Emmy-Award Winner. team builder. rock enthusiast. do-it-yourselfer.

My career in video started accidentally. I was working my first job out of school as a food photographer’s assistant when a friend of mine sent me the link to a wedding videographer she had just hired. I didn’t really intend on watching any of his videos, but then I did and I was intrigued. This particular videographer had a style that captured my attention and a week later I started a wedding videography company.

For eight years I worked in that industry and made it to the top. My wife joined me a year or two into starting the company and we grew the company to the point where we had 6 full time staff and a few freelancers. We filmed all over the world and filmed weddings for celebrities, athletes and more. At one point, The Knot named our company one of the top 50 wedding vendors in the world.

In 2016, I wanted to try something new and worked six months for Bleacher Report. I was hired as a contractor to be a content creator for the Notre Dame football team. It was a tremendous learning experience. That gig lead to work with the Chicago Cubs and eventually a full time role at NBC Sports Chicago.

It was here where I got to hone my chops as a long form editor as I made several documentaries in my time there. One of them - “Hawk” - earned me my first Midwest Emmy award.

Once Covid hit, I got moved from NBC Sports to our regional NBC station. My new boss at NBC became a bit of a mentor to me and together we formed a new original content department at the station. We went on to create two very successful and award-winning shows - “It’s Okay to Ask Questions” and “Poochie & Pang.” One found its way onto Peacock and the other aired nationally after Saturday Night Live. We also produced an Emmy-award winning doc called “The Deadliest Year.” This doc earned national Emmy consideration.

And then U.S. Soccer came calling. The job at U.S. Soccer is by far the most difficult I’ve ever worked. Our content is based on a team we are with sporadically throughout the year. And when we’re with the team, their schedules are intense. And with all that in mind, we have a significant amount of partners that we need to brainstorm and create content for. So my job is to constantly brainstorm with my team, and be as organized as humanly possible so that we are extremely efficient when we are with the team. During our short windows of time with the team, we have to execute dozens of pieces of content without distracting the players from their most important job - winning soccer games.

When I’m not working, I’m writing and recording music or filming DIY videos. What can I say? I love to build things - videos, music, and house projects!

Matt Buckman

mattbuckman16@gmail.com