{{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'' | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|06|04}} | birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada | education = York University | occupation = Filmmaker, writer, director, producer | years_active = 2013–present | notable_works = ''Teenagers'' | 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, writer, director, and producer. Bone first attracted attention for his work on the web series ''Teenagers'' (2014–2017), which won several accolades.<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, ''I Don't Know Who You Are'', premiered at the 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 and raised in the Port Credit area of 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 mother and a 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 and created "little slasher films" with his family and friends.<ref name=":13" /> He graduated from York University's 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, titled ''Teenagers''.<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'' stars such as Chloe Rose and 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, 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,<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, including a Canadian Screen Award nomination and an Indie Series Award.<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 as Benjamin, a gay musician who is "ghosted" 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, ''I Don't Know Who You Are'', also starring Clennon, premiered in the Discovery program at the 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'' 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'',<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}}</ref> starring Chloe Van Landschoot and Tymika Tafari, opened Blood in the Snow 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 and the UK television series ''Skins''.<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's ''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's ''The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl'', John Hughes's ''The Breakfast Club'', and Larry Clark's ''Kids''.<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 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'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Web series |- | 2020 | ''Ghost'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Short film |- | 2023 | ''I Don't Know Who You Are'' | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | {{yes}} | Feature-length directorial debut |- | 2025 | ''Son of Sara: 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 |Best Drama Series | rowspan="6" |''Teenagers'' | {{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 |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 |$10,000 RBC Emerging Artist Award | rowspan="3" |''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 |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 |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") |Best Director |''Son of Sara: 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