Graduating from the University of Oregon, David initially received a post-graduate scholarship from the renowned American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and pursued a career in theater, television and film. His interests in screen-writing came a number of years later when his first ever-written adapted screenplay, Jack London's period epoch, "Martin Eden" was purchased by Academy Award Winning, Panorama Film's International, Just Betzer. Panorama subsequently hired O'Neill and contracted David to write three more adapted works. The first would be of famed author, William Wharton's Last Lovers.(Birdy, Dad, Once Upon a Midnight Clear) Traveling to Paris and working directly with the author on his houseboat convinced Betzer of O'Neill's commitment and capabilities. "Marilyn" the novel by Danish novelist Hans Lembourne, the story of his own love affair with the American icon, would be O'Neill's next assignment. Once that delivery was made, ultimately it would be Betzer's own, prized Academy Award Winning Babette's Feast (Isaak Denison - Out of Africa) that would be David's next welcomed assignment. Trusting the relationship, Betzer contracted O'Neill to scribe the English version of his own 1986 Academy Award Winning prized piece. Once the bulk of David's work had been completed and delivered for Panaroma International, he was given his assignment next with Santa Monica Pictures. It was there where he was contracted to write period epoch Lady Godiva. Traveling throughout Europe for his extensive research David was then asked to be on staff with the Santa Monica team and provide services for the next two and half years. David then penned the Pulitzer nominated Richard Jessup's novel Threat for Nick Cassavetes, Charlie Sheen and Return of the Jedi Producer Howard Kazanjian and Ventura Films. Ultimately focusing on his desire to direct, O'Neill then went on to write and direct his next two independent feature films i.e., Five Aces (distributed by 20th Century Fox) starring Charlie Sheen and Player 5150 (distributed by First Look Studios) starring Chris McDonald, Bob Gunton, Ethan Embry and Kathleen Robertson. David's latest finished work was a four year writing effort in collaboration with Sonia Nassery Cole on independent feature, The Black Tulip. Tulip was shot in Kabul Afghanistan in the winter of 2009 and tells the story of a family who opens a restaurant after the fall of the Taliban and is subsequently targeted by those factional elements. The film has been selected by the Afghanistan Film Commission to be its official entry in the 2011 Academy Award s for best Foreign Film category. The film was completed in 2010 at Warner Brothers. In development are: War Junkies, Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden, American Yankee, The Happy Man, untitled MTV Story, All His Father's Sins.