Stephen J. Nelson

Inspired by Steven Spielberg's "E.T." at the age of 11, Stephen embarked on a filmmaking journey, fueled by a passion that took root in high school. Collaborating with a determined friend, they pooled their resources to shoot their first feature film—an homage to "E.T." Sadly, it remained unfinished.

Despite this early setback, Stephen's dedication to film persisted, landing him a trainee role at 15 on the low-budget film 'Chasing the Deer.' Progressing through short films, he shot his first feature, 'The Ring and the Seal,' under Hollywood FX guru Tom Lauten at 19.

Joining ARRI Rental in London as a Camera Technician, Stephen supported major films like 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Quantum of Solace.' After 8 years, he left to assist renowned photographer Greg Williams, aiding in his transition to directing with films like 'Sergeant Slaughter: My Big Brother' and 'Tell Tale,' winning Best Cinematography awards.

Post ARRI, Stephen shot feature films "The Takedown" and "Nene." He delved into British Film and Television drama, also handling 2nd Unit photography on Alan Moore's 'The Show.' He has also undertaken a number of drama projects for British Sign Language TV. In the last 3 years stephen has also worked on a number of projects for Netflix, shooting the stunt previz work for Joe Cornish's "Lockwood & Co." and the upcoming "Supacell" created by Rapman.

Stephen has recently returned to his first love of shooting on 16mm and 35mm film with a number of celluloid projects scheduled to go into production in 2024.

Driven to mentor aspiring filmmakers, Stephen collaborates with educational institutions and Screen Northants in Northampton, UK, teaching filmmaking to underprivileged and excluded children, aiming to provide the support he once sought.