Meet Matt & Lauren

Matt has always known he wanted to work in the movie industry. He has a filmmaking degree from Temple University and has produced numerous independent short and feature films. After completing an internship in Los Angeles, Matt became enamored with independent arthouse theaters and shifted his focus toward the exhibition side of films rather than the production. In 2014, Matt worked to revive and run a drive-in theater in Carbon County, PA, and felt he found his niche.

In 2019, Matt cofounded The Moving Picture Cinema (TMPC), presenting professional-grade outdoor cinema to unique, non-theatrical spaces in the greater Philadelphia area. TMPC rapidly expanded operations, and Matt transitioned to TMPC full-time to become an outdoor exhibitor for regional indoor theaters whose auditoriums were closed to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Matt's love of vintage cinema and motivated DIY spirit has propelled him to new and exciting projects in exhibition.

Lauren spent the majority of her adult life as a medical social worker and healthcare marketer. She met Matt in 2018, when she was a customer at his first drive-in theatre. After traveling around the country together visiting drive-in movie theaters and unique cinematic displays, Lauren found herself gravitating more toward the cinema business.

In 2022, Lauren took a leap out of healthcare and joined the movie exhibition industry full time as one of the new owners of Shankweiler's Drive-In Theatre. In her new role, Lauren strives to engage with the community, building partnerships and expanding the theater's usage beyond traditional programming. She serves as an ambassador for both the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) and the Lehigh Valley.

Lauren and Matt have a vision for the future of theatrical exhibition and are using their complementary skills to make this a reality.