Born and raised in Southern California, writer/director Shannon Van Metre has loved everything about movies and filmmaking since her early teens. Growing up on John Hughes films, Shannon was quickly drawn to the art of visual storytelling.

After receiving her AA degree at Pierce College, instead of rushing off to her acceptance at UCLA Film School, Shannon chose a calculated point of entry into the entertainment industry, and her directing career, by way of the International Cinematographers Guild.

In 1997, she started her career as a film loader for the Emmy- nominated TV show, Soldier Of Fortune, Inc. and quickly moved up in the camera department and continued to work on award-winning shows Boston Public, Revenge, Brothers & Sisters, Good Girls Revolt and acclaimed feature films Mr. & Mrs. Smith, In Good Company, and Loving Annabelle, to name a few.

Shannon has been working with Ryan Murphy Productions for the past few years on The Politician, Ratched, Hollywood, and American Crime Story: Impeachment.

In 2017, Shannon created Van Metre Films to combine her commercial and narrative work. She then wrote, directed, and produced her first short film FuN? starring James Tupper and Mason Vale Cotton. FuN? was an official selection at LA Shorts and HollyShorts, in addition to other festivals. FuN? won several awards at Southern Shorts Awards including Best Comedy and was a Jury selection and nominated for Best Short Film at the 2017 Hollywood Film Festival.

Shannon completed producing and directing her second short film in January 2019, Kleen. Starring Melora Walters, Olivia Holguin and Benjamin Barrett. Kleen has won Best Drama at Just 4 Shorts Film Festival and was an official selection at LA Shorts Film Festival and has collected several other awards at other festivals.

Shannon was selected for Ryan Murphy’s Half Foundation Directing Program and had her general meeting and shadowing assignment on the Netflix show titled Hollywood. She is also the writer and director of Out Of The Fray and co-writer and director of The Water King, both currently in development.