M. H. Murray


Mathew Murray, credited professionally as M. H. Murray, is a Canadian web series creator, writer, director, editor, and producer. He is known for his work on Teenagers.

Early life

Murray was born in Toronto and raised in the Port Credit area of Mississauga, Ontario. In high school, he started a YouTube channel and created short videos and skits with his friends. He later graduated from film school at York University.

Career

Early work

Murray has written and directed a number of short films. An early film, ', follows a young gay man who struggles with a recurring dream in which he is trapped inside of a whale. The film screened in Los Angeles at the Valley Film Festival in 2014 and, five years later, premiered online via the National Screen Institute's Online Short Film Festival.
In 2015, he wrote and directed a short thriller film, titled ', as part of the worldwide 48 Hour Film Project competition; the film ultimately won first place in Toronto and later screened at Filmapalooza.

''Teenagers''

Murray began working on the concept for what would become his first web series, Teenagers, when he was 19 and in film school. Upon release in early 2014, the series attracted media attention because its cast included former stars Chloe Rose and Raymond Ablack. Playback published a piece on the series, writing that "the young creators of Teenagers had to have plenty of luck, pluck, talent, and grit to get this far. And that portends a Hollywood ending". Murray co-produced the first season alongside Emmanuel Kabongo, who also starred in the series.
Since its release, Teenagers has received positive reviews from critics. NOW Magazine called the series "sexy" and "provocative", concluding that "because it’s not held hostage by the same rules as big network television shows, it pushes the boundaries". The first episode of the second season premiered online July 26, 2015, and subsequently went viral; it has since been viewed over 3 million times on YouTube. The second season was nominated for various awards, including a Canadian Screen Award and four Indie Series Awards. T. J. Scott served as executive producer of the second season.
A third and final season, which consists of four episodes, was released online November 5, 2017. The third season received six nominations from the International Academy of Web Television and three nominations at the 9th annual Indie Series Awards.

Influences

Murray's work on Teenagers has frequently drawn comparisons to the Degrassi franchise and Skins. 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 also stated that he was influenced by John Hughes' The Breakfast Club, Issa Rae's The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, and Larry Clark's Kids.

Accolades

For his work on Teenagers, Murray has received several accolades. In 2014, he won two awards at the Los Angeles Web Series Festival. He has also won two awards at the Vancouver Web Series Festival; he won Best Screenplay in 2016 and Best Canadian Series in 2018. In 2017, he was nominated for Best Director at the 5th annual IAWTV Awards.

Filmography

Web series