M. H. Murray Explained

M. H. Murray
Birth Name:Mathew Hubert Murray
Birth Date:4 June 1993
Birth Place:Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Education:York University
Occupation:Filmmaker, writer, director, producer
Years Active:2013–present
Notable Works:Teenagers

Mathew Hubert Murray (born June 4, 1993), credited professionally as M. H. Murray, is a Canadian filmmaker, writer, director, and producer. He first attracted attention for his work on the web series Teenagers (2014–2017), which won several accolades.[1] [2] Murray's feature-length film debut, I Don't Know Who You Are, premiered in the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.[3]

Early life

Murray was raised in the Port Credit area of Mississauga,[4] by a French Canadian mother and a Scottish Canadian father.[5] In high school, he started a YouTube channel and began creating "little slasher films" with his family and friends. He graduated from York University's film school.[6]

Career

While in film school, Murray began working on his first web series, titled Teenagers.[7] The series ran for three seasons, from 2014 to 2017, initially attracting media attention because its cast included former Degrassi stars such as Chloe Rose and Raymond Ablack.[8] Murray co-created the series with close friend Sara Tamosauskas and produced the first season alongside Emmanuel Kabongo, who also starred in all three seasons of the series.[9] The second season's premiere episode went viral, amassing millions of views on YouTube.[10] Since its release, Teenagers has received positive reviews from critics and several accolades, including a Canadian Screen Award nomination and an Indie Series Award.[11] [12] [13]

Following the conclusion of Teenagers, Murray wrote and directed a short film titled Ghost. The film stars Mark Clennon as Benjamin, a gay musician who is "ghosted" by his lover.[14] [15] The film screened virtually at film festivals in Toronto, Seattle, Paris, and Connecticut.[16] [17] [18] In 2022, he co-directed the music video for Clennon's song "Kingston".[19]

Murray's feature-length film debut, I Don't Know Who You Are, also starring Clennon, premiered in the Discovery program at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.[20]

Influences

Murray's work on Teenagers has drawn comparisons to the Degrassi franchise.[21] In a December 2016 interview with CBC's q radio show, Murray refuted Degrassi comparisons, saying that while he "respects" the show, he believes that Teenagers is "a fresh take on that experience". Murray has stated that he was influenced by Issa Rae's The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, John Hughes's The Breakfast Club, and Larry Clark's Kids.[22]

Murray has cited American actor and filmmaker John Cassavetes as an influence, and "people who use their own resources and money to get their projects going when studios or other people ignore them."[23]

Accolades

YearAssociationCategoryNominated workResultRefs
2016Vancouver Web Series FestivalBest Drama SeriesTeenagers[24]
Best Screenplay[25]
2017International Academy of Web TelevisionBest Directing (Drama)[26]
2018Vancouver Web Series FestivalBest Canadian Series
Best Drama Series
Best Screenplay
2023Calgary International Film Festival$10,000 RBC Emerging Artist AwardI Don't Know Who You Are[27]
2024Riviera International Film FestivalBest Film[28]
Connecticut LGBTQ Film FestivalRising Star Award[29]

Notes and References

  1. News: M. H. Murray doesn't gloss over the gritty details of being a teenager in his web series CBC Radio. December 20, 2016. CBC. June 25, 2018. en-US.
  2. News: Clay . Chris . May 11, 2018 . Mississauga-based web series 'Teenagers' earns pair of awards, racks up views . en-CA . Mississauga News . June 25, 2018 .
  3. Web site: Kay . Jeremy . TIFF premiere ‘I Don’t Know Who You Are’ lands US deal (exclusive) . 2024-08-16 . Screen . en.
  4. Web site: Mississauga director's web series a raw take on teenage life. Clay. Chris. April 29, 2016. Mississauga News. June 1, 2016.
  5. Web site: 2021-05-12. Filmmaker M.H. Murray Tackles Modern-Dating Anxieties in 'Ghost'. 2021-05-16. Occhi Magazine. en-US.
  6. Web site: A teenage dream. Mitchell. Ashlee. January 30, 2014. Excalibur. en-US. July 14, 2016.
  7. Web site: Greene . Steve . December 13, 2016 . Indiewire's Project of the Day: 'teenagers' IndieWire . January 16, 2017 . IndieWire.
  8. Web site: Chunovic . Louis . January 15, 2014 . New web series Teenagers attracts Degrassi alum . January 23, 2017 . Playback.
  9. Web site: teenagers' Enters its Final Season All Grown Up Stareable Blog . 2023-08-02 . www.stareable.com . en.
  10. Web site: Binge-worthy Toronto web series. Durnford. Samie. August 17, 2016. NOW Magazine. August 21, 2016.
  11. Web site: AS IF BEING A TEENAGER WAS EVER EASY : Teenagers Webseries Starved Magazine. www.culturestarved.com. November 28, 2015. July 2, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170702230418/http://www.culturestarved.com/2014/03/as-if-being-a-teenager-was-ever-easy-teenagers-webseries/. dead.
  12. Web site: 7 reasons you should care about the Canadian Screen Awards this year. Knegt. Peter. January 20, 2016. CBC Arts. April 7, 2016.
  13. Web site: 2021-03-05 . Where You've Seen The Ginny And Georgia Cast Before . 2021-05-06 . CINEMABLEND.
  14. Web site: 2021-05-30. 'Ghost'. 2021-06-05. CTVNews. en.
  15. Web site: 2021-06-08. Short film 'Ghost' is a character study of a gay man getting ghosted. 2021-06-09. etalk. en-US.
  16. Web site: Wilner . Norman . July 2, 2020 . Inside Out 2020 is happening (online) in October . August 4, 2020 . NOW Magazine.
  17. Web site: Tatum. Erin. 2021-05-05. Filmmaker M.H. Murray Examines The Anxiety of Modern Dating in New Short Film, "Ghost". 2021-05-06. Cliché Magazine. en-US.
  18. Web site: Toronto filmmaker explores 'ghosting' and modern dating in new short film . June 5, 2021 . CBC News.
  19. Web site: Bell . Kaelen . June 15, 2022 . Mark Clennon Shares New "Kingston" Video, the First Shot in Jamaica to Feature an Onscreen Romance Between Two Men Exclaim! . Exclaim! . en-ca.
  20. Web site: Hazelton . John . TIFF Discovery and Midnight Madness line-ups revealed . 2023-09-26 . Screen . en.
  21. Web site: Sex, drugs & violence: Toronto's provocative Web Series "Teenagers" returns for Season Two. www.shedoesthecity.com. August 10, 2015 . en-US. December 1, 2015.
  22. Web site: Exclusive Interview with Teenagers Creator Mathew Murray. April 2, 2016. TalkNerdyWithUs. en-US. June 1, 2016.
  23. Web site: 2021-05-13. M.H. Murray Talks GHOST, What Audiences Can Glean From It and More. 2021-05-16. Geek Girl Authority. en-US.
  24. Web site: Cummins . Julianna . March 23, 2016 . Riftworld, Sudden Master win at Vancouver Web Fest . April 7, 2016 . Playback.
  25. Web site: Cummins . Julianna . March 23, 2016 . Riftworld, Sudden Master win at Vancouver Web Fest . April 7, 2016 . Playback.
  26. Web site: 5th IAWTV Awards 2017 – IAWTV Awards . 2021-11-09 . en-US.
  27. Web site: 2023-08-16 . Calgary International Film Festival adds new competition to 2023 . 2023-09-14 . LiveWire Calgary . en-US.
  28. Web site: Verbaro . Valeria . 2024-05-11 . I Don't Know Who You Are, la recensione del film di M.H. Murray . 2024-08-16 . The Hollywood Reporter Roma . it-IT.
  29. Web site: Sharpe . Josh . Winners Revealed for Out Film CT's 37th Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival . 2024-08-16 . BroadwayWorld.com . en.

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