Adventure film – Transformer
Transformer is a 3 minute film about first experiences in the mountains told through the mind´s eye of a four year old with the help of AI. It was filmed in 2023 during antipodean winter in the El Arrayán valley in the foothills above Santiago de Chile. It was filmed and edited by Matt Maynard.
Client – Patagonia
Patagonia funded a 6 month environmental story telling project in 2023 called El Despertar del Río. It sought to reconnect Santiago´s citizens with their remaining rivers and water sources. Matt worked with dancers to interpret the water cycle, narrating its course from High Andean glaciers to the mouth of the Pacific Ocean in San Antonio. El Cicatriz del Río is the second of three videos in this mini series. It examines the relationship Santiaguinos have with the Mapocho and Maipo Rivers as they pass through the capital city.
Documentary film – Wala
Wala is a 16 documentary film from the world´s southerly most inhabited island, Isla Navarino. Its narrative weaves the story of two modern adventurers sent to Tierra del Fuego to map the island´s trails, with the pre-history of the island´s indigenous inhabitants the Yagán. Wala challenges the traditional adventure narrative and invites viewers to reflect on what they seek when going into the world´s wild places. Production by AndesHandbook. Witten, directed, filmed and edited by Matt Maynard. This March 2023 it played as part of the Santiago Wild film festival in association with National Geographic. Wala was filmed in 2020 on Isla Navarino.
Documentary film – Ojos del Salado Sky Race
Ojos del Salado Sky Race is a 9 minute documentary film from the world´s highest ever trail race. It follows the story of two runners –23 year old Domi Villarino and 64 year old Jaime Hume – as they relive their race towards the summit of the planet´s highest volcano. The film was made using post event interviews, combined with race still photography and drone footage. Matt was at the 6,493m finish line of the race to shoot the photography in December 2022. The film was produced with Latitud Sur, edited the following year in March and April by Matt and was released in May 2023 on Vimeo
Client – The Guardian
In February 2022 Matt travelled to Patagonia for the Guardian to tell the conservation story of the diminutive huemul deer. Through interviews with wildlife experts in the field and five days stalking the animal in its native habitat, Matt filmed and edited this short for the Guardian. The film accompanied his story and photo set for the Guardian about the rewilding potential of the the huemul throughout Patagonia and was published on May 29th. You can see Matt´s film, his photos and story, ¨The Case of the disappearing deer¨– here.
Documentary film – Queremos parque
Queremos Parque is a 34 minute environmental about the Chilean grassroots campaign that seeks to democratise mountain access in this long thin country and create a 142,000ha national park in a wilderness area on the outskirts of Santiago. Access to the Olivares and Colorado valleys is currently restricted by a controversial hydroelectric power plant and the only way to access the area was covertly entering the Valle Colorado in a cattle truck. Accompanied by three Chilean activists and mountaineers, Matt spent four days filming and photographing this wilderness area for the Queremos Parque film. Queremos Parque was financed by Patagonia. It was directed and edited by Victor Leyton. The director of photography was Álvaro Díaz.
Documentary film – Qué viene ahora (What´s next)
Qué viene ahora (What´s next) is a 34 minute gravel bike adventure documentary about the 1000km Across Andes race in Chile´s Araucanía region. The film, financed by Specialized bikes, takes viewers on a journey rich with volcanoes, monkey puzzle trees and charging coastal surf. Matt was the production still photographer for Qué viene ahora. The film was directed and edited by Andrés Figueroa.
Documentary film – A Handful of Dust
A handful of dust is a 57 minute documentary film, made for streaming on Movistar Play, about the 2020 Fireflies Patagonia gravel bike ride Fireflies Patagonia. Matt was the production still photographer for the film. A handful of dust was directed by Jay Brasier-Creagh, produced by Phil Tidy and edited by Ross Hallard.
Client – Vivir Más Feliz Foundation
Matt Maynard´s photography from three years shooting the Fireflies Patagonia bike raid was published in this beautiful book about the ride in 2021. All proceeds go to Chilean child cancer research centre Troi, and the Vivir Más Feliz foundation.
Client – Collaboration with Kings College London
An air pollution investigation by bicycle. In 2018 Matt Maynard cycled an overland route passing every stop on the London Underground´s Northern Line to see if a bicycle journey exposed you to more air pollution than taking the tube. The PM2.5 measuring device was provided by King´s College London. Our data collected, when compared to KCL´s, showed that PM2.5 levels were significantly lower for cyclists making the journey than Tube travellers. Production by Earth Rise Productions. Filming and editing by Jimmy Hyland.