Spearheading the Next Chapter of Riff Raff US with Matthew Clyde

Riff Raff Films has announced that Matthew Clyde is moving across the pond to lead Riff Raff US as managing EP of USA and Canada, based out of its LA office. As well as managing a range of directors, the former UK-based EP is tasked with growing the American side of the business, which has now existed for three years. 

Matthew started in the industry in 1996 and prior to joining Riff Raff in 2021, he spent over 15 years producing and AD-ing, running the floor in TV commercials and live broadcast performances - working with talent including Michael Jackson, ACDC, Beyonce, Madonna, Tina Turner, Eminem and more. In 2012, he became a producer for award-winning campaigns at a variety of UK production companies. 

His first brush with the States came after a project with Michael Caine and Breck Eisner granted him entry to the Directors Guild of America (DGA).  As one of the few commercial DGA 1st ADs based in the UK, he then began to work with many US directors; Joe Pytka, Henry Alex-Rubin, Andreas Nilsson, Tim Godsall, Noam Murro, Nick Ball, Gia Coppola, Darius Marder, Kathryn Bigelow, to name a few. Describing the differences in culture, he says, “The US is more transactional than the UK. Directors spend less time on their projects as the post process tends not to be inclusive, which is a big learning curve for our UK roster that works there.”

Looking to maintain a more British approach upon arrival, he continues, “As a company, we should continue to work with the same ethos we have in the UK where we want to be part of the production from pitching to delivery. We won’t take every script that comes our way, rather, we’ll continue to forge relationships and engage in ideas and craft.”

Matthew joined Riff Raff’s UK team two and half years ago, and after two decades of freelancing - as well as some positive experiences with Riff Raff talents like director Finn Keenan - he welcomed the change in career direction. “Not only did it (seemingly) offer some regularity to my life, but I also felt like it was a new chapter and, to be honest, felt right at the time.”

Reflecting on his time there, he says that being part of the inner workings of a leading global production company has been a valuable lesson in itself. “But perhaps the most valuable is having your instincts supported and confirmed by a very inclusive group of colleagues,” he says. “Having started as a runner at [production company] Godman in 1996, I never lost my sense of awe and wonder (and sometimes dread) of commercial production; that pit-of-the-stomach feeling that feeds the imposter syndrome has now pretty much gone. I’m at a company that encourages radical thinking and rewards hard work and good ideas.”

Describing the company further, Matthew explains that Riff Raff’s DNA is a simple combination of ideas and craft, with a culture that keeps the idea at the heart of every project. “Nearly all our directors have developed through music video where they are the ones that write and execute the idea,” he says. “And this is where developing directors comes in as another sequence of Riff Raff’s DNA - it informs the type of people we represent. Making music videos also allows you to find and build craft within the company. It makes you think about how far money goes and who is interested in the craft, with regards to production.”

Riff Raff’s presence in the US shifted gear in 2020, thanks to Francois Rousselet’s Just Eat campaign with Snoop Dogg, which required a substantial LA production. From there, the company saw an increased flow of scripts from its reps - Bueno, Baer Brown and Hunky Dory - and decided it needed someone with an intimate knowledge of the Riff Raff DNA to manage the company locally. 

“Personally speaking, I have a lot of family connections in the US, specifically LA,” says Matthew, “and being a dual national I had always thought I might end up there, it was just a question of timing.”

So, working with owner Matthew Fone to jointly build the US office, it was decided he would be the person to carry over Riff Raff’s values to the US - not just to represent the company’s UK directors in the US, but to sign local talent with music video backgrounds that can be developed into commercial experts. One key, quintessentially-Riff Raff attitude that Matthew is insistent on maintaining is: “If the idea is not good, it’s not worth doing no matter the money.” 

“[LA-based director] Omar Jones is a great example of this,” he says. “He is Riff Raff through and through - a natural fit and born in the hot fires of music video. Within 12 months of being signed, he is making significant strides in the commercial sphere. At the close of 2023, he pitched and won an innovative campaign for an apparel brand which we are very excited to be part of.”

Working with talent like Omar, Matthew says his experience running sets as a 1st AD - a role that is “part-psychiatrist, -parent, and -negotiator” - lets him known when to push people, when to allow for discovery and, occasionally, when to be a pain in the ass. “I’ve learnt to analyse what best serves the creative and hold onto that while negotiating the maelstrom of opinion, both good and bad. What’s that Rudyard Kipling poem? ‘If you can keep your head about you…’.”

Discussing his personal ambitions for the role, he adds that all businesses need to diversify for the long term while keeping the ‘if it ain’t broke’ mantra at the forefront. “Riff Raff attracts talent, and we will need to be open to what opportunities that brings in, whatever form it is manifested in.” 

Some of these opportunities have already manifested for the company’s US office, with the standout work from 2023 including The Sacred Egg’s Smirnoff Campaign with McCann New York and a collaboration with Anomaly NY for TopGolf, which Matthew describes as “a joy to witness”. 

He adds that Max Siedentopf’s Emmy-winning Nickelodeon project with Callen also demonstrated Riff Raff’s reach in shepherding talent across 2D and 3D animation, claymation and live action – and was “downright silly in the best possible way”. Not to mention, Smith & Foulkes’ masterfully crafted Honda project with RPA and everything Danilo Parra brings to the table with his close working relationship with MAL. 

“Alongside all of this, in 2024 we predict that Rich Hall, Finn Keenan and Humans will bring that much talked about injection of humour we are all lusting after, David Wilson will up-the-ante with his signature flair and our new signing in Morten Tyldum will bring cinematic assuredness yielding, I’m sure, some standout campaigns.”

Looking out across this fresh horizon and seeing a multitude of new opportunities for Riff Raff in the US, Matthew shares his admiration for a whole host of agencies - and potential collaborators. “Mischief are really interesting, Johannes Leonardo’s work with Kraft continues to entertain, Mike Byrne at Anomaly is an out and out genius and Goodby, The Majority, Mother, Party Land and Nils’ New York opening with Uncommon looks exciting too. Another one to watch will be Mike Hasinoff and Thom Glover’s new venture, in American Haiku.” 

“In short,” he says, embarking on his American adventure, “if you have a good idea, send it to us.”