A multidisciplinary Irish Filmmaker & Artist with a passion for visual storytelling & a flair for colour, camp & fantasy.
A Dublin native and award-winning Queer writer/director working across multiple forms of content, Stephen’s talents for illustration and design add another dimension to their work as he immerses himself in the concept, costume, set, and storyboard design of his projects.
After graduating from Technological University Dublin, Stephen’s graduate short film musical 'Lost For Words' went on to screen at over thirty international film festivals including the Academy and BAFTA-qualifying Cork Film Festival. The script - and the film itself - won numerous accolades, including an award at the New York International Independent Film Festival.
Stephen’s portfolio as a director now includes commercials, animation, music videos, online content, fashion films, and video installations. Stephen’s stylised vision has led them to create content for commercial clients as diverse as Rimmel London, RuPaul, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Channel 4, Disney, Universal and The Royal Opera House. Stephen’s dedication to their craft also earned them membership to BAFTA Connect in 2023.
In addition to their commercial work, Stephen created an immersive, fashion film installation in East London gallery ‘fiftyfour’. Stephen also excelled in Production Design with Claire Oakley’s award-winning short ‘Beautiful Enough’, which screened at a host of festivals including the London Short Film Festival and Underwire Film Festival.
However, Stephen is an enthusiastic and imaginative writer/director eager to transition into narrative filmmaking following experience in commercial content. With a deep passion for world-building, they draw inspiration from a wide range of cinematic styles - particularly magical realism - as well as stories centred on fantasy and Queer themes.
‘Empress ClawScream’ is a self-funded LGBTQIA+ short film and Stephen’s first narrative project after numerous years directing commercial content. ‘Empress ClawScream’ was selected to Festival Formula’s slate in 2023, and won Best Sci-Fi Film at the Berlin Short Film Festival and Best Hair & Make-Up at the British Short Film Awards. It has screened at numerous international film festivals including the BIFA-qualifying Beeston Festival (where it was nominated for both Best In Festival and Best Pride Film), the Academy Award-qualifying deadCenter, the British Council-listed Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, the Leeds Queer Film Festival, and QFest St Louis.
‘TETHERED’ is a fantasy short film that visualises strands of Irish folklore and family by interweaving live-action, animation, and modern dance. Stephen’s script for ‘TETHERED’ was a finalist in 2018's Film In Cork scheme, and the initial production costs were raised through a successful crowdfunding campaign on Seed & Spark. ‘TETHERED’ shows the scope of Stephen’s ambition as a narrative director and propensity for film fantasy. It debuted in October 2023 at the Kerry International Film Festival and has screened at numerous festivals including IndieCork, Waterford International Film Festival and Beeston Film Festival. ‘TETHERED’ is still on its international film festival run and has picked up seven awards to date, including a Jury's Special Recognition Award at Ennis International Fantastic FilmFest, Best Actress and Best Music/Score at Dublin International Short Film and Music Festival, and Best Production Design at Ignite Film Festival.
'CHARITY!' is Stephen’s current short film project as Writer/Director. 'CHARITY!' was selected in 2023 for BFI NETWORK Short Film funding - and was one of 37 short film projects funded out of 1116 submissions that year. This LGTBTQIA+ musical comedy short film is about a closeted Irish pop princess wrestling with the dark side of fame. Stephen wrapped filming on ‘CHARITY!' in August 2024 with the Irish actress Niamh McCormack - and it is currently in post-production.
Stephen looks forward to developing his inventive and fantasy-driven visual style in every creative challenge that befalls him in 2025...
SELECTED PRESS:
SohoSoho | Shots | Dazed & Confused | Volt Cafe | Promo News | Little Black Book | David Reviews | Maison Très Bon | Fault Magazine | 160 Grams | The Royal Opera House | IFTN | Metro
