About Morris
Welcome to MorrisChapdelaine.com! I am a film maker, actor, director, art director and puppeteer (of all the crazy things!) living in fantastic Vancouver, British Columbia- the Sci-fi and comic book film and television capital of the world. (OK, it's just ME that proclaims that, but over my 10 years+ here, I have had the great opportunity to play aliens and creatures on several different shows)My first feature is just making the festival rounds and has already won it's first award! As a director I have made several short films and continue to do so and I have recently been working in many 'new media' formats as a director and art director. Take a look at my galleries, portfolios, demo reels and films and feel free to leave your comments- they're most appreciated. Thanks! MorrisMAC vs PC
and other musingsNovember 24th, 2008
So, a few weeks back I got a shiny new 17" MacBook Pro. The thing is beautiful. Really. IS it better than a PC?...I'm not sure yet. Perhaps I just miss being able to right click, or maybe its the ability to drag and drop files. At any rate, I'm still getting used to it and spending a lot of time with both of my computers now....I kind of feel like I'm cheating on one and having some passionate affair, but the gratification is more filled with guilt and anxiety than anything else. Ah well...time will tell.
Anyway, I need to perk up a bit so I'm having a huge cup of yerba matte and watching my favourite clip from the AMA's last night. OK..truth be told, I didn't watch the entire show, but I am sure am glad I stayed up to see this:
Holiday Party Time Approaches
Check this out!November 19th, 2008
On December 5th, the crazy folks at TRANSMISSION are holding the second annual Open House. I've been asked to bring my mirror ball and motor over...as good a reason as any to get it out of storage! If last year's is any indication of what might be expected...I would imagine that the Saturday and Sunday following will be spent on the sofa. Enjoy this sick video invite created by Mr. Joe Lafleur.
Were the World Mine
Were the World Mine - Official Trailer . If you had a love-potion, who would you make fall in love with you? When an all-boys school puts on A Midsummer Night's Dream, Timothy gets to answer that question in a very real way.
Timothy (Tanner Cohen) escapes his dismal high school reality through dazzling musical daydreams. After his eccentric teacher casts him as Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, he stumbles upon a recipe hidden within the script to create the play’s magical, purple love-pansy.
Timothy’s fading spirit soars as he puckishly imposes a new reality by turning much of his narrow-minded town gay, beginning with Jonathan (Nathaniel David Becker) the rugby-jock of his dreams.
Were the World Mine, Directed by Tom Gustafson has been in 75 film festivals. Winning 12 Jury awards and 9 Audience awards along the way.
Coming to Theaters the end of October 2008. But you can still catch it on the gay film festival circuit. Check the Myspace page for details.
See the Official "Were The World Mine" website for upcoming theater dates in your city
Stonewall 2.0
Who knew this time would come?November 18th, 2008
Did you ever have the opportunity to stand up and say something that really meant something to you, but shied away from saying it just to avoid 'rocking the boat'? Have you ever really felt like sticking up for someone but then stopped because it was easier simply not to?
These past few weeks have made me re examine the way I respond to what are sometimes uncomfortable situations. The unfortunate situation in the USA and the denial of civil liberties for an already marginalized population- gay men and women everywhere- has put the focus on several awkward issues. Perhaps more than anything it seems to have galvanized the community, and not just those LGBT people in the USA but LGBT people everywhere.
America- once the powerhouse of the new world and champion of democracy and still in many ways the symbol of true freedom world wide- is supposed to be the 'big brother' that leads by example. The place where 'truth and justice for all prevails'. These past weeks have shown that to NOT be true.
How can the rights of a minority be put to a majority vote? It simply does not make sense. I could sit here and deliver quotes from Martin Luther King, Pierre Trudeau, Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela, but you have heard them all before...and my point is a simple one: if we want to help the United States to see the error of their ways and realize that a world where gay men and women can marry if they so choose will NOT undermine the very fabric of contemporary American society, then we all need to stand up and make our opinions and voices heard. Whether you are in Canada, The UK, Asia, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia or the Middle East- just say what you feel; write a letter of support, send an email, blog about it, start a conversation, carry a sign, shout out loud, attend a rally...do what you can. This is NOT just about the USA, this is about our rights world-wide. Until more countries and nations realize that we are not a threat to everyone's way of life, until they understand that two people showing and sharing their love for each other through the act of MARRIAGE (an age old institution that holds many rights and meanings) and not simply a civil union, we will always be fighting an uphill battle.
I borrow the phrase 'Stonewall 2.0' from Mr. Rex Wockner- a popular and vocal writer and activist in the US. I think it rings very true. In 2009, the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots (where Gay rights were suddenly thrust into the mainstream) we will have to move forward as one people everywhere. These are civil rights. these are HUMAN rights. Stonewall 2.0 represents the future of the gay movement..we have access to so many more ways to get our stories told. As I said above- blog, write, post, chat, socially network...do what you can do to tell you story, to ask questions to challenge and to stimulate conversation. The comforts of a closet and the apathetic desire to 'blend in' and not rock the boat in our respective communities is no longer an option. People everywhere are living the lives they live now because a few brave souls stood up and made their voices heard in scary times many years ago. Our new activism is not just for us in the 'west' either. There are many of our brothers and sisters who can't even be open about who they are without fear of ostricization, job loss, imprisonment and in some awful places- death.
The film, 'Beyond Gay- The Politics of Pride' has been in post production for a few months now and is working on bringing the stories of many of these people to the world. It's my way of trying to make a difference...I'm a film maker....what will you do to make a difference? Its not time to be shy or to blend in...its time to speak up.
Stonewal 2.0. Indeed.
Its Time to Rally Together
Where will you be today?
Go to Join the Impact to find out where your city is getting together. On November 15th, 2008, I'll be showing my support.