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Trevor Morris, a two-time Emmy Award-winning TV & Film composer, introduces his first short film Butterfly on a Wheel, a narrative film tackling the themes of what it means to be your authentic self as an artist. His film revolves around Jacen Davis (Curran Walters), a jazz student unable to reach his full potential because of his OCD and inner battles. Butterfly on a Wheel explores how it feels to experience this turmoil, and what it takes to break out of it. By experiencing encounters with the charming girl at his school, Sorrel (Brielle Robillard), encouragement from his brother, Dylan (Michael Provost), and Jacen facing the obstacle that is himself, the audience experiences the world and his story through this film. And what seems like a straightforward film brings together a relatable experience that is both visually and auditorily stunning.
"On paper, the movie is about a musician with OCD just trying to make it through the day, really. But to me, what it is really about is that Jacen is searching for his authentic voice as a person," Morris explains.
He emphasizes how Jacen is meant to represent a universal human trait, which is to be seen as who we are.
"But we have a way of getting in our own way of achieving things we want," Morris says, "and that's what this movie is really about, that if we get out of our own way, sort of great possibilities can open up for us, but it's up to us to do that."
The film primarily takes place in Toronto. And Morris, who lives between Toronto and California, says that this film was almost a love letter to the city, featuring its most beautiful parts, such as the vast Koerner Hall located in The Royal Conservatory of Music, the distant lights seen off a balcony, and the familiar streets of Toronto.
In fact, many elements of this film are meant to reflect aspects of Morris himself. He recalls playing piano on his grandmother's lap when he was a child, and he channels similar significant scenes into Jacen. Similarly, he also used some of his experiences with OCD to accurately look at the world through his eyes. The visual elements of OCD also made it easier to show a physical depiction of Jacen's struggles on screen. Auditory elements were oftentimes altered to reflect what Jacen focuses on when he walks through the city, and create an immersive perspective for the audience. This meant that the sounds of the street were jarring and heightened, which was actually how Morris hears it. A deeply personal film, the process of creating this film was a cathartic experience.
However, creating Butterfly in a Wheel had a whole assortment of challenges in itself. Morris is both a self-taught director and screenwriter, just like he was a self-taught composer.
"I went to 'director school' for a year, deep-dive in everything from YouTube to online schools to books, you name it," he recalls, "that was a challenge cause it's a whole new thing. And writing screenplays, just like writing music, is a solitary act; you're literally a monk in a room."
He talks about his experience directing as well, "being on set, when you yell 'cut', fifty people look at you, looking for an answer. It's a moment that is hard to prepare yourself for."
For new filmmakers, and self-taught filmmakers especially, Morris emphasizes the importance of "sticking to your guns, and your vision, no matter what, is much harder than it seems...apparently everyone thinks they are a director, so on set everyone has an opinion, so you have to, in that moment, stick to your guns and the vision that you have... Film is a director's medium more than an actor's medium; stage is an actor's medium."
His last advice, and also one of the most valuable lessons he learnt, came from his producers Jim and Susan, who had pushed him to make the initial script as personal as possible.
"That which is most personal is actually the most universal... it was an interesting paradox. I tried to write these grand themes which everyone can relate to, and really what it took for me was looking inside into the small personal details that everyone seems to resonate with."
He emphasizes that it is normal to feel fear, as long as you push through it anyway.
