Stephen’s primary focus is writing and directing for film and various other multimedia projects. He has filmed and/or co-produced live recording and concert sessions with the likes of The Misterwives, Cage The Elephant, Ra Ra Riot, Freelance Whales, and The Orwells. He has helped develop a web series created by fellow CMU alums and is currently developing another. He has shot a few shorts and is currently developing two more to be filmed this year. Stephen is also the Director and Co-Creator of a feature-length documentary called “Tilt Shift,” which involves a cross-country flight from California to New York in a motorized hang glider. He and his production partner, David Grabowski, plan on launching their adventure mid-fall 2015.
Though Stephen graduated with a BFA in Theatre Direction, he spent a solid portion of his four years at CMU rising in the ranks at the university’s Film Club where, as president senior year, he and his co-president (Nicholas Hurt) and a Point Park professor (Chris Sepesy) started Pittsburgh’s first ever Student Film Festival. “Shot For Shot” film festival is held annually at Carnegie Mellon during the school’s Spring Carnival. We take short film submissions from students at over eight local colleges and universities with an average festival attendance of 300+ students. The festival is in its third year and is still running strong.
Stephen is currently based out of New York, NY.
On top of being a film director, Stephen also tours as a public speaker advocating for men and women diagnosed with ADHD. In 2013, Stephen was selected for the Carnegie Mellon University TEDx Student Speaker Competition. He gave his first speech on the subject there, in front of over 700 fellow students, professors, and various educators. His talk is on YouTube and has gathered almost 680,000 views to date. Stephen is yet unsigned, but will begin giving an updated version of his TED talk on tour later this year.
On top of being a film director and a public speaker, Stephen also develops and directs various theatre projects/productions. Most recently, he was hired as the media designer/operator on a show titled “She is King,” (Written by Laryssa Husiack and Dir. by Katie Brook) based on a series of key interviews spanning the 60’s and 70’s with the champion tennis player Billie Jean King. In 2013, while still attending Carnegie Mellon, he directed a production of Mac Wellman’s “Murder of Crows.” Currently, Stephen is working on an audience interactive musical highlighting issues surrounding tech privacy, public relations, journalists, lobbyists, and globally charitable organizations. The production goes up at the end of August in Pittsburgh, PA.
On top of being a film director, a public speaker, and a theatre director, Stephen also takes lots of photos on various photo-capturing devices. However, his favorite thing to do is pick up a disposable camera (sometimes a box of disposables) before an event and limit himself to those 27+ photos for said event—that’s right folks, no iPhone, no DSLR, no point-and-shoot, just your every day “I just bought this Fuji disposable at a Rite Aid down the street” sort of camera. You can check out most of his photography here (tumblr) and follow him on Instagram @stonti.