Seth Hurwitz
Encyclopedia
Seth Hurwitz is an American writer whose work spans a variety of media, most notably film and music.
and earned a Master of Fine Arts
in Poetry
from Sarah Lawrence College
. He was a Teaching Fellow in the University of Houston Creative Writing Program
, where he studied with poet Adam Zagajewski
, short-story writer and novelist Mary Robison
and the distinguished American poet, literary critic, editor, essayist, and translator, Richard Howard
. His classmates included The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
screenwriter Kim Henkel
, novelist Katherine Center
, and poet Cate Marvin
.
While in Houston, Hurwitz taught for Writers in the Schools, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization "[w]ith a focus on at-risk, inner city students", wrote for the Houston Press
, and co-founded the Lo-fi band mild7 with fellow writer Andrew J. Porter
. The "underground Texas duo" released several CDs, including a benefit compilation called Songs We Learned in Texas
, before going on seemingly permanent hiatus in 2002.
After returning to Baltimore in 1999, Hurwitz wrote, edited and co-produced the horror comedy feature film Swarm of the Snakehead
with actor Frank A. Lama
, starring Gunnar Hansen
and Miss Teen Maryland 2006 Jamie O'Brien. "For me, 'Swarm' is a horror film the way Caddyshack
is a golf film. I mean, first and foremost Swarm of the Snakehead is a comedy -- a comedy with fish that spit acid and tear people's legs off."
Hurwitz was awarded two Individual Artist grants from The Maryland State Arts Council, one for Poetry in 2002 and the other for Fiction in 2005. In 2006, he co-wrote an interactive training film for the U.S. Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Corps called "BLASTER".
In an 2006 interview with the Baltimore Sun, Hurwitz claimed to be writing a book about the five year-long process of filming and editing Swarm of the Snakehead, called "How Thailand Paid for Film School."
Hurwitz was a lead writer on Damnation (video game)
, a "steampunk shooter" released on May 22, 2009 on Steam[1] for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
He currently lives in Pikesville, Maryland
with his wife, poet Danika Paige Myers.
Life
Seth Hurwitz graduated from Franklin & Marshall CollegeFranklin & Marshall College
Franklin & Marshall College is a four-year private co-educational residential national liberal arts college in the Northwest Corridor neighborhood of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States....
and earned a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in Poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
from Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...
. He was a Teaching Fellow in the University of Houston Creative Writing Program
University of Houston Creative Writing Program
The University of Houston Creative Writing program is a graduate fiction and poetry program located in Houston, Texas. It was rated second in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in its first annual ranking of writing programs in 1997. It rated 26th in the nation in Poets & Writers and its PhD...
, where he studied with poet Adam Zagajewski
Adam Zagajewski
Adam Zagajewski is a Polish poet, novelist, translator and essayist.In 1982 he emigrated to Paris, but in 2002 he returned to Poland, and resides in Kraków. His poem "Try To Praise The Mutilated World", printed in The New Yorker, became famous after the 11 September attacks...
, short-story writer and novelist Mary Robison
Mary Robison
Mary Cennamo Robison is an American short story writer and novelist. She has published four collections of stories, and four novels, including her 2001 novel Why Did I Ever, winner of the 2001 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for fiction. Her most recent novel, released in 2009, is One D.O.A., One...
and the distinguished American poet, literary critic, editor, essayist, and translator, Richard Howard
Richard Howard
Richard Howard is an American poet, literary critic, essayist, teacher, and translator. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and is a graduate of Columbia University, where he studied under Mark Van Doren, and where he now teaches...
. His classmates included The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
screenwriter Kim Henkel
Kim Henkel
Kim Henkel is an American screenwriter, director and producer.Henkel was born in Virginia and grew up in several small towns in South Texas. He started at the University of Texas at Austin in 1964 majoring in English and graduated in 1969...
, novelist Katherine Center
Katherine Center
Katherine Sherar Pannill Center is a contemporary American fiction author.-Early life and education:Center graduated from St. John's School in Houston, Texas, and from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. She won the Vassar College Fiction Prize while a student. She received her M.A. in fiction...
, and poet Cate Marvin
Cate Marvin
-Life:She graduated from Marlboro College, University of Houston, University of Iowa, and University of Cincinnati with a Ph.D.She teaches at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York and in spring 2010 will be teaching at Columbia University....
.
While in Houston, Hurwitz taught for Writers in the Schools, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization "[w]ith a focus on at-risk, inner city students", wrote for the Houston Press
Houston Press
The Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....
, and co-founded the Lo-fi band mild7 with fellow writer Andrew J. Porter
Andrew J. Porter
Andrew J. Porter is an American short story writer.-Life:Andrew Porter graduated from Vassar College, and the Iowa Writers' Workshop....
. The "underground Texas duo" released several CDs, including a benefit compilation called Songs We Learned in Texas
Songs We Learned in Texas
Songs We Learned in Texas is a compilation of independent artists performing the songs of Houston, Texas Lo-fi duo mild7.-Track listing:#"Greenland" – 3:56#"Neighbors" – 4:26...
, before going on seemingly permanent hiatus in 2002.
After returning to Baltimore in 1999, Hurwitz wrote, edited and co-produced the horror comedy feature film Swarm of the Snakehead
Swarm of the Snakehead
Swarm of the Snakehead is a 2006 comedy/horror feature film directed by Frank A. Lama and Joel C. Denning and written by Seth Hurwitz. It is the first feature from producers Lama and Hurwitz's Baltimore-based production company Ten Pound Films....
with actor Frank A. Lama
Frank A. Lama
Frank A. Lama is a film producer, director and character actor born in Tillsonburg, Ontario.Although his film work has largely been confined to horror and broad comedy, Lama studied acting at Wilfrid Laurier University and has starred in over 20 plays in the U.S. and Canada...
, starring Gunnar Hansen
Gunnar Hansen
Gunnar Milton Hansen is an Icelandic-born actor and author best known for playing Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre .- Early life:Hansen was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, and moved to the United States when he was five...
and Miss Teen Maryland 2006 Jamie O'Brien. "For me, 'Swarm' is a horror film the way Caddyshack
Caddyshack
Caddyshack is a 1980 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis and written by Brian Doyle-Murray, Ramis, and Douglas Kenney. It stars Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Michael O'Keefe, Cindy Morgan, and Bill Murray...
is a golf film. I mean, first and foremost Swarm of the Snakehead is a comedy -- a comedy with fish that spit acid and tear people's legs off."
Hurwitz was awarded two Individual Artist grants from The Maryland State Arts Council, one for Poetry in 2002 and the other for Fiction in 2005. In 2006, he co-wrote an interactive training film for the U.S. Army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal Corps called "BLASTER".
In an 2006 interview with the Baltimore Sun, Hurwitz claimed to be writing a book about the five year-long process of filming and editing Swarm of the Snakehead, called "How Thailand Paid for Film School."
Hurwitz was a lead writer on Damnation (video game)
Damnation (video game)
Damnation is a steampunk shooter, developed by Blue Omega Entertainment and published by Codemasters. It was released on May 22, 2009 on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.-Gameplay:...
, a "steampunk shooter" released on May 22, 2009 on Steam[1] for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
He currently lives in Pikesville, Maryland
Pikesville, Maryland
Pikesville is a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. Pikesville is just northwest of the Baltimore city limits. It is the northwestern suburb closest to Baltimore.The population was 29,123 at the 2000 census...
with his wife, poet Danika Paige Myers.
External links
- Q&A with Seth Hurwitz – June 28, 2006
- Seth Hurwitz IMDb
- Seth Hurwitz's on The Huffington Post
- Seth Hurwitz's Official Site
- Blue#26
- Horrortalk Review of Swarm of the Snakehead
- Cranked On Cinema Review of Swarm of the Snakehead
- Smash Or Trash Indie Filmmaking on Swarm of the Snakehead
- Swarm of the Snakehead Original Trailer
- Matte Painting VFX from Swarm of the Snakhead