M. H. Murray facts for kids

Quick facts for kids M. H. Murray
Murray at a 2017 screening of Teenagers
Born	(1993-06-04) June 4, 1993 (age 32) Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Education	York University
Occupation	Filmmaker, writer, director, producer
Years active	2013–present
Notable work	Teenagers

M. H. Murray, whose full name is Mathew Hubert Houston Bone Murray, is a talented Canadian filmmaker. He is a writer, director, and producer. He became well-known for his work on the web series Teenagers, which ran from 2014 to 2017. This series earned many awards. Murray's first full-length movie, I Don't Know Who You Are, was shown for the first time at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

Early Life and Education

M. H. Murray grew up in Port Credit, a part of Mississauga, Canada. His mother is French Canadian, and his father is Scottish Canadian. When he was in high school, Murray started a YouTube channel. On this channel, he made short horror films with his family and friends. After high school, he went to York University and studied film.

Murray's Filmmaking Career

While still in film school, Murray began working on his first web series, Teenagers. The show was very popular and ran for three seasons, from 2014 to 2017. It first gained attention because it featured actors from the popular show Degrassi, like Chloe Rose and Raymond Ablack.

Creating the Teenagers Series

Murray created Teenagers with his close friend Sara Tamosauskas. He also produced the first season with Emmanuel Kabongo, who acted in all three seasons. The first episode of the second season became very popular online, getting millions of views on YouTube. Teenagers received good reviews from critics and won several awards. These awards included a nomination for a Canadian Screen Award and an Indie Series Award.

Short Films and Music Videos

After Teenagers finished, Murray wrote and directed a short film called Ghost. This film starred Mark Clennon as Benjamin, a musician who is suddenly ignored by someone he likes. Ghost was shown online at film festivals in cities like Toronto, Seattle, and Paris. In 2022, Murray also helped direct a music video for Mark Clennon's song "Kingston."

First Full-Length Movie

Murray with Mark Clennon at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival

Murray's first full-length movie is called I Don't Know Who You Are. It also stars Mark Clennon. The movie was first shown at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Critics have given the film positive reviews. Barry Hertz, a film critic for The Globe and Mail, even listed it as one of the top 10 Canadian films of 2023.

What Inspires M. H. Murray

Murray's work on Teenagers has sometimes been compared to the Degrassi TV shows. However, Murray has said that while he respects Degrassi, he believes Teenagers offers a new look at the experiences of young people.

Murray has mentioned several creative works that influenced him. These include Issa Rae's The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, John Hughes's The Breakfast Club, and Larry Clark's .... He also looks up to filmmakers like John Cassavetes. Murray admires people who use their own money and resources to create their projects, especially when big studios don't support them.

Awards and Recognition

M. H. Murray's work has been recognized with several awards and nominations.