Temple Mathews
Screenwriter/Filmmaker/Author
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Aluminaries: Temple Mathews Writing His Way to the Screen
Temple Mathews, '76, describes himself as someone who never shies away from a challenge. He credits this attitude for getting him to Hollywood.
As a screenwriter for Disney, the Southern California-based Mathews authored a number of recognizable titles, including the 2002 animated film Return to Never Land.
"I managed to be one of the fortunate ones," Mathews says. "Writing has provided me with a living over the years."
Mathews has written a number of books as well. During the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America Strike, he wrote The New Kid, which later became a trilogy. He hopes to see it become a film.
In the future, Mathews would like to direct small or independent films. One of his movies on YouTube, Driving while Italian, has gone viral and has been viewed more than 750,000 times.
"You can think all you want," says Mathews, who has a bachelor's degree in communications from the UW. "But half of the creative process occurs simply by putting your hands on the keyboard and typing."
By ALMEERA ANWA Columns The University of Washington Alumi Magazine June 2011
 Growing up in Kirkland inspired author of 'The New Kid' series
Hunting demons, discovering secrets, and dealing with the difficulties of always being the new kid fill the pages of Temple Mathews' book, "The New Kid."
In this twisted tale of good vs. evil, Will Hunter, the main character, is ridding the world of evil one high school at a time.Mathews grew up in Kirkland and got a lot of his inspiration for "The New Kid" from his own experiences of being the new kid in school.
"It's such a universal experience people have. Being the guy that no one knows. You're both ostracized and looked upon with great curiosity," said Mathews, who now lives in Santa Monica, Calif.
The demons discussed in the books are simply metaphors for the challenges everyone faces in life. Mathews brings those challenges to life in "The New Kid" and personifies them in demonic form.
The book takes place in and around Seattle and is geared toward young adult readers. It is a paranormal, action-based sci-fi series that has gained attention and popularity.
Mathews was featured in the June issue of Columns, the alumni magazine of the University of Washington.
Cheyenne, who reviewed "The New Kid" online at smartpopbooks.com, said, "The action was fantastic. The fights appeared in my mind just like thriller movies. It was a good vs. evil plot that I couldn't get enough of!"
It's reviews like this that encouraged Mathews to turn "The New Kid" into a three-part series, or trilogy.
The series promotes a positive message of strength and forgiveness. It's a combination of turning the other cheek, but being ready to strike when you need to defend yourself.
When writing the book, Mathews started without knowing what the ending was going to be. He was free-flowing while writing the novel, and the twist at the end evolved. He didn't know it was going to be that way.
While a student at the UW, Mathews became interested in filmmaking. He said he made some films and won awards at the Bellevue Film Festival years ago.
He eventually became a cameraman at KIRO-TV, then moved to Los Angeles to write screenplays.
During the writers' strike of 2007, Mathews' manager asked if he had any good ideas for writing a novel. The idea of "The New Kid" came to him.
Patrick Hughes, founder of Hughes Capital Entertainment and Mathews' manager, went into the film business when he was 16 years old. He went on to San Diego State University and then the American Film Institute.
Mathews has been one of his clients for the past 10 years. "Mathews is one of the most creative guys I've had the pleasure of working with," said Hughes.
The good thing about screenplays is that it is fun to go out and make a movie, Mathews said.
But, he added, everyone comments on a script to tell you how it could be improved. With a book, however, there is a sense of completion and great satisfaction when receiving emails from fans.
Mathews said he was attracted to the challenge of writing a really good story. The hardest part for him is sitting down and having a deadline and not knowing what to write.
His advice: "Just sit down and start writing because sometimes you're just a conduit. Everything you need to write you already have within you."
Mathews' daughter, a 22-year-old actress, was an inspiration for one of his more recent screenplays, "Picture This," starring Ashley Tisdale. He is currently working on a project with his daughter.
"To become a good writer, read, read, and read some more," he said. "Whatever you're going to do, start fairly early and find a sense of enjoyment in it. Ignore the naysayers and give yourself the time to push through to put the words down on paper."
By STARR BURROUGHS
Kirkland Reporter UW Newslab
September 9, 2011
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