Brett Morris talks honor of producing “So You Think You Can Dance Canada” from start to finish
When renowned director, Brett Morris, thinks back on his childhood, he fondly recalls the role that dance played in his upbringing. Between his mother, his sister, and even his 87-year old, tap-dancing grandmother, his house was full of the powerful art form. Morris, however, let his feet carry him along a different path. Beginning his career as a child actor, he eventually worked his way through the entertainment industry, experimenting with a variety of different positions and tasks. From directing to producing, Morris does it all. As a result, his experience with each different role sets him apart from other directors. On one hand, he knows how actors prepare, how they get into character, and how they gain confidence before the camera. On the other hand, he is familiar with photography and with the technical elements involved in filming. He is a jack of all trades and his remarkable career is a testament to each skill that he has acquired along the way.
“I think to be a good filmmaker, you have to not only understand, but love all of the processes that we encounter — writing, shooting, directing, and editing. The better you become at all four things, the better your final products will be,” advised Morris.
Morris’ final products have decorated his resume remarkably. He has ample experience working in the realm of reality television, having directed and produced for several well-known television series such as Top Chef Canada All-Stars, The Real Housewives of Toronto, and Big Brother Canada. For those that have had the opportunity to work with Morris, it is simple to understand how he has developed such an established career in such a short time. For instance, Chris Sherry, who worked with Morris on The Real Housewives of Toronto, was blown away by his in-depth understanding of filmmaking and his advanced knowledge in each of the roles he manages.
“Brett has a way with people and a warmth that puts them at ease, therefore bringing about their best performances. He has a great sense of storytelling and knows what makes for engaging content, both editorially and visually. Because he is talented and experienced in photography, videography, and lighting, he knows what makes a beautiful image, and cares as much as the camera/lighting part of the crew about making things look as good as they can. This is something that is not only uncommon, but extremely appreciated by members of those teams, like myself. His leadership style is based on positive reinforcement, building team morale, and getting the best out of each individual that he works with. This, in turn, makes working with him a true pleasure. I know that with his talent, Brett’s career will take him wherever he wants it to,” told Sherry, Director of Photography.
When Morris learned that SFA Productions were looking to launch So You Think You Can Dance Canada, he knew he had to be a part of it. In addition to the impact that dance had early on in his life, the show was generating a significant amount of buzz in the entertainment industry and Morris was drawn to the idea that Canadian audiences were waiting for a show to highlight the country’s talent. He knew that So You Think You Can Dance Canada was going to be the solution to this problem and he considered it an honor to be a member of such an influential franchise from start to finish.
Based on the original American television show So You Think You Can Dance, So You Think You Can Dance Canada is a dance competition and reality show that aired on CTV Network from 2008–2011. The aim of the series was to showcase the best Canadian dancing talent, holding auditions in major cities across the country and uncovering the top dancers within it. Once the Top 20 competitors are selected, they prepare a weekly performance and face eliminations throughout the search for one, winning dancer. For the series, Morris worked as a Segment Director and Producer, leaving him responsible for directing in-field and post-producing taped segments. With that, he followed aspiring dancers on a cross-country audition tour, crafted documentary stories to be shown on air, and directed choreography segments during the in-studio portions of the program. For the show’s wildly successful four seasons, Morris was a key contributor to 92 episodes and with the help of his skill and expertise, So You Think You Can Dance Canada was consistently dubbed the highest-rated Canadian-made program on Canadian reality television.
Not only did So You Think You Can Dance Canada serve as one of Morris’ most interesting jobs to-date, it was also his first job in television. He considers himself extremely lucky to have been hired for the project and he loved every task, from traveling across the country, to learning the dances alongside the dancers as he invested himself in their journeys. At the time, he hungered for any opportunity to expand upon the skill set that he had already learned and was eager to take on any task, whether he was asked to or not. He soon learned that filming each dancer during overnight challenges and regular rehearsals was equally as important and exciting as filming the performances that they put on for their live audiences. His job was to capture these top athletes in their prime and he enjoyed highlighting all of the struggles, highlights, and emotions that came along with them.
Today, Morris looks back on So You Think You Can Dance Canada as playing a pivotal role in the advancement of his career. As a personal rule, he attempts to set his sights on the future and focus on growing himself and his career wherever possible. According to him, if you’re not willing to grow or push yourself to learn something new or explore a new avenue, you will not live a fulfilling life. With that, he looks to continue to expand his horizons in the film and television industry, and to continue to live out his dreams one project at a time.
