Entertainment
DestiNY USA
Dreamworks SKG
Endgame Entertainment
ESPN
IBM Corporate
IBM Global Services
IdN Flips
LOGO / MTV Networks
Matter Art+Science
McDonalds
Morgan Stanley
New York Rangers
Nike
Portland Blazers
Showtime
Summit Entertainment

Universal Interactive
USA Networks
Wexner Center for the Arts