When Stephen Eckelberry joined Big Screen in 2004, he came as a filmmaker with over 20 years experience.

His lastest film which he wrote and directed for Big Screen, Nina & the Mystery of the Secret Room won accolades at several film festivals, including the Hollywood and the Portuguese Fantasporto Film Festival, and garnered him the Director’s Award at the Macon Film Festival. The film is set for nationwide release this summer. “A Hitchcock-ian thriller with even more shocking and exciting twists. Eckelberry’s style and intense theatrical eye for excellence will leave the viewer breathless.” - Tommy Garrett, Canyon News

Stephen's first short film Going Home won the Golden Plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival for best short over fifteen minutes. Going Home also played at Denver, Bumbelshot, Cannes Women in Film, Hermosa Beach and the Mill Valley film festivals.

First Degree, Eckelberry’s first feature film as a director, premiered at the Austin Film Festival, was nominated for a best acting award at the Method Fest, and nominated for Best Director at the Nashville Film Festival. “Astutely lambastes middle-class American Dreams, and its critique of ‘gimme-gimme’ couples living outside their means is sharp.”- Robert Pardi TV Guide.

He recently completed Double Duty, a TV movie comedy starring Tom Sizemore and action star Mimi Lesseos, which chronicles the adventures of a female marine trying to adjust to civilian life. The film premiered on The Showtime Networks in December 2009.

As a producer he made My Brother the Pig, starring Scarlet Johansson and Eva Mendes for Nickelodeon Pictures, and Malaika for HBO Kids. For Big Screen Entertainment, he was co-producer on Forget About It, starring Burt Reynolds and Raquel Welch, and a producer on Babysitter Wanted, which was accepted at the prestigious Sitges International Film festival and had it’s theatrical release in February 2009. “Babysitter Wanted is easily one of the best horror films of the year” – horror-movies.ca

Stephen’s experience in post-production includes big-budget studio films and quality independent films. Highlights include: Vincent Gallo’s Bufallo 66 (Sundance ‘98), This World, Then The Fireworks (Sundance ’97) starring Billy Zane and Gina Gershon. Stephen edited Men directed by Zoe Clark Williams which won the Best Young Filmmaker award at the Hollywood Film Festival, Mirage starring Sean Young and Edward Olmos for MCA/Universal, and The November Men, both directed by Paul Williams. He started his career as additional editor on Cool World, starring Kim Basinger and Gabriel Byrnes.

Stephen lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Oscar Nominated and Golden Globe actress Karen Black, and their daughter Celine, who is attending college at the Art Center of Pasadena.