Matthew started dance classes at the age of 9, learning jazz and tap along side his 2 younger sisters. He competed in many different eisteddfods around South East Qld including Wynnum, Brisbane, Ipswich, Beenleigh and The Gold Coast Eisteddfod. He competed in both solo and groups competitions.  He also performed in many different shopping centre promotions and live character suit shows. His favourite and mostly performed character was the loveable Humphrey B Bear. 

At the age of 19, Matthew travelled to Newcastle to complete his teachers diploma exam for the Les Griffith Tap Dancing Syllabus. Matthew was the first student from Queensland to pass his Tap teachers diploma for LGTDA. 

Matthew’s love of videography began when he was 14 years old. His school didn’t teach film and television, so together with a friend, began their own “video club”.

His involvement with filming dance started when he became friends with an eisteddfod videographer at the age of 15. Matthew happened to be competing in a dance eisteddfod and became friendly with the owner of the video company.

Over a few years, he taught Matthew the skills needed to shoot dance professionally. Matthew ended up doing extensive work experience with this company for a few years, after which they started employing him to do the second camera at end of year dance concerts. He remembers filming his first concert at the old Suncorp theatre in Brisbane for The Conroy Dance Centre.

During year 12 at high school, Matthew started doing work experience at Channel 7 in Brisbane. He would help news cameramen on location, sit in the studios control room and assist with the recording of children’s television shows. He was lucky enough to be invited back to the station after he completed high school to continue the work experience.

During one week of work experience, Matthew was helping the production company (Southern Star/Concept) with rehearsals of a new children’s game show called “A*MAZING”.  His job was to help the contestants get ready for the show, operate “fog” machines and hide letters and keys in a giant maze. After the week of rehearsals, Matthew was asked if he would like to continue working for them during the course of production, and get paid to do so. Matthew was over the moon, and accepted on the spot. He was thrilled be a part of an actual TV show, let alone to get paid to do so!.  Whilst working on the production of A*MAZING, channel 7 was also employing Matthew as a camera assistant. Matthew was working on such shows as Agro’s Cartoon Connection, Saturday Disney, Gladiators, Total Recall, Carols by Candlelight plus various news stories and sporting events. He continued working for Southern Star / Concept and Channel 7 for a further 2 years until the powers that be decided to move all non news production to other studios around Australia. Matthew will never forget the experiences and knowledge he gained from working at Channel 7.

Whilst Matthew was working at channel 7, he was also continuing to work at many dance eisteddfods and concerts all over Brisbane and the Gold Coast. He also started a full time Tafe course studying advanced film and Television.  One of the requirements to be accepted into the course, was to have more than 2 years experience in the industry. The yearlong course helped Matthew gain further skills in camera and production equipment use. He graduated with a Certificate 4 in advanced Film and Television Production.

At the end of 1997, Matthew was asked to take up a full time camera/editor position to film dance eisteddfods and concerts, plus seminars and training videos. Matthew accepted and thus started his full time career in the production of dance and performing arts performances.

In 2002, Matthew started operating a new business with a co-owner called Starlight Pictures.

Starlight Pictures quickly became popular in the eisteddfod circuit and Matthew was able to create and perfect his own style of mixing live performances. Due to personal circumstances, Starlight Pictures was closed in early 2011. This enabled Matthew to create his own video production company, Limelight Multimedia.

Completed year 12 at Mansfield State High School

Completed Cert 4 in Advanced Film and Television Production at TAFE

Completed Full Teachers Diploma for the Les Griffith Tap Dancing Academy

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT: