Biography
Stephen Michael Simon is an award-winning director, cinematographer and editor located in New York City.
In 2009, after graduating from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Stephen worked for MTV and Nylon Magazine producing video content. In 2014, he transitioned to a successful freelance career.
His debut as a director in the genre of short documentaries, "Bacon 'N' Laces" (2021), achieved remarkable recognition on the festival circuit, securing over a dozen awards including the prestigious "Best of Fest" at the Lower East Side Film Festival and "Directors' Choice: Independent Spirit Award" at the Sedona International Film Festival. Notably, this work was acquired by The New Yorker and given a Vimeo "Staff Pick".
Stephen's editing expertise is equally distinguished. He recently edited a feature documentary centered around a Wu-Tang Clan member, as well as the award-winning TV series "Origins of Hip-Hop," featuring renowned figures like Ice-T and Ja Rule for A+E Networks. His contributions extended to Viceland's third season of "Most Expensivest" with 2 Chainz. One of his notable accomplishments includes editing the feature documentary "Yes I Am: The Story of Ric Weiland" alongside director Aaron Bear, earning them the "Best Documentary" accolade at both the Munich Film Awards and the Dumbo Film Festival in 2021.
Further showcasing his versatility, Stephen collaborated on LensCrafters' commercials with director Kaz Firpo (writer for Marvel's "The Eternals") and cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra (HBO's "Euphoria") at Ridley Scott's agency RSA. He also left his mark on Broadway's "West Side Story" revival campaign with Scott Rudin.
Stephen's impact is also felt in the realm of short films, crafting the short narrative, "Love, Sick" (2022) under Emmy-award winner Chris Klimovski and "The Big Break", featuring David Arquette and Thomas Cocquerel, premiering on Vice in 2018. His insightful short documentary "Refuge" (2016) garnered significant recognition, being officially selected at 19 film festivals and earning the coveted "Best Documentary Short" award at prestigious events like the Oxford Film Festival, the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, and the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It also secured the "Humanitarian Outstanding Achievement Award" at IndieFest in 2017.
Among his other editing accomplishments is the VMA-nominated "It Ain't Me" music video for Selena Gomez ft. Kygo. Notably, Stephen also edited the hilarious web series "Janice & Jeffrey" for IFC.com, and his editing prowess contributed to the award-winning feature documentary "Finding Kim" in 2016.
Stephen's cinematography prowess is evident in works like the feature documentary "Brainiac," which premiered at SXSW 2019 and received a nationwide theatrical release, as well as the short horror film "Rick & Ruby" (2019) featured internationally at prestigious festivals including the Sitges Film Festival. Notable collaborations include country-wide commercial projects for Dell and a digital commercial for Grammy-winning group Sugarland.
Outside of editing and cinematography, Stephen also directed music videos for artists including Mosss, Blaketheman1000, Frost Children, B.Miles, Wilsen, ADI and Gracie & Rachel.
Currently as of 2023, Stephen is gearing up for a range of exciting projects, including the premiere of his second directed short documentary, "Far West," editing the feature narrative "Coney Island Cousins" with director Alfred Padilla and short narratives "Crooks" with director Josh Greenwood and "Liminal" with director Kevin Vincenti. He is also contributing to a feature documentary exploring the prison system, in partnership with director Aaron Bear.
