Biography
Stephanie is an award winning, BAFTA long-listed filmmaker who recently directed a block of 3 episodes for ITV’s award winning, world renowned continuing drama EMMERDALE, which broadcast in July 2024. Prior to Emmerdale, she directed a block of 4 x 30' episodes on BBC’s BAFTA and RTS winning children’s drama series THE DUMPING GROUND in 2023.
Stephanie’s feature directorial debut ZEBRA GIRL is a psychological thriller which she also co-produced and developed the screen story for from the critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe one woman show ‘Catherine & Anita’. Starring Tom Cullen (Weekend, The Gold, Insomnia), Jade Anouka (Dune: Prophecy, His Dark Materials, Fool Me Once) and Sarah Roy (Glue), it had a UK theatrical release in 2021 and was nominated for a 2022 National Film Award for Best Thriller. Zebra Girl is now streaming globally on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and all major VOD platforms.
She is the creator, director and EP of comedy horror HOUSE HACK, a live-action interactive feature film commissioned by Whatifi, the social story-hacking platform for original interactive films. HOUSE HACK was produced under her banner FORGE FILMS, which she founded in 2017. The film stars Amar Chadha-Patel (Willow, The Creator), Jenny Funnell (Everything I Know About Love, As Time Goes By) and Ann Akinjirin (I May Destroy You, Moon Knight). It launched in 2021 to great success and was voted a Top Game App in 2021 by Google Play.
IN OUR BLOOD is a modern gothic thriller currently in development that received a BFI Development Award. Written and directed by Stephanie, the screenplay was a semi-finalist in the Shore Scripts feature competition out of 2,500 submissions. The project received further development through the Birds Eye View/BFI FILMONOMICS programme headed by Mia Bays, EIFF Talent Lab and Galway Film Market. Stephanie also received the prestigious John Brabourne Award to support script completion.
Her short films have achieved festival, critical, online and broadcast success screening at OSCAR, BAFTA and BIFA qualifying festivals worldwide. MARIGOLDS was broadcast on BBC HD Shorts and won Best Director at Underwire Film Festival. DAWN was BAFTA long-listed and BEING KEEGAN starring Stephen Graham was broadcast on My5 and is streaming on VOD platforms worldwide. She was chosen for the 2018 BAFTA x CREW Talent Development Programme for directing and also mentored for the BAFTA/BFI Film Academy Alumni Programme.
She has over 15 years industry experience, firstly as an actor, then as a successful Promo Producer and First Assistant Director before concentrating on directing and producing her own projects. She has worked with top tier talent, broadcasters and production companies including Netflix, Westbrook, 72 Films, BBC, BFI, ITV, Channel 5 and Sky and is in development on several film and TV projects. She is a member of BAFTA, RTS, WGGB and Directors UK and holds dual UK/US citizenship.
