Biography
Clayton Orgles is an Australian horror film director.
Clayton began his career in 2013 by directing music videos, quickly gaining a reputation for his visual storytelling, emotional resonance, and attention to production detail. This led to collaborations with a spectrum of international artists and record labels, providing him with the experience to navigate diverse narrative demands and challenging budget constraints.
Many of his projects, including the popular videos for Black Tongue's "Second Death" and Saviour's "Younger" have attracted hundreds of thousands to millions of views online, underscoring the global impact of his work.
In 2018, Clayton made his film debut with the short psychological drama "Disenthrall," about a game developer whose grief pushes her into a downward spiral where virtual reality blurs with the real world.
This was followed by "Dissociation" in 2023, an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's "The Picture in the House," which played at established festivals including Screamfest LA, H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, and Revelation Perth International Film Festival.
That same year, Clayton ventured into animation with "Dislocate", earning a spot as a Best Animation Finalist at CinefestOz.
His recent work includes the dark comedy "Disconnect," which won an Audience Choice for Best Short Film at the WA Made Film Festival in 2024. The film explores a young couple's encounter with a relic that grants social media followers in exchange for self-inflicted pain.
As Clayton continues to refine his craft, he remains committed to expanding his directorial scope and bringing innovative, psychological horror to audiences worldwide.
Resumé
Professional Summary
Experienced short-form filmmaker with over a decade of expertise in diverse roles across the film and video industries, including Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Colourist, Visual Effects Artist, and Gaffer. Combines a deep understanding of visual storytelling with technical proficiency in industry-leading tools to bring compelling narratives to life. This resume highlights a selection of his directorial work, underscoring his unique vision and adept storytelling skills. Driven by his passion for cinema, Clayton aspires to leverage his diverse skillset in the pursuit of directing feature-length films, with a focus on the Horror genre.
Select Work History
2023 - Disconnect | Dark Comedy | Short Film
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Treatment, Cinematographer, Editor, VFX, Colourist, Sound Design
Client: Panasonic Australia
Budget: AUD$3000
Duration: 6 minutes
Release Date: 13 Sep 2023
2020 - Dissociation | Horror | Short Film
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Screenwriter, Cinematographer, Editor, VFX, Sound Designer, Colourist
Budget: AUD$12,000
Duration: 21 minutes
Release Date: 25 Feb 2023 (Premiere)
2022 - “Nova & Sol” | Action/Crime Drama | Narrative Music Video
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Treatment, Cinematographer, Editor, VFX, Colourist
Client: Concord Music Group
Budget: AUD$22,000
Duration: 4 minutes
Release Date: Unreleased
2021 - Saviour: “Tidal Wave” | Drama/Horror | Narrative Music Video
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Treatment, Cinematographer, Editor, VFX, Colourist
Client: Saviour / Greyscale Records / Dreambound
Budget: AUD$10,000
Duration: 4 minutes
Release Date: 6 Apr 2022
2021 - Saviour: “Younger” | Sci-Fi/Horror | Narrative Music Video
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Treatment, Cinematography, Editing, VFX, Colourist
Client: Saviour / Greyscale Records / Dreambound
Budget: AUD$10,000
Duration: 5 minutes
Release Date: 18 Feb 2022
2019 - Adrian Wilson: “Farewell” | Romantic Drama | Narrative Music Video
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Treatment, Cinematographer, Editor, Colourist
Client: Adrian Wilson
Budget: AUD$5,600
Duration: 4 minutes
Release Date: 23 Aug 2019
2018 - Black Tongue: “Second Death” | Horror | Narrative Music Video
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Treatment, Cinematographer, Editor, Colourist
Client: Black Tongue
Budget: AUD$15,000
Duration: 4 minutes
Release Date: 1 Nov 2018
2018 - Black Tongue: “Ultima Necat” | Horror | Narrative Music Video
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Treatment, Editor, VFX, Colourist
Client: Black Tongue
Budget: AUD$10,000
Duration: 5 minutes
Release Date: 20 Sep 2018
2018 - Disenthrall | Psychological Drama | Short Film
Primary Role: Director
Additional Roles: Screenwriter, Cinematographer, Editor, VFX, Colourist, Sound Design
Budget: AUD$5,000
Duration: 18 minutes
Release Date: 20 Nov 2020
Skills
Leadership Skills
- Providing project leadership, including department briefing, budgeting, scheduling, and actor rehearsal.
- Developing projects, including outlining, treatment writing, storyboarding, and screenwriting.
- Conducting market research and validation.
Technical Proficiency
- Excelling in Cinematography and Lighting using the latest technologies.
- Proficient in video editing and colour grading with Davinci Resolve and Premiere Pro.
- Skilled in sound mixing using Adobe Audition and Davinci Resolve Fairlight.
- Demonstrating expertise in compositing using Fusion Studio, Adobe After Effects, and Blender.
- Capable of performing 3D animation with Blender and photo manipulation with Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo.
- Experienced in tracking and rotoscoping with Mocha Pro.
Achievements
Disfigure | Director
2024 - Best Animation Finalist at CinefestOz
Disconnect | Director
2024 - Official Selection Revelation Perth International Film Festival
2024 - Official Selection WA Made Film Festival
2024 - Winner “Audience Choice for Best Film (Saturday Shorts)” at WA Made Film Festival
2023 - Official Selection Lumix 72 Hour Filmmaking Challenge
Dissociation | Director
2023 - Official Selection Screamfest Horror Film Festival
2023 - Official Selection HP Lovecraft Film Festival (Portland, Oregon)
2023 - Official Selection HP Lovecraft Film Festival (Providence, Rode Island)
2023 - Official Selection HP Lovecraft Film Festivas (Mobile, Alabama)
2023 - Official Selection HP Lovecraft Film Festival (Streaming Event)
2023 - Official Selection Revelation Perth International Film Festival
2023 - Official Selection HorrorFest International Film Festival
2023 - Official Selection WA Made Film Festival
2023 - Official Selection Terror In The Bay Film Festival
2023 - Winner “Best Atmosphere” at Terror in The Bay Film Festival
2023 - Official Selection Perth Horror Film Festival
2023 - Winner “Best WA Horror Short” at Perth Horror Film Festival
2023 - Semi-Finalist Australia Independent Film Festival
2023 - Honourable Mention WA Screen Culture Awards
Dislocate | Director
2023 - Best Animation Finalist at CinefestOz
Disenthrall | Director
2019 - Official Selection Bayside Film Festival
The Crossroad | Director
2011 - Winner “Best Secondary Film” at WA Screen Awards
Education
2009-2010 - Certificate III in Media
Swan Christian College (High School)
Units: Website Design, Photo-manipulation, Music Videos, Music Production.
2009-2010 - Western Australian Certificate of Education
Swan Christian College (High School)
Units: Media Production & Analysis 3A/3B, English 3A/3B, Visual Art 2A/2B