# Houston Bone

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{{Short description|Canadian writer, filmmaker (b. 1993)}}
{{about|the Canadian filmmaker|other people with similar names|Matthew Murray (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Houston Bone
| image              = M. h. murray at teenagers premiere.png
| caption            = Bone at a 2017 screening of [''Teenagers''](/source/Teenagers_(web_series))
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age|1993|06|04}}
| birth_place        = [Toronto](/source/Toronto), Ontario, Canada
| education          = [York University](/source/York_University)
| occupation         = Filmmaker, writer, director, producer
| years_active       = 2013–present
| notable_works      = ''[Teenagers](/source/Teenagers_(web_series))''
| website            = {{URL|houstonbone.com}}
}}

'''Mathew Hubert Houston Bone Murray'''{{efn|Bone's full name is listed on his website}} (born June 4, 1993{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}), credited professionally as '''M. H. Murray''' or '''Houston Bone''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tracy |first=Andrew |title=TIFF ’23 premiere I Don’t Know Who You Are locks sales partner |url=https://playbackonline.ca/2025/08/22/tiff-23-premiere-i-dont-know-who-you-are-locks-sales-partner/ |access-date=2025-11-01}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Tracy |first=Andrew |title=Houston Bone’s ‘Son of Sara’ to premiere at Blood in the Snow |url=https://playbackonline.ca/2025/10/27/houston-bones-son-of-sara-to-premiere-at-blood-in-the-snow/ |access-date=2025-11-01}}</ref> is a Canadian [filmmaker](/source/Filmmaking), writer, director, and producer. Bone first attracted attention for his work on the [web series](/source/web_series) ''[Teenagers](/source/Teenagers_(web_series))'' (2014–2017), which won [several accolades](/source/Teenagers_(web_series)).<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/schedule-for-tuesday-december-20-2016-1.3902909/m-h-murray-doesn-t-gloss-over-the-gritty-details-of-being-a-teenager-in-his-web-series-1.3902938|title=M. H. Murray doesn't gloss over the gritty details of being a teenager in his web series {{!}} CBC Radio|last=|first=|date=December 20, 2016|work=CBC|access-date=June 25, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="Clay">{{Cite news |last=Clay |first=Chris |date=May 11, 2018 |title=Mississauga-based web series 'Teenagers' earns pair of awards, racks up views |language=en-CA |work=Mississauga News |url=https://www.mississauga.com/whatson-story/8598189-mississauga-based-web-series-teenagers-earns-pair-of-awards-racks-up-views/ |access-date=June 25, 2018 |quote=}}</ref> His [feature-length film debut](/source/List_of_directorial_debuts), ''[I Don't Know Who You Are](/source/I_Don't_Know_Who_You_Are)'', premiered at the [2023 Toronto International Film Festival](/source/2023_Toronto_International_Film_Festival).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kay |first=Jeremy |title=TIFF premiere 'I Don't Know Who You Are' lands US deal (exclusive) |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/tiff-premiere-i-dont-know-who-you-are-lands-us-deal-exclusive/5191256.article |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=Screen |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Bone was born in [Toronto](/source/Toronto) and raised in the [Port Credit](/source/Port_Credit) area of [Mississauga](/source/Mississauga),<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mississauga.com/whatson-story/6521190-mississauga-director-s-web-series-a-raw-take-on-teenage-life/|title=Mississauga director's web series a raw take on teenage life|last=Clay|first=Chris|date=April 29, 2016|website=Mississauga News|access-date=June 1, 2016}}</ref> by a [French Canadian](/source/French_Canadian) mother and a [Scottish Canadian](/source/Scottish_Canadian) father.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|date=2021-05-12|title=Filmmaker M.H. Murray Tackles Modern-Dating Anxieties in 'Ghost'|url=https://occhimagazine.com/filmmaker-m-h-murray-tackles-modern-dating-anxieties-in-ghost/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Occhi Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> In high school, he began a [YouTube channel](/source/YouTube_videos) and created "little [slasher film](/source/slasher_film)s" with his family and friends.<ref name=":13" /> He graduated from [York University](/source/York_University)'s [film school](/source/film_school).<ref name=":11">{{Cite web|url=http://www.excal.on.ca/a-teenage-dream/|title=A teenage dream|last=Mitchell|first=Ashlee|date=January 30, 2014|website=Excalibur|language=en-US|access-date=July 14, 2016|archive-date=May 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510070533/http://www.excal.on.ca/a-teenage-dream/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Career ==
While in film school, Bone began working on his first [web series](/source/web_series), titled ''[Teenagers](/source/Teenagers_(web_series))''.<ref name=":11" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Steve |date=December 13, 2016 |title=Indiewire's Project of the Day: 'teenagers' {{!}} IndieWire |url=http://www.indiewire.com/2016/12/project-of-the-day-teenagers-1201757377/ |access-date=January 16, 2017 |website=IndieWire}}</ref> The series ran for three seasons, from 2014 to 2017, initially attracting media attention because its cast included former ''[Degrassi](/source/Degrassi%3A_The_Next_Generation)'' stars such as [Chloe Rose](/source/Chloe_Rose) and [Raymond Ablack](/source/Raymond_Ablack).<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |last=Chunovic |first=Louis |date=January 15, 2014 |title=New web series Teenagers attracts Degrassi alum |url=http://playbackonline.ca/2014/01/15/new-web-series-teenagers-attracts-degrassi-alum/ |access-date=January 23, 2017 |website=Playback}}</ref> Bone co-created the series with close friend Sara Tamosauskas and produced the first season alongside [Emmanuel Kabongo](/source/Emmanuel_Kabongo), who also starred in all three seasons of the series.<ref>{{Cite web |title=teenagers' Enters its Final Season All Grown Up {{!}} Stareable Blog |url=https://www.stareable.com//blog/teenagers-enters-its-final-season-all-grown-up |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=www.stareable.com |language=en}}</ref> The second season's premiere episode went [viral](/source/Viral_video),<ref>{{Citation|title=teenagers (web series) - S2, E1 - "The Difference Between Sex and Fucking"| date=July 26, 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46lEpsZv5vA|language=en|access-date=2022-02-09}}</ref> amassing millions of views on YouTube.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://nowtoronto.com/movies/dvds-downloads-and-streaming/binge-worthy-toronto-web-series/|title=Binge-worthy Toronto web series|last=Durnford|first=Samie|date=August 17, 2016|website=NOW Magazine|access-date=August 21, 2016}}</ref> Since its release, ''Teenagers'' has received positive reviews from critics and [several accolades](/source/Teenagers_(web_series)), including a [Canadian Screen Award](/source/Canadian_Screen_Awards) nomination and an [Indie Series Award](/source/Indie_Series_Awards).<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=AS IF BEING A TEENAGER WAS EVER EASY : Teenagers Webseries {{!}} Starved Magazine|url=http://www.culturestarved.com/2014/03/as-if-being-a-teenager-was-ever-easy-teenagers-webseries/|website=www.culturestarved.com|accessdate=November 28, 2015|archive-date=July 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702230418/http://www.culturestarved.com/2014/03/as-if-being-a-teenager-was-ever-easy-teenagers-webseries/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/arts/7-reasons-you-should-care-about-the-canadian-screen-awards-this-year-1.3410270|title=7 reasons you should care about the Canadian Screen Awards this year|last=Knegt|first=Peter|date=January 20, 2016|website=CBC Arts|access-date=April 7, 2016}}</ref><ref name=":22">{{Cite web |date=2021-03-05 |title=Where You've Seen The Ginny And Georgia Cast Before |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2563500/where-youve-seen-the-ginny-and-georgia-cast-before |access-date=2021-05-06 |website=CINEMABLEND}}</ref>

Following the conclusion of ''Teenagers'', Bone wrote and directed a short film titled ''Ghost''.<ref name=":13" /> The short film stars [Mark Clennon](/source/Mark_Clennon) as Benjamin, a gay musician who is "[ghosted](/source/Ghosting_(relationships))" by his lover.<ref name=":16">{{Cite web|date=2021-05-30|title='Ghost'|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/video/?clipId=2212329/|access-date=2021-06-05|website=CTVNews|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":17">{{Cite web|date=2021-06-08|title=Short film 'Ghost' is a character study of a gay man getting ghosted|url=https://www.etalk.ca/movies/2021/6/short-film-ghost-is-a-character-study-on-getting-ghosted.html|access-date=2021-06-09|website=etalk|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2022, Bone co-directed the music video for Clennon's song "Kingston".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Kaelen |date=June 15, 2022 |title=Mark Clennon Shares New "Kingston" Video, the First Shot in Jamaica to Feature an Onscreen Romance Between Two Men {{!}} Exclaim! |url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/mark_clennon_shares_new_kingston_video_the_first_shot_in_jamaica_to_feature_an_onscreen_romance_between_two_men |access-date= |website=Exclaim! |language=en-ca}}</ref>

Bone's [feature-length film debut](/source/List_of_directorial_debuts), ''[I Don't Know Who You Are](/source/I_Don't_Know_Who_You_Are)'', also starring Clennon, premiered in the Discovery program at the [2023 Toronto International Film Festival](/source/2023_Toronto_International_Film_Festival).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hazelton |first=John |title=TIFF Discovery and Midnight Madness line-ups revealed |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/tiff-discovery-and-midnight-madness-line-ups-revealed/5184627.article |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=Screen |language=en}}</ref> The film has received positive reviews from critics.<ref>{{Cite web |title=I Don't Know Who You Are {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/i_dont_know_who_you_are |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}</ref> Barry Hertz of ''[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)'' ranked the film 7th on his list of the top 10 Canadian films of 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-12-26 |title=The 10 best Canadian films of 2023, a year of crises and breakthroughs |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-the-10-best-canadian-films-of-2023-a-year-of-crises-and-breakthroughs/ |access-date=2024-03-26 |work=The Globe and Mail |language=en-CA}}</ref>

His second feature film, ''[Son of Sara: Volume 1](/source/Son_of_Sara%3A_Volume_1)'',<ref>{{Cite web |title=Son of Sara|url=https://tiff.net/films/son-of-sara|access-date=2025-10-26|website=TIFF|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mack |first=Andrew |date=November 13, 2025 |title=SON OF SARA: VOLUME 1 Exclusive Clip: Our First Look at Houston Bone's New Horror Flick |url=https://screenanarchy.com/2025/11/son-of-sara-volume-1-exclusive.html |website=[Screen Anarchy](/source/Screen_Anarchy)}}</ref> starring [Chloe Van Landschoot](/source/Chloe_Van_Landschoot) and [Tymika Tafari](/source/Tymika_Tafari), opened [Blood in the Snow](/source/Blood_in_the_Snow_Canadian_Film_Festival) on November 17, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tracy |first=Andrew |title=Houston Bone’s ‘Son of Sara’ to premiere at Blood in the Snow |url=https://playbackonline.ca/2025/10/27/houston-bones-son-of-sara-to-premiere-at-blood-in-the-snow/ |access-date=2025-11-01}}</ref> 

== Influences ==
Bone's work on ''Teenagers'' has been compared to the [''Degrassi'' franchise](/source/Degrassi_(franchise)) and the [UK television series ''Skins''](/source/Skins_(UK_TV_series)).<ref name=":23">{{cite web |date=August 10, 2015 |title=Sex, drugs & violence: Toronto's provocative Web Series "Teenagers" returns for Season Two |url=http://www.shedoesthecity.com/sex-drugs-violence-torontos-provocative-web-series-teenagers-returns-for-season-two |access-date=December 1, 2015 |website=www.shedoesthecity |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Teenagers - The Canadian Skins - The Daily Spectacle |url=http://dailyspectacle.co.uk/2016/10/teenagers-canadian-skins/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104203519/http://dailyspectacle.co.uk/2016/10/teenagers-canadian-skins/ |archive-date=November 4, 2016 |access-date=December 4, 2016 |website=www.dailyspectacle.co.uk}}</ref> In an interview with [CBC](/source/CBC_Television)'s [''q'' radio show](/source/Q_(radio_show)), Bone refuted ''Degrassi'' comparisons, saying that while he "respects" the show, he believes that ''Teenagers'' is "a fresh take on that experience".<ref name=":162">{{Cite news |date=December 20, 2016 |title=M. H. Murray doesn't gloss over the gritty details of being a teenager in his web series |url=http://www.cbc.ca/radio/q/schedule-for-tuesday-december-20-2016-1.3902909/m-h-murray-doesn-t-gloss-over-the-gritty-details-of-being-a-teenager-in-his-web-series-1.3902938 |access-date=January 12, 2017 |newspaper=CBC Radio}}</ref> Bone has stated that he was influenced by [Issa Rae](/source/Issa_Rae)'s ''[The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl](/source/The_Mis-Adventures_of_Awkward_Black_Girl)'', [John Hughes](/source/John_Hughes_(filmmaker))'s ''[The Breakfast Club](/source/The_Breakfast_Club)'', and [Larry Clark](/source/Larry_Clark)'s ''[Kids](/source/Kids_(film))''.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=http://talknerdywithus.com/2016/04/29/exclusive-interview-with-teenagers-creator-mathew-murray/|title=Exclusive Interview with Teenagers Creator Mathew Murray|date=April 2, 2016|website=TalkNerdyWithUs|language=en-US|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=September 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923014140/http://talknerdywithus.com/2016/04/29/exclusive-interview-with-teenagers-creator-mathew-murray|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Bone has cited American actor and filmmaker [John Cassavetes](/source/John_Cassavetes) as an influence, along with "people who use their own resources and money to get their projects going when studios or other people ignore them."<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|date=2021-05-13|title=M.H. Murray Talks GHOST, What Audiences Can Glean From It and More|url=https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/m-h-murray-ghost-interview/|access-date=2021-05-16|website=Geek Girl Authority|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Director
! Writer
! Editor
! Producer
! Notes
|-
| 2014–2017
| ''[Teenagers](/source/Teenagers_(web_series))''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Web series
|-
| 2020
| ''Ghost''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Short film
|-
| 2023
| ''[I Don't Know Who You Are](/source/I_Don't_Know_Who_You_Are)''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| [Feature-length directorial debut](/source/List_of_directorial_debuts)
|-
| 2025
| ''[Son of Sara: Volume 1](/source/Son_of_Sara%3A_Volume_1)''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
|
|}

==Accolades==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Association
! Category
! Nominated work
! Result
! class="unsortable" | Refs
|-
| rowspan="2" |2016
| rowspan="2" |[Vancouver Web Series Festival](/source/Vancouver_Web_Series_Festival)
|Best Drama Series
| rowspan="6" |''[Teenagers](/source/Teenagers_(web_series))''
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Cummins |first=Julianna |date=March 23, 2016 |title=Riftworld, Sudden Master win at Vancouver Web Fest |url=http://playbackonline.ca/2016/03/23/riftworld-sudden-master-win-at-vancouver-web-fest/ |access-date=April 7, 2016 |website=Playback}}</ref>
|-
|Best Screenplay
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name=":9"/>
|-
|2017
|[International Academy of Web Television](/source/IAWTV_Awards)
|Best Directing (Drama)
|{{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name=":15">{{Cite web |title=5th IAWTV Awards 2017 – IAWTV Awards |url=https://iawtvawards.lyberspace.com/5th-iawtv-awards-2017/ |access-date=2021-11-09 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" |2018
| rowspan="3" |Vancouver Web Series Festival
|Best Canadian Series
|{{Won}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Clay" />
|-
|Best Drama Series
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Clay" />
|-
|Best Screenplay
| {{Nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" | <ref name="Clay" />
|-
|2023
|[Calgary International Film Festival](/source/Calgary_International_Film_Festival)
|[$](/source/Canadian_dollar)10,000 [RBC](/source/Royal_Bank_of_Canada) Emerging Artist Award
| rowspan="3" |''[I Don't Know Who You Are](/source/I_Don't_Know_Who_You_Are)''
|{{Nominated}}
|style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-16 |title=Calgary International Film Festival adds new competition to 2023 |url=https://livewirecalgary.com/2023/08/16/calgary-international-film-festival-adds-new-competition-to-2023/ |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=LiveWire Calgary |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |2024
|[Riviera International Film Festival](/source/Riviera_International_Film_Festival)
|Best Film
|{{Nominated}}
|style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Verbaro |first=Valeria |date=2024-05-11 |title=I Don't Know Who You Are, la recensione del film di M.H. Murray |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.it/film/festival-e-premi/i-dont-know-who-you-are-mathew-hubert-murray-riviera-international-film-festival-2024-concorso-trama-cast-recensione/105151/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=The Hollywood Reporter Roma |language=it-IT}}</ref>
|-
|[Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival](/source/Connecticut_LGBTQ_Film_Festival)
|Rising Star Award
|{{Won}}
|style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharpe |first=Josh |title=Winners Revealed for Out Film CT's 37th Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/connecticut/article/Winners-Revealed-for-Out-CTs-37th-Connecticut-LGBTQ-Film-Festival-20240702 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2025
|[Blood in the Snow Film Festival ("Bloodies")](/source/Blood_in_the_Snow_Canadian_Film_Festival)
|Best Director
|''[Son of Sara: Volume 1](/source/Son_of_Sara%3A_Volume_1)''
|{{Nominated}}
| style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{Cite web |title=2025 BLOODIES AWARD NOMINATIONS |url=https://bloodinthesnow.ca/BITS2025AwardsNomJury.html |access-date=2026-01-29 |website=bloodinthesnow.ca}}</ref>
|}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|5787509}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bone, Houston}}
Category:1993 births
Category:Living people
Category:Canadian LGBTQ screenwriters
Category:Screenwriters from Toronto
Category:Web series directors
Category:21st-century Canadian screenwriters
Category:21st-century Canadian male writers
Category:Canadian male screenwriters
Category:Canadian gay writers
Category:Gay screenwriters
Category:21st-century Canadian LGBTQ people
Category:Film directors from Toronto
Category:Canadian LGBTQ film directors
Category:Canadian YouTubers
Category:YouTubers from Toronto

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Houston Bone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Bone) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Bone?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.