McMurry Alumni release new Web Series

Sometimes I wonder when I will see the work I’ve put into my education reflected in opportunities beyond school. I worry that I’m doing so much for this degree, but what if it doesn’t get me anywhere? This blaring fear, however, gets slightly quieter when I see individuals from my university go on to achieve great things. One example of this excellence is present in the Mortal Hunters web series created by McMurry Theatre alumni, Matthew Lamar ’23.

Mortal Hunters is a story about teams of artifact hunters pinned against each other to find ancient relics for a fortune like no other. Lamar is the creator, writer, producer, show runner and lead in the series, and despite his weighty list of titles, pays tribute to the fact that this project was a collaboration. 48 members of cast and crew came together to make this dream a reality. Their efforts have paid off, because just this last weekend a live premiere was held to celebrate the official release of the web series to YouTube!

“The most rewarding part of being an artist to me is sharing what I have created,” shares Lamar, “I heard that it’s never truly art until you share it with people, and having so much positive feedback over the series is both humbling and satisfying.” This project has been in the works for a little over two years. Starting from the ground up Lamar created the concept for this story through a prompt book exercise! Pooling his resources, Lamar then recruited Andrew Taylor, professor of film at South Plains College in Leveland, Texas to direct and help film the series. Lamar also reached out to former McMurry Theatre classmates and teachers to see if they’d be willing to develop his vision. Hayli Isbell ‘22 was one of those people who took him up on that offer.

“I’ve actually been involved with Mortal Hunters since very early on. I was cast as Jag, which has been such a wild ride. One I am extremely grateful for,” says Isbell. She has been invested in this project from the very beginning and has continued to show her dedication through intense commuting and training. “Some of the best memories were filming out in the middle of nowhere in the scorching heat. You’d think that would be miserable, but everyone was such a trooper and somehow, we made it enjoyable.”

Lamar speaks highly of the company they gathered through this process. “We have people who have well over a decade of experience and people with no acting experience, but we wanted to create a safe environment where that didn’t matter. My favorite parts of filming were capturing great takes from the cast.” His intent to create a comfortable and fun working environment was especially critical in making the filming process productive and rewarding.

“I would not have been able to do this project without the growth I had at McMurry,” says Lamar. After leaving McMurry Theatre, Lamar had a set of tools that would prompt him to succeed in his creative endeavors. From the guidance of Charlie Hukill, Lamar shares that he was able to craft a fun and well-rounded story. From the direction of Neena McLain, his acting skills were strengthened. From Lamar’s own experiences with productions, McMurry Theatre taught him, “that any production is hard work and it requires dedication, clear communication and passion.” A passion that has continued to grow and thrive in Lamar’s life even after graduation.

Isbell shares a similar testimony stating that her three years at McMurry, “really prepared me for anything that gets thrown my way. It gave me such a deep appreciation for all the moving parts behind theatre and film.”

Mortal Hunters is a ten-episode web series, with new episodes dropping every Saturday evening. The dedicated cast and crew deserve to have their efforts rewarded with your views and interaction, go support Lamar and Isbell and the whole Mortal Hunters team! The first episode is out now on the Warped Pictures YouTube page. Stay tuned because you might see some familiar faces as the episodes continue to drop!