HOBBY Signs Director André Maat

Amsterdam based director André Maat is known for his playful and highly visual style of comedy. Creative production company HOBBY will be representing him in Benelux, Scandinavia and the USA.

Quirky and surprising visual comedy has become André's trademark in both his commercial work and his short films (many of which have been recognised as Vimeo Staff Picks). “I always like my comedy to be grounded in reality,” said André. “For me, it’s about taking an everyday scene and putting a twist on it, without getting too whimsical. I love to find subtle humour in familiar situations.”

André made a name for himself making handcrafted films featuring ingenious visual trickery such as stop motion and forced perspective. “I learned how to do those practical, in-camera effects at the Art Academy in Berlin. It forces you to be much more creative, much more playful…and much more prepared. That’s the attitude I bring to all my commercials - a perfect storm of quirkiness and meticulous attention to detail.”

His unique comedy style makes for a perfect match with HOBBY, where he joins a roster bursting with comedy talent. “We’re super excited to be welcoming André to the HOBBY family,” said HOBBY executive producer Yara Hendriks. “He has such an amazing body of work and we’re looking forward to making lots more magic with him.”

“André is a one-of-a-kind director,” said HOBBY founder and CEO Oskar Bård. “His films are so funny, so smart – and they always look fantastic. I love how he makes commercials that people watch because they want to, not just because they’re served to them. I think he’s going to feel right at home here at HOBBY.”

As for André, signing with HOBBY seemed like a natural move. “I’ve always been a big fan and follower of HOBBY,” he said. “And since they’re doing such great work right here in my home market I thought it was about time we joined forces!”

Find out more about HOBBY here.