Matěj František Preisler explores what happens when Romeo and Juliet land in the middle of an election campaign
When he was a kid, he would hover in front of the TV, convinced the whole thing could be run better. “I wanted to tell the people on screen where to go, when to move, and what to say,” Matěj František Preisler recalls today. He started by trying it at home, directing his own family at the dinner table, deciding who should sit where, and in what order, so it would “make dramatic sense.” The moment he learned directing could be studied, his career goal was crystal clear.
Matěj is a Prague native. He grew up in Libeň and now lives in Hostivař, just a short trip from the studios where Ulice is filmed. He comes from a musically oriented family where art was simply part of everyday life, he sang in the Kühn Children’s Choir, performed in several theatre productions, and even tried the piano. Music ultimately stayed a hobby, but in film he treats it as a crucial storytelling tool. For him it’s not only about beautiful images – it’s about context and emotion, which music can amplify in a way few other elements can.
He studied film directing at FAMO in Písek, completing a master’s programme focused on scripted work. From the start, it was obvious what drew him most: working with actors, precise casting, and building situations that feel alive and believable. During his master’s studies, he also got his first real taste of television. He took part in a course supported by one of the commercial TV stations, designed to open doors into the industry. The experience of shooting a series gave him valuable skills – but once production wrapped, it didn’t automatically translate into further work. Maybe that’s why he approached CME Content Academy far more seriously. Before submitting his application, he spoke with alumni, followed previous cohorts, and did his homework on who was behind the project. The partnership between TV Nova and FAMU, names like Michal Reitler, and the opportunity to stay in close contact with Nova’s leadership ultimately convinced him.
“It felt like someone offering a helping hand,” he says. “One year after school – a year of TV theory and practice – and a real chance to enter a television environment that, for creators right now, can be comparable to classic film work.”
What he appreciates most about CME Content Academy is how deliberately it is designed. “You can tell it’s not just about us showing up and sitting through lectures,” he explains. “The care for students is purposeful, consistent, and genuinely kind. We’re regularly asked what we want to do, where we see ourselves, what our plans are… and based on that, we’re connected with people from the industry.”
Ongoing reflection matters to him, too. The organisers repeatedly ask students what works and what could be improved for future years. “You feel like you’re not just a student, but part of a process that’s evolving toward the best possible version and handled as professionally as it can be. The collaboration with FAMU provides a strong, pleasant base, and it also guarantees credibility.” He also values the people he’s met over the course of the year. For him, Michal Reitler combines deep know-how with a genuinely human approach: he speaks to students like future colleagues, recognises that each has a specific talent, and listens carefully. He was equally struck by sessions with Kateřina Pavlík and Jiří Charvát from R&E, producing classes with Ondřej Beránek, and Lukáš Vynikal’s lecture on building a brand. “That’s something nobody ever taught me before and yet it’s essential in today’s audiovisual world,” Matěj adds.
Thanks to the Academy, he now spends a large part of his time on Ulice. He started there as an assistant director, shadowing more experienced colleagues, now he also helps organise shoot days, occasionally fills in as a production assistant, and supports daily reports. Recently, he was offered the chance to help the casting department by assisting casting director Alois Ponížil. “My first casting for Ulice felt almost like a holiday,” he says. “I knew half the actors already, either as friends from sets, or from theatres I go to regularly.” Beyond Ulice, he also had an opportunity to sit in on the edit of Wife Swap and watch how raw footage turns into a finished episode. “It’s a completely different kind of work than a scripted series,” he says, “but for understanding rhythm and story structure in reality formats, it’s a fantastic school.”
Alongside internships, Matěj is also developing his own project within CME Content Academy. The working title That’s a Campaign, Darling hints at a satire, loosely inspired by Romeo and Juliet, this time set in the world of local politics in the Vsetín region. “It’s a story about love against the odds,” Matěj says, “but also about what a permanent campaign does to people.”
Outside of film and television, theatre remains a major source of inspiration. He goes several times a month, not only for the productions themselves, but for what theatre can teach him about television. “I’m an actor’s director,” he explains. “In theatre, I see actors in the natural rhythm of continuous performance, and I study their skills and expressions – the kind you can use in audiovisual storytelling. I also draw inspiration for my own ideas. Then, when I’m in television, I know much better what I can ask from whom.”
He sees places like Městská divadla pražská, Činoherní klub, the National Theatre, or DISK at DAMU as spaces where new faces appear and where new stories are born. A director who wants to keep track of actors shouldn’t just sit in the audience at DISK, he says – sometimes he should also sit in the café. “You never know who you’ll run into there,” he adds with a smile. “Maybe even a producer.”
Matěj approaches both life and storytelling with perspective. His personal credo is simple “Never give up – and luck will find you on its own.”