HouseFire shorts: An evening with local filmmakers will showcase recent works by three artists, Mike Moring, Sean Bruce, and Michael Morritt. Exploring themes of loss, loneliness, and abandonment, the short works of these three mid-career filmmakers take different forms – music videos, abstract shorts, web series, and narative films – but all deal with ideas and themes which resonate with each other’s work. A mix of debuts and previously-screened work, the evening will showcase the individual development of low-budget independent filmmakers in this region.
Each filmmaker will be given 30 minutes or less to program with their own work, for a total of 90 minutes of film with breaks between each artist. Following the screenings, the filmmakers will participate in a hosted Director’s Roundtable, where the three will discuss candidly the challenges and joys of working in low-budget film, from both practical and artistic perspectives, and take questions from the audience (host TBD).
HouseFire Film Collective
The HouseFire Film Collective is a group of mid-career filmmakers, primarily working in the Peterborough area, who come together to share skills, knowledge, and resources, and to create an environment of critical feedback, professional growth, support, and discussion. They come together with the aim of strengthening not only their own works but also encouraging and supporting filmmakers throughout the region, and raising the profile of Peterborough area
filmmakers nationally and internationally.
The three HouseFire Collective artists participating in this proposed project are Mike Moring, Sean Bruce, and Michael Morritt.
Mike Moring
For many years, Mike Moring has been writing and directing ambitious short films in the Peterborough area. His recent short film, “Natasha” became a multiple award-winner at a number of international film festivals, earning recognition for Mike’s performance both in front of and behind the camera. Mike is always enveloped in a number of projects: Currently, he is working on producing the Peterborough- based comic web series “Jobless,” and a short horror film that he refuses to tell you anything about. He also keeps busy as a full-time Daddy and Real Estate Sales Representative with Bowes & Cocks.
Sean Bruce
Filmmaker and vocalist of {R0N1N}, Sean Bruce has been producing film and albums from his home in Peterborough, Ontario for the last 8 years. A graduate of the Victoria Motion Picture School, Bruce has created 3 major film projects including ‘State of the Art’ and ‘Rock Paper Scissors,’ as well as innumerable short films which have been screened internationally. Currently he is in production on season one of a web series called ‘Grimwell’ (September 2012).
Michael Morritt
Michael Morritt is a Canadian multi-disciplinary media artist working in video, graphic design, music and sound installation, creative writing and arts education. His work as a video artist has been screened internationally, ranging in genres from documentary to surrealist shorts. Following an Emerging Artist grant from the Ontario Arts Council in 2008, Michael travelled to Toronto, Montreal and Dublin producing a variety of film works and teaching workshops in
video technique and theory. As an educator he has mentored several first-time film-makers. He has taught classes in video production to a variety of youth groups and arts camps with ages ranging from seven to eighteen. Michael is currently working on a collection of short stories which will be completed in 2012.