David O'Donnell is an Australian director, writer, and film producer known for his debut feature film Under My Skin, starring Liv Hewson, Alex Russell, and Bobbi Salvör Menuez.
Early life and education
editDavid O'Donnell grew up in a working class family, the son of a cleaner (father) and nurse (mother). He grew up in Maroubra Beach, an eastern suburb of Sydney, Australia, then known for crime and violence. It also had a surfing community, which he joined, and describes his teenage years as "wild".[1]
He graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in Perth[2][3] in 2007.[4]
Career
editO'Donnell worked for several years in Australian theatre, film, and television.
He wrote, produced, and directed the short film Picture Wheel which screened at numerous festivals including Palm Springs, Rhode Island, Cinequest, and Santa Monica Film Festivals. It won Best Short Film at Santa Monica.[5] It was sold to Gunpowder & Sky.[6]
O'Donnell's dark comedy short Love & Dating: in LA! (writer, producer) screened at festivals around the world, including Cleveland International, Hollyshorts, and Santa Monica Film Festival, where it won the Audience Choice award, and sold to El Rey Network.[7][8]
His debut feature Under My Skin (writer, director, producer)[9] was nominated for Best Indie Film in the 11th edition of the AACTA Awards in 2021,[10][11] and received an Australian Director's Guild nomination. Under My Skin screened at various festivals including NewFest, Santa Barbara Film Festival, and Raindance[12] and was acquired by Australian streaming platform Stan[8] and 1091 Pictures in the US. Under My Skin premiered in the US and Canada on June 6, 2023.[[13][14][15][16][17]
Five Lip Films
editIn 2014 O'Donnell co-founded production company Rockpool Films,[18] later renamed Five Lip Films, with Alex Russell, James Saivanidis, and Sarah-Jane McAllan. The company operates out of both Sydney and Los Angeles.[19][4][20]
In academia
editO'Donnell has lectured on writing and performance at various institutions, including M.I.T. and Edith Cowan University.[2][3]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type | Awards | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Team Australia | Writer, Director, Producer | Short | ||
| 2013 | Love & Dating: In LA! | Writer, Producer | Short | Audience Choice Award, Santa Monica Film Festival | El Rey Network |
| 2017 | Picture Wheel | Writer, Director, Producer | Short | Best Short Film, Santa Monica Film Festival | Gunpowder & Sky |
| 2021 | Under My Skin[21] | Writer, Director, Producer | Feature | Best Direction Australian Director's Guild Award nomination[22]
Best Indie Film, Australian Academy Award (AACTA) nomination[23] |
Stan, 1091 Pictures, High Flier Films[24] |
| -- | Sons of Salt | Feature | In development[13] | ||
| -- | Tick | Feature | In development |
References
edit- ^ O'Donnell, David (8 January 2024). "Life & Work with David O'Donnell". Voyage LA Magazine (Interview). Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ a b "David O'Donnell". FilmFreeway. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Press — David O'Donnell Film". davidodonnellfilm.com. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ a b Windsor, Harry (6 March 2017). "Alex Russell, 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' star James Hoare lead 'Picture Wheel'". IF Magazine. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ Kornits, Dov (18 April 2017). "David O'Donnell: Moved by Memory in Picture Wheel". FilmInk. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ ""Picture Wheel" | #SDiFF2017 Official Selection – REVIEW". THE SILVERSCREEN ANALYSIS. 14 October 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ FF, SM (12 January 2015). "Santa Monica Film Festival Audience Choice Award #Winner "Love And Dating In LA"". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ Russell, Alex (17 November 2013), Love and Dating in LA! (Short, Comedy), David O'Donnell, Claire Scott, Five Lip Films, retrieved 9 November 2023
- ^ "David O'Donnell on Near-Death Experiences Directing 'Under My Skin'". Collider. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Langford, Jackson (9 December 2021). "'Nitram' and 'The Newsreader' lead 2021 AACTA award winners". NME. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ "Winners & Nominees". AACTA. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (29 October 2020). "'Under My Skin' First Trailer: Non-Binary Drama Starring Liv Hewson Debuts At The Raindance Film Festival". Deadline. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (22 March 2023). "1091 Pictures Acquires Romantic Drama 'Under My Skin', Sets Release Date". Deadline. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Baker, Neil (30 October 2020). "Under My Skin - a fresh exploration of non-binary gender identity". Cinerama Film. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ "With 'Under My Skin,' Writer/Director David O'Donnell Examines the Gender Binary with a Casting Twist | EDGE United States". EDGE Media Network. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ DAVID O'DONNELL Interview for "UNDER MY SKIN" A Non-Binary Love Story (Australia), retrieved 22 September 2023
- ^ "The Senses of Cinema Podcast: Feminists on Film on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Vibrant new production company on the block". IF Magazine. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ "Exclusive: Aussie Star Alex Russell Talks Directional Debut, Chronicle 2 & More!". Spotlight Report. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "About". Five Lip Films. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ "Under My Skin Review - A Difficult Watch, but Ultimately a Valuable and Hopeful One - The Curb". www.thecurb.com.au. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Slatter, Sean (5 November 2021). "Double nominations for Wayne Blair, Shannon Murphy at ADG Awards". IF Magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (1 November 2021). "'High Ground' and 'Nitram' Lead Australia's AACTA Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ "Home - High Fliers Films". highfliersfilms.co.uk. Retrieved 26 November 2023.