Shontell Leah Ketchell is an emerging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander screenwriter and producer based in Cairns, Far North Queensland. As the founder of Pandamonium Films, she is dedicated to amplifying authentic First Nations stories through scripted and factual content. Since earning an Advanced Diploma in Screenwriting: Feature Film from the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) in 2019, Shontell has established herself as a dynamic storyteller and creative leader.

Shontell’s portfolio spans critically acclaimed projects. She participated in the season four writers' workshop for ABC's Black Comedy and developed her first feature film screenplay, Adorkable, funded by Screen Queensland and Screen Australia. Her storytelling prowess also led to writing, producing, and featuring in Sistas in Mining for SBS/NITV, while her short documentary Naytive won Best Documentary at the 2021 Cairns Understory Film Festival.

Her experience includes children’s television, contributing to NITV’s Barrumbi Kids, and script consulting on season two of ABC’s Troppo. She worked in script development with Fremantle Media and Lone Star Productions on Saltwater Warriors and associate produced the CBS/KOJO Studios comedy series Gold Diggers for ABC.

Currently, Shontell is a writer and producer on the feature documentary Spinifex Gum and works as a writer and script consultant on the BBC/Paramount production Ghosts. In 2024, she will participate in the Screen Producers Australia Ones to Watch program, the Screenworks Producer Elevator Program, and the SPA x SBS Producer Program.

Through Pandamonium Films, Shontell champions cultural safety and truth-telling, producing work that resonates with both local and global audiences. Her collaborations with major broadcasters, including ABC, SBS, CBS, NITV, Paramount, and BBC, reflect her dedication to diverse, Indigenous-led storytelling and her growing impact on Australia’s film and television industry.