Master of Arts: Film & Television (Hons) — Producing, 2000
Steve’s short drama Inja, which he wrote and directed as an honours student at AFTRS, screened at Sundance and was nominated for an Academy Award™ in 2003. Another career milestone was receiving a Silver Medal at the Olympic Committee’s Sports Press Association Awards (2019) for journalism for the documentary feature The Haka, which he wrote and directed for Discovery.
Recently, Steve edited and produced two feature films for national theatrical release – Three Chords and The Truth (SFF, winner ADG best direction for Claire Pasvolsky) and The Policewoman (Screen Australia, Bonsai Films).
As a producer, Steve has also just completed Extreme Minds, a four-part factual series on the mental benefits of doing extreme sports.
Currently, Steve is midway through the shoot of a feature documentary based on Emma Carey’s Book The Girl Who Fell From The Sky. The common thread of all of Steve’s projects are that they aim to have some impact on society and the world at large, while still being commercially viable.
AFTRS Highlight
Making Inja on set in rural South Africa, circa 2000, with two great collaborators, AFTRS students Joe Weatherstone and Tinzar Lwyn by my side… and then having the amazing support of Andrea Ulbrick during post.
Career Highlight
Three Chords and The Truth winning the Australian Director’s Guild Award for best feature film under $1m budget. Even although I did not direct this one, the passion and sacrifice was massive, and to be recognised by peers for this meaningful film, was incredibly uplifting… and enough to inspire us to do it all again!