Shannon Young

Shannon Young
(Shannon James Young)
b. December 25, 1975, Melbourne, Australia.

BIOGRAPHY: Shannon Young began his filmmaking career by producing feature length VHS horror movies and directing large-scale stage productions at his suburban high school, where he received several awards. He was subsequently accepted to the Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts at RMIT where he co-directed his first 16mm feature, the low budget action-horror film Stygian with James Wan (of Saw fame, where Stygian is actually referenced during the film). Stygian became an award winner and screened at local and international film festivals, including Dead By Dawn in Scotland.

Shannon went on to direct the controversial independent Melbourne feature film Razor Eaters, which was highly publicised after becoming the subject of a full police investigation over its subject matter. Razor Eaters has since received five star reviews, some theatrical exposure in Australia and overseas, and won a number of major awards at film festivals. Shannon has now secured representation in the United States with Concept Entertainment, Los Angeles where he has a new horror script in development. He has also guest-lectured on independent filmmaking at local and international universities and had articles published on the debate over violent cinema.

CRITICAL OVERVIEW: As a writer/director, my work has and will continue to be concerned with the dark motivations of the human psyche. Everywhere from domestic disputes in the home up to full-scale wars between nations, man's propensity for and fascination with violence is an ever-present beast in our society and history. It is essential for authors, artists and filmmakers to continually raise, question and analyse this phenomenon.

My current feature film Razor Eaters probes the issue of the dangerous relationship between the media and violent impulse criminals. Razor Eaters has been recognised in reviews and with awards as not just an entertaining and energetic film but also as "a cinematically important film and a politically important statement of our times" (Michael Davidson, Fearless Tales Film Festival director) and "thought provoking and mind blowing.a distressing picture of the state of society in present day Australia" (Film Threat review). Despite its low budget, the film has been variously compared to such big budget mainstream releases as Fight Club, Natural Born Killers, Taxi Driver, The Usual Suspects and Reservoir Dogs.

I am presently engaged in writing several screenplays that continue to explore these topics. I have also commented on the issue of violent cinema in film and television in published articles and will continue to be a dissenting voice against censorship and advocate of bolder freedom of expression for artists.

Shannon Young, April 2005.

See also Praise for Razor Eaters

FILMOGRAPHY:


	Stygian

Vexed (1998, 12 mins, 8mm, B/W)

Stygian (1999, 80 mins, 16mm, Colour)
Also producer and writer, Co-director James Wan

Razor Eaters (2003, 96 mins, Super 16mm & digital video, Colour)
Also writer and actor

Additional credits:

A Bullet in the Arse (Pyrotechnic effects assistant, 1999-2000)

Radio Samurai (Assistant director, 2000)

Scam (Pyrotechnic effects assistant, 2001)

AWARDS:

Razor Eaters
'Best Film', Fearless Tales Film Festival, San Francisco, USA
'Best Editing', Fearless Tales FF
'Best Film', Sanctuary Cove Independent Film Festival, Australia
'Best Script', Sanctuary Cove IFF
'Special Jury Prize', Melbourne Underground Film Festival
Official Selection, Victorian Independent Film Festival, Canada
IF Magazine 'Independent Spirit Award' finalist, Australia

Stygian
'Best Use of the Guerilla Aesthetic', Melbourne Underground Film Festival 2000
Official selection, Dead By Dawn Horror Film Festival, Scotland 2000
Melbourne Fringe Festival 1999, 2000

SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Articles by Shannon Young:

"A Dangerous Thing: The Debate Over TV Violence" - Australian Screen Education, Issue # 36, Spring 2004 edition.

"Police and Pyromania: The Making of Razor Eaters" - Metro Magazine, Issue # 42, January 2003 edition.

"Tas-Mania - Movies and The Port Arthur Massacre" - Fangoria Magazine USA, Issue # 156, June 1996

Articles about Shannon Young's films:

"Stygian" - Fangoria Magazine USA, Issue # 192, May 2000

"Stygian - Independent's Day" - Total Film UK, Issue # 44, September 2000

"Where are they now? - Independent's Day" - Total Film UK, Special Issue # 50, March 2001

"Police call cut on violent film" - by Georgina Safe, The Australian Newspaper, Pg 3 Thursday July 18 2002

"Edgy movie fires up US" - by Nui Te Koha, Herald Sun Newspaper, Pg.17 Tuesday November 2 2004

"Razor Eaters" - Review by Jim Schembri, The Age EG Newspaper, Pg.10 Friday November 5 2004

WEB RESOURCES:

Links to interviews and reviews with Shannon Young about Razor Eaters:

Razor Eaters website

Film Threat.com

Aint It Cool News.com

Razor Eaters website

Contact Shannon Young

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