Behind the scenes of Matinee ‘24
How we hosted our first ever film showcase🎬
At the studio, we believe in celebrating every milestone. It’s a big part of how we conclude any project at LastBench - whether it’s a quick 5 minute screening of one of Najeeb’s animated shorts, or a Monday Morning session where Nikhil takes us through the behind-the-scenes of his latest live-action film. Celebrating our work and sharing it with the larger team inspires us as creators to do what we do best. But what happens when we decide to take that celebration outside our walls?
Around early August, an idea began to take shape at LastBench. Our founder, Sriram, casually suggested bringing everyone we know— clients, collaborators, and creative partners—together under one roof. Imagine the conversations, the energy, the exchange of ideas and creative process with so many like-minded individuals.
It was clear that this wasn’t just about hosting a viewing experience—it was an opportunity to showcase our finest work from the year. And just like that, Matinee '24 was born.
Over the next few weeks, we dove headfirst into planning. With each team focused on a specific mission, from curating the event flow to handling logistics, the energy was palpable. An intimate guest list of 50-60 was formed and we wanted to make sure that every single person felt both welcomed and inspired, from the moment they walked in to the moment they left. And so our team curated an experience that felt personalised.
At the core of Matinee was what we do best—visual storytelling. Our design team took the lead, crafting a visual identity that would set the tone for the entire experience. From making a unique logo, striking invites and even dabbling in merchandise for the very first time, we made sure that every touchpoint felt uniquely LastBench. And as a gesture of our appreciation, each guest left with a custom tote bag filled with hand-picked goodies, including postcards and stickers—personalised keepsakes to remind them of the day.
But we didn’t stop there. The grid design featured on the back of our Matinee tees and tote bags wasn’t just a pattern—it contained Easter eggs inspired by some of our standout films. A little surprise for our guests, and a nod to the creative details we love to hide in our work.
A lot of thought also went into the careful curation of our handpicked films, and deciding how much time we dedicate to each segment. We premiered our select live-action films, animated films, and also our LastBench Originals. Each screening was followed by the talented minds behind it taking the centre stage, talking about their experiences working on projects and what drove them to create. It was our way of giving the world a front seat preview of life at a creative studio like ours. We are storytellers at heart, and we put in the time, effort and passion that a good piece of work demands.
Hosting Matinee has only reinforced our belief in the power of collaboration and creative storytelling. With Matinee '25 on the horizon, we’re eager to bring even more faces into the fold and continue this journey of sharing stories that inspire. See you next year—where the magic will unfold once again.
Watch our latest Front Seat episodes where we talk about the Making of Matinee and its Merch: