A multidisciplinary Filmmaker, Creative & Art Director with a passion for visual storytelling & a flair for colour, camp & fantasy.
An imaginative Filmmaker, Creative, and Art Director working across all forms of content, Stephen’s talents for design and illustration add another level to his work as he immerses himself in the Concept, Costume, Set, and Storyboard Design of his projects.
Stephen began his film training at The Dublin Institute of Technology with a BA in Media Arts. His graduate piece – a short film musical entitled 'Lost For Words' – went on to screen at over thirty international film festivals including the Academy and BAFTA-qualifying Cork Film Festival, The Dublin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, Brno 16 Film Festival, and Germany's Stuttgart Filmwinter Film Festival. The script was nominated for an Oxygen Smedia Award, and the film itself won numerous accolades, including an award at the New York International Independent Film Festival.
Stephen’s portfolio as a Director has so far encompassed online content, TV commercials, animation, music videos, fashion films, and video installations. Stephen has directed commercial campaigns - nationally and internationally - and his stylised vision has led him to create content for clients as diverse as Rimmel London, RuPaul, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Channel 4, and The Royal Opera House.
In addition to his commercial work, Stephen created an immersive, fashion film installation in East London gallery ‘fiftyfour’ and excelled in production design with Claire Oakley’s award-winning short film ‘Beautiful Enough’, which won Best Personal Narrative at the Amsterdam Film Awards, and screened at Guadalajara Film Festival, London Short Film Festival, Underwire Film Festival, ishorts in Prague, Cornwall Film Festival, and Greenhorn Film Festival.
In late 2022, Stephen completed a high-concept LGBT+ short film entitled ‘Empress ClawScream’. ‘Empress ClawScream’ was selected to Festival Formula’s slate and has begun its film festival run. So far, it has won Best Sc-Fi Film at the Berlin Short Film Festival, and screened at the BIFA-qualifying Beeston Festival, Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, and Leeds Queer Film Festival.
Stephen is currently in post-production on ‘TETHERED’ - a fantasy short film that visualises strands of Irish folklore and family by interweaving live-action, animation, and modern dance. ‘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. Filming was completed in Kerry and Dublin in September 2022. Stephen was a finalist in the prestigious The Pitch Film Fund, and is in early development on another short film entitled ‘CHARITY’.
Stephen looks forward to developing his inventive and fantasy-driven visual style in every creative challenge that befalls him in 2023...
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
