David Burton Morris was raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. After attending UCLA film school he returned to Minnesota to make the feature film, Purple Haze (1983). He returned again in 1987 to film Patti Rocks (1988), which won the Coup de Coeur for Best Feature Film at the Deauville International Film Festival, Critics Week at the Venice International Film Fesitval and was nominated for five Independent Spirit Awards. Both Purple Haze (1983) and Patti Rocks (1988) were shown in competition at the Sundance Film Festival. Purple Haze (1983) won the Grand Jury Prize at the festival in 1983. His student feature film, Loose Ends (1976), was shown out of competition at the festival in 1988. His films have received twenty-five nominations, including seven Emmy nominations. His directing work has won Cable ACE awards and he has been nominated for a DGA award. Since 1994 he has been a full time resident of Minnesota where he lives with his screenwriter wife, Victoria Wozniak, and their two children and various animals.