Erik Matti first rose to prominence in 1996, with the family-friendly fantasy-adventure film Magic Temple, which he co-wrote with directors Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes. Matti then continued to make movies throughout the 2000s, when he became known for his work on erotic films and horror films. But it was in the 2010s that Matti would become one of the country’s most well-known filmmakers, celebrated by independent cinema circles and mainstream audiences alike. This chapter of his career began in 2013, with his internationally acclaimed crime thriller On the Job. The film won multiple awards and was screened as part of the Directors' Fortnight at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation.

From there, Matti only continued to deliver hits: Honor Thy Father in 2015, Seklusyon in 2016, BuyBust in 2018, and the serial sequel On the Job: The Missing Eight in 2021. Each of these was Matti-directed and critically acclaimed. In 2021, The Missing Eight was even screened for the main competition of the 78th Venice International Film Festival, where it received a five-minute standing ovation and praise from the likes of filmmakers Chloe Zhao and Boon Jong-Ho.

Beyond his work as a director, Matti has also helped shape Filipino cinema as co-founder of the production company Reality Entertainment and co-founder of the streaming service Upstream.