Matthew Buzzell

Matthew Buzzell serves as Professor of Film in the Department of Communication at Augusta University's Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. His dual appointment also includes the Department of Art and Design, reflecting his interdisciplinary practice spanning film production, video art, and screenwriting. With an MFA from the American Film Institute Conservatory and BFA from North Carolina School of the Arts, Buzzell bridges academic scholarship with professional filmmaking.

His educational background includes:

• MFA in Directing and Theatrical Production, American Film Institute Conservatory (1998)
• BFA in Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, North Carolina School of the Arts (1989)

Buzzell's research centers on experimental film production techniques and contemporary cinematic storytelling, with significant contributions to avant-garde video art and music film. His work explores the intersection of narrative structure and visual experimentation, particularly in music-based film formats and non-traditional storytelling approaches that challenge conventional cinematic forms.

His creative output demonstrates consistent evolution from early music videos through to recent experimental works, with recurring themes of auditory-visual relationships and minimalist narrative structures. The portfolio shows increasing sophistication in digital media manipulation while maintaining strong connections to analog film aesthetics and independent production values.

Award highlights include:

• Emmy nomination from The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (2013)
• Porter Fleming Foundation Grant (2015)
• Friend of the First Amendment recognition (2019)
• Best Script award in the Porter Fleming Literary Competition (2022)

Buzzell actively contributes to academic governance through multiple service roles including Program Coordinator for The Cinema Series since 2013, Committee Chair for Digital Nights, and membership on the Pamplin Pedagogy and Marketing committees. His professional service extends to community engagement with the Augusta Symphony Gala Committee and Westobou Festival film programming.

As Program Coordinator for The Cinema Series since 2013, Buzzell has cultivated campus film culture while maintaining his professional creative practice that includes broadcast work on PBS, Turner Classic Movies, and Netflix. His current projects continue to explore the boundaries between experimental film and music video formats.