fiction.wikisort.org - Director

Matt Villines (June 5, 1977 – July 9, 2016) was an American film and television director, known for his work in comedy as one half of the comedic directing team Matt & Oz, with professional partner, Osmany Rodriguez.[1]

Early life and education

Villines was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 5, 1977.[2] He graduated from Bishop Kelley High School in 1995 and received his bachelor's degree in 2000 from the University of Oklahoma.[3] Villines then moved to Los Angeles, where he enrolled at the Los Angeles Film School.[1]

Career

Villines met his directing partner, Osmany "Oz" Rodriguez, while both were students at the Los Angeles Film School.[1][3][2] The duo soon collaborated to create comedic video shorts, first for an early incarnation of SuperDeluxe.com before joining Funny Or Die.[3] Known professionally as Matt & Oz, their Funny Or Die short digital films included "Charlie Sheen's Winning Recipes," "The Wire: The Musical" (2012), and "The New Guy on New Girl with Zooey Deschanel," as well as a parody of parody of the Bing Crosby and David Bowie duet, "Peace on Earth."[1][4]

Villines and Rodriguez were hired by Saturday Night Live in 2012 to direct pre-taped digital shorts.[1] Villines shorts at SNL included "(Home for the Holidays) Twin Bed," which was nominated for an Emmy Award in 2014.[3] The directing duo's other SNL Digital Shorts included "Darrell's House," "Sad Mouse," "Monster Pals," "Back Home Ballers," and "Jay Z Story."[1] Their memorable 2015 short, "A Thanksgiving Miracle," features family's Thanksgiving arguments interrupted by Adele's "Hello."[4]

Villines and Rodriguez directed Taran Killam in the film, Brother Nature, which was produced by Lorne Michaels.[1] The film, which finished production in 2014, was released on-demand in September 2016.[5]

Death

Villines was diagnosed with advanced kidney cancer in 2014.[1] He died on July 9, 2016, at the age of 39. He was survived by his wife, Linda, whom he married shortly before his diagnosis; his parents, Maggie and Elton Villines, and his sisters.[3]

References

External links

• Matt Villines at IMDb

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