M. H. Murray

Mathew Hubert Murray (born June 4, 1993), credited professionally as M. H. Murray, is a Canadian writer and filmmaker. He first attracted attention for his work on Teenagers (2014–2017), which won several accolades.

Early life
Murray was raised in the Port Credit area of Mississauga, by a French Canadian mother and a Scottish Canadian father. 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.

Career
While in film school, Murray began working on his first web series, titled Teenagers. 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. 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. The second season's premiere episode went viral, amassing millions of views on YouTube. Since its release, Teenagers has received positive reviews from critics and several accolades, including a Canadian Screen Award nomination and an Indie Series Award.

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. The film screened virtually at film festivals in Toronto, Seattle, Paris, and Connecticut.

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.

Influences
Murray's work on Teenagers has drawn comparisons to the Degrassi franchise. 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.

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."

Accolades
At the Vancouver Web Series Festival, Murray won Best Screenplay in 2016 and Best Canadian Series in 2018 for his work on the second and third seasons of Teenagers. In 2017, he was nominated for Best Director at the 5th annual International Academy of Web Television Awards for directing the third season of Teenagers.