Shannon Young embarked on a filmmaking journey by producing feature-length VHS horror movies and directing large-scale stage productions at his suburban high school, where he garnered several accolades. This early success led to his acceptance into the Bachelor of Arts in Media Arts program at RMIT, where he co-directed his first 16mm feature, the low-budget action-horror film Stygian, alongside James Wan, renowned for his work on the Saw franchise. Stygian went on to win awards and screen at local and international film festivals, including the prestigious Dead By Dawn in Scotland.
Shannon's subsequent direction of the controversial independent Melbourne feature film Razor Eaters sparked a full police investigation due to its subject matter, garnering widespread media attention. Despite the controversy, Razor Eaters received five-star reviews, limited theatrical releases in Australia and abroad, and won numerous awards at film festivals. Shannon has since secured representation in the United States with Concept Entertainment, Los Angeles, where he is developing a new horror script. Additionally, he has guest-lectured on independent filmmaking at local and international universities and published articles on the debate surrounding violent cinema.
