Shelley O'Neil - Video Ethnographer

My career has morphed from tv directing to video ethnography, but a fascination with exploring culture has been the common thread. It’s been more than 20 years since creating shows for BBC II and Channel 4 but I find the world of consumer ethnography equally populated by unique and compelling people.

My background in factual TV and documentary work has taught me the art of storytelling and now I work to bring to life our research participants’ situations, lifestyles and behaviours in order to generate empathetic understanding and successful outcomes for stakeholders. 

I have kept abreast of the film making industry with work on self-funded documentaries and as an editor on a feature film that was released in cinemas across Australia in 2019.

EPIC, Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference invited us to present a film and panel discussion in Hawaii in 2018.

I first graduated with a Bachelor of Education (Art) and have indulged my love of teaching by volunteering as a Primary Ethics teacher, running film making workshops for primary school students, as a guest lecturer in video ethnography at UNSW and teaching film skills to UOW Drama Students.