Brock Morse grew up in Corvallis, Oregon, and from an early age turned his passion for films into a full-time practice. Home-made movie productions spanned nearly every afternoon, weekend, and holiday for Morse and his crew of friends. Sadly, the market for adolescent action flicks and school videos was lagging during the late-eighties/early-nineties period and Morse's first 10 or so movies remained largely unknown to the public. Thus, upon graduation Morse decided to give up the bright lights of Corvallis to seek his fortune and hone his skills at the Montana State University Media and Theater Arts Department.

His study at MSU soon led him to an opportunity in British Columbia, at the Vancouver Film School. He graduated from the film program in 1996 with a short script under his belt, and several short 16mm productions in the can. It was during his stay in Canada that the concepts behind "Westender" began to take seed.

Following his graduation, Morse returned to the Willamette Valley where he worked briefly as a freelance camera operator before forming his own production company. He and his old crew were back at it again; now their technique was sharper and their ambitions much higher.

Morse served as Camera Operator on their first production in 1997, a black and white short feature called "Tumbler." "Tumbler" also paired Morse for the first time with Westender's Cinematographer, Matt Molitor. "Tumbler" soon led to funding for the 1999 DV feature, "Jacks" (winner Best Feature: American Digital Arts Festival, Best Feature: AFFMA Film Festival), in which Morse had a principal role in the cast. After "Jacks," Morse took the reigns and began putting into motion the ideas for "Westender" that had been gradually coming together for the last four years.

"Westender" began pre-production in May of 2000, with Morse wearing many a hat. From costume design and fabrication, to location scouting, to set building, Morse's detailed vision of the film was apparent in all his work.