Field Producing on Last Week Tonight & Tackling Vimeo’s EU/UK Problem

In this episode, GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman sit down with filmmaker and producer Matthew Scheffler, whose unique path through the industry includes five seasons field producing for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and producing shows like Random Acts of Flyness and Black Twitter: A People's History. Matthew shares his journey from faking his way into the industry to directing his own Victorian horror short The Traveler, while raising three kids and navigating the shifting landscape of indie filmmaking. The episode also revisits the growing frustration Vimeo users in the UK and EU face due to regulatory changes, sparking a larger conversation on platform responsibility and the future of video hosting for filmmakers.

In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman, and guest Matthew Scheffler discuss...

• How Matthew went from commercials in Boston to producing Emmy-winning segments for Last Week Tonight

• The real challenges of transitioning from production roles into directing

• How working in production sharpened his creative instincts

• The long road to making The Traveler, a Victorian horror short shot on Staten Island

• Why Vimeo has become inaccessible in the UK/EU and what it means for indie filmmakers

• A listener’s UK-based perspective on the loss of Staff Picks and public search

• Vimeo’s official response to the criticism and the broader implications of global tech regulation

Memorable Quotes:

• "You kind of lie within the parameters...lying about a location where you live. I agree with you—chances are if I had said I was moving, they would have just given it to my friend who already lives there."

• "I've never been on a production where the budget matched the creative. Ever."

• "You just have to decide what you need to cut out—because when you have kids especially, you can't really cut them out."

• "Filmmakers built Vimeo. They shouldn't forget that."

Guests:

• Matthew Scheffler

Resources:

• The Traveler Instagram: @thetraveler_film

• Matthew’s Instagram: @ironschef2021

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•  📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: podcast@nofilmschool.com

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