Colm Hogan
Filmmaker, Writer, and Artist in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Colm Hogan is a Toronto based writer, director, producer and editor.
Colm has worked for a number of television shows in graphics, web design and photography, including Queer as Folk (2000), U8TV: The Lofters (2001) (which billed itself as Canada's first internet TV station) and the CBC stop motion animation series; What It's Like Being Alone (2006).
He is known for:
Matatu Express (2010), which told the story of young artists and entrepreneurs rebuilding their community after experiencing the horrors of post election violence. It made its debut at the National Film Board of Canada for Toronto's NXNE festival (2011). It was subsequently screened at the Kenya International Film Festival in Nairobi later that same year.
The Legend of 23 Hop (2022) profiled one of Canada's first official rave companies (Exodus Productions) which held its seminal events at a warehouse event space known as 23 Hop. The venue would become ground zero for the electronic music scene which featured notable local talents (Mark Oliver, Kenny Glasgow) and international acts (Moby).
Back to the Zone (2022) identified the Twilight Zone as being one of Canada's most influential after hour venues. The film tells the story of how four brothers born in Trinidad and raised in Brooklyn, opened up a nightclub in Toronto's then Textile district in 1980. It would eventually be re-zoned as the Entertainment district thanks largely to the Twilight Zone's efforts. The club brought in multiple genres of international music and would be among the first venues in Canada to import hip hop and house music. During the film's production, Colm initiated a successful social media campaign to name a street after the club. (Twilight Lane)
Both The Legend of 23 Hop & Back To The Zone are now featured in the City of Toronto's Archives. (Fonds 616)
Colm is also a published author and founder of Digitized Graffiti, a blog he created in 2010 specializing in personal essays, poetry and reviews on music, technology and culture. After a car crash in which his wife suffered serious, life long injuries, Colm now works in mental health as a Therapeutic Art and Mindfulness Facilitator. He has lectured on his experience gained from shooting Matatu Express (2010) and how music and other expressive art forms can help heal PTSD, depression and anxiety in trauma survivors.
He lives with his wife, dog and cat in Toronto.
"...provocative & passionate." - Editor, Wordpress.com