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DESIDERATA TRAILER
DESIDERATA
DESIDERATA on IMDB
synopsis *
Erasmus, a ‘sensor’ diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder, confronts an existential mid-30s crisis living in a large city of watchers (urbanites) who hide behind technology rather than open themselves to spontaneous interaction. When his anti-anxiety medication inexplicably stops working, he turns to reaching out to people over the internet to distract him from his inevitable slide into neurosis. If modernity and technology are building a wall between people, muses Erasmus, then 'it’s time to become a part of the wall' in the hope of somehow actualizing a real human connection. But then, all is not what it seems as the two worlds Erasmus inhabits start to collide - with surprising results.
* Honourable Mention, A&E Short Filmmakers Award, the NSI Online Short Film Festival
From the jury: "An incredibly well crafted film that excelled in all departments. Great direction, sharp editing, beautiful cinematography and very effective sound and scoring! Desiderata is unnerving and inspiring all at once."
news *
screenings
2009
dec 2-6, zero film festival los angeles
dec 9-13, zero film festival nyc
2010
march 5-13, byron bay international film festival
may 26-30, festival de curtmetratges de manlleu (barcelona, spain)
july 21-25, okanagan international film festival
november 5 - 18, rendezvous with madness (toronto, ontario)
nsi online short film festival (canada)
gallery
DESIDERATA links *
more coming soon
synopsis
poster
links
director > writer > producer > editor
Hugh John Murray, MA
A graduate of the University of Western Ontario Media Studies program, Hugh John Murray is an independent director, producer and editor based in Montreal.
A former director of Maple Street Productions based in Vancouver, he has worked in many creative capacities on everything from music videos to features, including many corporate productions for such clients as Audi Canada, Canadian Tire, Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, CBS, Lindala Special Effects (X-files) and IntraWest ULC. In 1999, he co-produced and directed the critically acclaimed Democracy & the Dictator: the real apec story, for CTV, an investigative film that explores the Canadian government’s role in the APEC fiasco of November 1997. In 2002, he was nominated for a Golden Sheaf award for his POV documentary Ironson (SCN / PBS), a film that examines the errosion of prairie culture in Western Canada.
With Galafilm Productions in Montréal for 8 years, Hugh John has worked on the docu-dramas War in Korea (TVO/Pathe! France), Big Sugar (CBC/SRC), the CBC/SRC mini series The Great War (2007), in which he was 2nd Unit director, the ARTE/History docu-drama 1759: Battle for a Continent (2009), and the Irish saga Famine and Shipwreck, an Irish Odyssey (CBC/SRC) this past year. He has also worked on numerous other documentaries and dramatic programs for international broadcasters the world over, writing and developing television shows for some of Montreal's top production companies, and has produced and directed yoga and health videos, some of which consistently sell in the top 5 health and wellness videos in the Québec market.
Hugh John is the recipient of a 2005 Gemeaux and 2006 Golden Sheaf award for Best Research (L’Empire du Sucre / Big Sugar), and was nominated for a Gemeaux for his work on The Great War. His 2009 short film, Desiderata, played at festivals in Europe, North America and Australia, and received an honourable mention in consideration for the A&E Channel Short Filmmakers Award with the National Screen Institute of Canada online film festival.
As a video artist and VJ, he has performed internationally and has created video installations with dancers in both Canada and Europe. He is currently putting the finishing touches on his 2nd short film SPILL, a co-production with Jour de la Terre Québec and visual fx shop Alchemy24, and a new music video for Bonsound artist Courtney Wing.
Hugh John Murray_CV_2010.pdf
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the word
cousinchang is an invaluable resource when it comes to dramatic recreations as he has a unique combination of skills and talents, not often found in one person. cousinchang helped us in our initial research by interpreting our period sources, envisioning possible scenes & ensuring the period accuracy. cousinchang was then able to take us to the next stage of budgeting & logistics & has great resources when it comes to hiring crew & finding locations. cousinchang's intelligence, efficiency & high energy-level are a breath of fresh air in the chaotic world of production!
Caroline Waterlow, HBO documentaries
cousinchang is a true renaissance man with great creative mind and eye. He is a gifted, passionate and focused director with a brilliant future and I highly recommend him to work in any aspect of the creative arts.
- Gunnar Hansen, Compositing Supervisor (Across the Universe, Quantum of Solace, Stranger Than Fiction, The Fountain)
cousinchang is a very skilled director and videographer. He listens carefully to his client, asks the appropriate questions, makes great suggestions and then creates videos that are perfectly targeted to the intended audience. He is quick to execute, meticulous in his work, highly creative and a pleasure to work with. I would recommend him without hesitation.
- Catherine Nalbantoglu, Director, E-Commerce at Reitmans Canada
An award-winning film-maker, cousinchang has been a trusted consultant to me in all things media over the years behind and before the camera, as indeed I have had the pleasure of working with him on set of dramatic film productions. An accomplished writer, director and editor, he brings a very unique and professional perspective to all of his corporate work. I would not hesitate to recommend cousinchang in any capacity in creating high quality video productions, in both the corporate and cultural sectors.
- Robert Gervais, President and CEO of Zerofail.com
cousinchang has transformed how we recruit for our graduate program. His work has received excited praise from existing and prospective students alike. Whether we were going for a traditional look to our seminar presentations, or a trendy video montage for recruiting, cousinchang was able to produce something to wow us. Couple cousinchang's talent with his reliability, and you have a winning combination that will have us coming back again and again.
- Dr. Joe Makkerh, Administrator: McGill University Integrated Program in Neuroscience
