Biography
Stephen began his career creating childhood super-8 epics before graduating from Swinburne Film & Television School. He then wrote, produced, and directed two low-budget TV features: See Jack Run (1991, Nine Network), which tells the story of a boy struggling with illiteracy, and The Alive Tribe (1996, Showtime), a farce addressing environmental decline. In 2000, he released the romantic comedy The Real Thing, starring Kate Fischer (Arclight, Universal Pictures), followed by the steampunk sci-fi fantasy Virus, featuring Kerry Armstrong and John Stanton, which explores women's emancipation in the 1800s. Later, he created The 25th Reich (2012, Monster Pictures, Lightning Entertainment), a lively, tongue-in-cheek sci-fi tribute to Sam Fuller, WWII films, and classic creature features, examining the dangers of unchecked fascism and ideology.
Stephen also directed the hour-long Channel Seven documentary Oz Encounters: UFOs in Australia, written and produced by Debra Byrne (The Secret) and starring Australian TV icon Martin Sacks. In 2018, he co-wrote, co-produced, and directed The BBQ, showcasing Australia's top comedic talent; the film was released widely across over 300 cinemas nationwide. An award-winning cinematographer, Stephen has worked on numerous productions, including Australian hits such as Funky Squad, Frontline, and A River Somewhere. He earned two AACTA (Australian Academy Award) nominations for cinematography, including for the documentary Dr Sarmast's Music School, filmed in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Stephen founded the Australian theatrical distribution company LABEL, which released James Cameron's Deep Sea Challenge, The BBQ, Brothers Nest (SXSW 2018), and Hounds of Love (Venice Film Festival 2017). Recently, he completed producing and directing the feature documentary Defend, Conserve, Protect, narrated by Dan Aykroyd, which follows Sea Shepherd's efforts against the Japanese whaling fleet in Antarctic waters. The Guardian named Defend, Conserve, Protect one of the top ten Australian films of 2019.
