Who hasn't dreamed, at least once, of starting all over again in life?
Of course, there’s dreaming and then there’s actually doing it, and, what's more, doing it in a foreign country.
Under these circumstances, pursuing the dream one has kept stowed in a drawer for years, is arguably quite heroic.
Today’s hero in question is Matteo Medos. He’s a talented person ― a bit cheeky, yet humble enough to roll up his sleeves and get down to work, having succeeded in the ambitious project of turning a great passion into his job.
"As a kid, when I watched science fiction films, I would try to reconstruct some of the props I saw with the materials I had available: Lego, cardboard, glue and wood," says the prop maker, who arrived in Australia from Trieste in 2014.
Medos cultivated his childhood fascination meticulously, nourishing it with all the free time he had.
"In Italy, prop makers aren’t well-known professional figures; they’re mainly employed in theatre productions," explains the Triestine who, despite his ability and dedication, struggled to find the space in the Bel Paese to express his talents.
When he landed with his family in Adelaide, where he now lives, Medos found work in the construction industry, and with the support of his wife, enrolled in a Prop Making and Set Construction course for two and a half years, continuing to work in the meantime:
"During that time I was very busy. I didn't even stop for lunch; I wanted to learn as much as I could and take advantage of the teachers' help to improve myself,' he recalls.
After taking part in small projects - mainly in theatre - Medos’ first big challenge arrived, thanks to one of his teachers:
"It was the film 2067: they kept me on trial for two days and then confirmed that I would work until the end of the project," he says with satisfaction.
In a short time, his portfolio was populated not only with minor or theatrical projects, but also with collaborations with very important film productions, including Mortal Kombat and Thor: Love and Thunder, one of Marvel's latest hits with a budget of over USD 250 million.
"Seeing my name running through the credits on the cinema screen was really exciting," he smiles.
The prop maker on the set of 'Mortal Kombat'.
At the moment, Medos is concentrating on smaller productions. As a father of three he wants to be able to spend more time with his family. Big film productions are often in Sydney, and would mean being away for weeks at a time.
However, Matteo Medos has no intention of slowing down. Although his career as a prop maker has taken off, he now intends to realise another of his projects: to break through as an actor and land on television, or even the big screen.
In the meantime, while continuing his studies, he practises as an actor at the simulation centre for medical students at the University of Adelaide.
In his case, the saying 'fortune favours the bold' doesn’t quite fit, because Matthew Medos is slowly building his dream, piece by piece, just like one of his sets.
