Steven is an experienced academic with more than two decades teaching and researching global cinema. He graduated from York St John University with his first degree, a BA in Drama, Film and Television, in 1997. He subsequently completed a research MLitt in 2000 and received his PhD, on performance in the films of Hal Hartley, from The University of Aberdeen in 2007. He returned to lecture at York St John in 2007after being a teaching assistant at The University of Aberdeen while he completed his PhD. He has taught widely about film, both through theory and practice. The early steps of his academic career introduced him to film production, which he has continued to explore through a variety of lens in his research and teaching. He has practical experience with several media companies, and he continues to engage with film and media industries, both as a teacher and consultant.