Stephen hails from Cape Town, the Mother of all cities. Son of a taxi driver and housewife, he found escape from the crushing sameness of late-2000s South Africa by frequenting the local cinema and writing his own adventure stories. Inspired to become an auteur filmmaker, Stephen dedicated himself to learning the rules, so that he could break them. To this end, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Film and Media Studies in 2010, specialising in Screenwriting from the University of Cape Town. Since then, he has written and directed a handful of short films including Day Zero, Detour, and MIA&I. These eclectic films have human stories with complex themes and ideas, produced on frugal production budgets. His unproduced screenplay, World Without End won the "Best Unproduced Screenplay" at the WGSA Muse Awards in 2020. His next script, MIA&I achieved a quarterfinals placement in the Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest in 2020. Stephen is an emerging Screenwriter with a wealth of generational stories to share with the world.
MIA&I Sci-fi ⋄ Thriller An isolated, docile woman with a tragic past struggles to hold on to who she is in the midst of an unraveling relationship with her new robotic companion.
World Without End Sci-fi ⋄ Drama The world ended and Euna woke up to it. While trying to figure out what happened she has to survive a harsh environment, unexplained phenomena and a group of relentless hunters, all while piecing together the murky memories of her past.
Murder Capital Thriller ⋄ Crime In the developing metropolitan suburbs of Cape Town, a task force of misfit detectives struggle with the case of multiple young women found murdered by a methodical killer.
The Final Siege War ⋄ Fantasy In a new world, a centuries-old war raging between science and mysticism culminates in one final siege. As leaders die, alliances shift, and new ideologies are born, it becomes clear that this is only one battle in a much greater war.
MIA&I
(
Film
by Stephen Nagel & Dean Ravell (Sci-Fi and Short)
Writer / Director An isolated, docile woman with a tragic past struggles to hold on to who she is in the midst of an unraveling relationship with her new robotic companion.
Day Zero
(
Film
(Thriller and Short)
Director / Story Editor In a post-apocalyptic Cape Town, a group of people being pursued by a vicious, relentless hunter must make their way to a safe haven at all costs.
Breathe Easy
(
Film
(Sci-Fi)
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director The clouds came and people changed! Everywhere! Our world is on fire! In every city and every town! Stay safe, protect what's yours! And Breathe Easy.
Best Unproduced TV Screenplay - WGSA Muse Awards for World Without End
(2020)
UCT
(2008-2010)