Originally from Castleisland, Co. Kerry, Shaun is based in Cork, having studied Multimedia at the Cork Institute of Technology and completed an MA in Film Studies at University College Cork.

He directed his first short film in 2010 and through years of directing shorts, television and music videos has developed a distinctive visual and storytelling style. Shaun’s 2013 short period film ‘Uisce Beatha’ won the ‘Filmmaker’s Choice’ Award at DC Shorts. In 2015 Shaun directed ‘(R)onanism’, a short series for RTE Ireland, produced by Fantastic Films and made with the support of the Irish Film Board. 

In 2019 Shaun also directed ‘Primal’, his first theatre production, made with the support of the Arts Council’s Emerging Artists program. In 2018 he directed ‘Mary’, a short film produced with the support of the Irish Film Board’s ‘Short Stories’ initiative, starring Mark O’ Halloran. Shaun is also a prolific photographer and his exhibition ‘Personal Space: Travels In India’  ran in St. Peters Cork throughout October 2017. 

Most recently, Shaun directed ‘A White Horse’,  winner of the ARRI Alexa Take / Screen Directors Guild of Ireland Script Award 2019, produced by Sinead Barry. It has won numerous awards on the festival circuit, including ‘Best Irish Short’ at the Academy Award Qualifying Foyle Film Festival. In 2020 Shaun was nominated for the Virgin Dublin Film Festival Discovery Award.

Shaun is also the author of ‘The Depersonalization Manual’, a guide to dealing with anxiety-based feelings of disconnection. Shaun wrote the book after suffering with chronic Depersonalization Disorder for two years in his mid-20s. His story has been featured by the BBC.

Shaun is currently writing his debut feature film and developing ‘A White Horse’ into a mini-series with writer Paul Cahill.

Shaun’s collected work can be viewed at shaunoconnor.com.