Houston’s creative scene has always thrived in the spaces between the mainstream. Inside old warehouses turned art venues, neighborhood coffee shops, student film labs, and independently produced movie sets, the city continues to quietly build a culture all its own. Few people seem to move through all of those worlds quite like Seamus Moran.
Part filmmaker, part storyteller, part cultural observer, Moran recently sat down with Houston City Beat to talk about his newest projects, including a Houston-produced mafia action film, a four-part documentary series exploring the meaning behind different types of cards, and a possible horror series already beginning to take shape in his imagination.
The conversation started with a photo that immediately caught attention online. Moran appeared on the set of a recent Houston film premiere looking strikingly similar to Jack Nicholson, prompting curiosity about what exactly he had been working on. That photo led directly to the interview.
Houston-Made Mafia Film “Death Merchant”
Moran recently attended the premiere of Death Merchant, a locally produced gangster-style action movie filmed in Houston and surrounding areas including Katy, League City, and Clear Lake.
The film follows a high-stakes storyline involving organized crime and a father racing against time to save his daughter by taking down the heads of five mafia families within 24 hours. Moran described the movie as a fast-paced action production with a “high body count” delivered in a fun, cinematic way.
What impressed him most, however, was seeing a major independent production come together quietly in Houston without many people realizing it was happening.
“They really did a great job,” Moran said during the interview, noting how difficult independent filmmaking can be and praising the cast and crew for bringing the project to life.
“Today Is the Day”: A Four-Part Documentary Series
While Moran has spent time around movie productions, his own latest work takes a more experimental and philosophical direction.
His newest documentary project, Today Is the Day Tarot, recently debuted at the legendary Houston art space Notsuoh as the first installment of a four-part documentary series centered around different types of cards.
The series explores:
- Tarot cards
- Playing cards
- Trading cards
- Immigration “green cards”
Moran serves as both producer and director for the project, which originated after Houston Community College asked him to create programming for Houston television that explored more artistic and philosophical subject matter.
The first installment examines tarot cards through the lens of psychology, symbolism, artwork, and personal interpretation. Moran collaborated with Houston tarot practitioner Amber Ambrose and filmed portions of the project inside Notsuoh’s colorful, historic Downtown Houston building.
The venue itself became part of the visual storytelling.
“That was the first of a four-part series dealing with cards,” Moran explained, noting that the unique atmosphere of Notsuoh made it the perfect location for the documentary’s dreamlike tone.
Spotlighting Houston’s Emerging Creative Talent
One of the most notable parts of Moran’s projects is how deeply connected they are to Houston’s emerging arts community.
Several Houston Community College students worked on the documentary, including audio engineer and musician Issa, an up-and-coming artist originally from Mexico, and graphic designer Pega, who recently immigrated from Iran.
Moran said he hopes future installments will continue involving local students, musicians, filmmakers, graphic designers, and audio engineers.
For the next documentary focused on playing cards, Moran plans to incorporate original music from Houston musicians instead of relying solely on copyright-free production libraries.
The upcoming chapter will also feature Houston magician duo Jake and David Rangel, a father-son team known for professional card handling and illusion work.
A Horror Series Inspired by Tarot Readings
In one of the interview’s biggest reveals, Moran shared what he called “breaking news” for Houston City Beat.
While editing the tarot documentary, he realized the concept could evolve into a horror-focused limited television series.
“The horror movie starts after the reading,” Moran explained.
The idea would expand the documentary’s themes into a fictional four-part horror series exploring the consequences and eerie possibilities that unfold after someone receives a tarot reading. Moran noted that horror storytelling is currently experiencing a major resurgence and believes the concept could fit naturally into the modern streaming landscape.
Houston’s Film Programs Continue Growing
During the interview, Moran also highlighted Houston Community College and the University of Houston as two of the city’s strongest programs for aspiring filmmakers and media students.
He specifically praised Houston Community College’s West Houston Institute and Alief campus for giving students access to professional-level production equipment, sound design facilities, Foley studios, and hands-on filmmaking opportunities.
For Moran, Houston’s independent creative scene continues to thrive because of collaboration between artists, students, musicians, and storytellers willing to experiment outside traditional studio systems.
Connecting With Seamus Moran
Moran encouraged Houston musicians, creatives, and collaborators interested in participating in future installments of Today Is the Day to reach out directly.
He can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram under his name, Seamus Moran, where viewers can explore his growing catalog of creative projects.
As Houston’s independent film scene continues evolving, creators like Moran are proving that some of the city’s most interesting stories are still being built quietly behind the scenes, one project at a time.
