Whether it's landmark natural history for Netflix and the BBC, or intimate stories between humans and wildlife for commercials and brands, Mateo stumbles his way through the understory of nature, searching for, in the wise words of Werner Herzog, 'an ecstatic truth'.
Human-animal relationships weave their way through the majority of Mateo's work, a reflection of his semi-wild childhood in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
He's poured heart and soul into many landmark series, including Planet Earth 2, Blue Planet 2 , Our Planet, Dynasties, Life Story and Frozen Planet, and made highly acclaimed films for National Geographic and Netflix.
His incredible talent for guiding human interactions with the natural world also shines through in his commercial work. Mateo has produced charming work for the likes of Battersea Dogs & Cats, Frontline Plus, Petzl, as well as for musicians like James Blake.
As executive producer and director, he's most recently been a part of Omnivore. This premium doc series explores human culture through the lens of food, and is steered by the creative vision of Cary Fukunaga, director of Bond - No Time to Die, and Rene Redzepi, of Noma fame. Currently, he's writing a fictional feature based on a woman's search for a whale, for Brouhaha Entertainment, and has just finished directing a film for Apple TV on our troubled relationship with tuna.
Davide Cantelmo, lead Directors’ Agent at The Visionaries, has this to say about the signing: “Meeting the person behind your favourite piece of entertainment is rare. It's even rarer to find that they are not only skilled filmmakers but also exceptional individuals. This was my experience with Mateo Willis, a driven creative talent and seasoned storyteller who has transformed the way we narrate animals' lives. From pioneering new technologies to capture elusive subjects, to his commitment to presenting the stark impact humans have on our planet, Mateo stands out in the world of nature documentaries. Representing him commercially is a great honour, and I see a bright future for him and The Visionaries.”