Shelley Farthing-Dawe is an accomplished cinematographer who works across film, television and commercials, embracing and enjoying the challenges that each new project brings. He has a strong story first approach to his work, having developed a great love and understanding for crafting stories through images. Outside of his dramatic work, Shelley has worked extensively in the commercial industry having shot hundreds of campaigns both locally and for international markets.
In 2024 Shelley shot DANGEROUS ANIMALS, a serial killer thriller directed by Sean Byrne (THE LOVED ONES) starring Hassie Harrison (YELLOWSTONE), Jai Courtney (Terminator Genisys), Josh Heuston (Dune: Prophecy). DANGEROUS ANIMALS premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award. In the same year Shelley shot the first 3 episodes of WATCHING YOU a psychological thriller directed by Peter Salmon (AAFTER THR PARTY) for Lingo and Stan.
Previous to that Shelley was the Director of Photography on the first 5 Episodes of the TV adaption of Australian bestselling book BOY SWALLOWS UNIVERSE which was nominated for a Golden Frog at the 2024 Camerimage Festival in Poland and Winner of the 2025 AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Television. The show was setup by director Bharat Nalluri (SHANTARAM) and produced by Troy Lum (MAO’S LAST DANCER) and Andrew Mason (THE MATRIX) for Anonymous Content and Netflix. Shelley’s previous feature films include IN VITRO a sci-fi thriller for writerdirectors Tom McKeith and Will Howarth Matt Nable’s debut feature, TRANSFUSION, for Deeper Water Productions, Madman Entertainment and Stan, starring Sam Worthington & Phoebe Tonkin; and Stephen McCallum’s 2018 debut film 1% (aka OUTLAWS), starring Ryan Corr and Abby Lee, produced by See Pictures and distributed by A24, Direct TV and Icon Films. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and also screened at the London Film Festival, Melbourne Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival and Adelaide Film Festival.
Shelley’s other television credits include the 2020 dark comedy series, WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS, which had its world premiere on Netflix and ABC iView in Australia, directed by Jessie Oldfield and Adam Murfet.
