Press Kit
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Logline
Fact Sheet
Credits
Biography: Director
Biography: Producer
Director’s Statement
Frequently Asked Questions // Director’s Q&A
FAQ 1: Inspiration
FAQ 2: 72 Hour Challenge
FAQ 3: Message
FAQ 4: The Characters
FAQ 5: Production Challenges
FAQ 6: Social Media Culture
FAQ7: Casting
FAQ 8: Film Title
FAQ 9: Visual Style
FAQ 10: Audience Take-Away
Logline
A young couple encounters an ancient relic with an eerie offer: trade self-inflicted pain for a surge in social media followers. As the seductive allure of online stardom beckons, they must confront the perilous consequences it brings.
Fact Sheet
Title: Disconnect
Genre: Dark Comedy
Medium: Short Film
Runtime: 6 min (Premiere), 7 min (Director’s Cut)
Country: Australia
Year of Production: 2023
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 (Premiere), 16:9 (Director’s Cut)
Frame Rate: 24 fps
Dynamic Range: SDR (Premiere), HDR 2000 Nits (Director’s Cut)
Sound Format: 5.1
Language/Subtitles: English
Production Locations:
Perth, WA, AU
Gooseberry Hill, WA, AU
Cast
Lisa
Angela Leta Kaye
Crew
Director / Cinematographer / Editor
Clayton Orgles
Producer / 1st AD
Aaron Vanderkley
Production Designer
Aaron Chappell
Gaffer / Camera Assistant
Joshua De Boer
Best Boy
Samuel Chan
Production Sound
Diego Espinoza
Makeup
Hayley Needham
Composer
Joe Louis Robinson
Screenings
📍 Perth, WA, AU
📅 24 Feb 2024 @ 6:15 PM
📽️ WA Made Film Festival (Saturday Night Shorts)
⚫ Event has ended
✨ Director’s Cut Premiere
📍 Sydney, NSW, AU
📅 12 Sep 2023 @ 6:00 PM
📽️ Lumix 72 Hour Filmmaking Challenge
⚫ Event has ended
✨ World Premiere
Biographies
Director’s Statement
In today's hyper-connected world, we've become so engrossed in the endless scroll of social media that the lines between our digital personas and our real selves blur—often with unforeseen and unsettling consequences. "Disconnect" is a cinematic exploration of this phenomenon, told through the prism of an enigmatic ancient relic that offers a young couple a dangerous bargain: social media stardom in exchange for self-inflicted pain.
The idea for "Disconnect" arose from my own fascination with the extent to which people go to curate perfect lives online—lives that are often at odds with their real-world experiences. This film serves as an allegory for the sacrifices we make at the altar of online validation. It forces us to confront the questions we often avoid: What is the true cost of social media fame? Are we willing to sacrifice our physical and emotional well-being for likes, follows, and digital applause?
In creating this film, I sought to construct a narrative that mirrors the moral dilemmas of our age, where the boundary between public and private life has nearly dissolved. The ancient relic in the story symbolises timeless human temptations and desires, now magnified by the lens of modern technology. The characters, Ben (Maximiliano Laffont) and Lisa (Angela Leta Kaye), embody the complexities of a generation navigating a world where the personal becomes public, and pain becomes consumable content.
"Disconnect" grapples with the seductive allure of online celebrity and the physical and emotional toll it demands. It takes the audience on a harrowing journey that challenges conventional wisdom about fame, personal identity, and ethical integrity. At its heart, it's a story that pushes viewers to consider whether the life we present online is worth the life we live offline.
As a filmmaker, my aim is to provoke thought, stimulate dialogue, and perhaps even encourage a reevaluation of the choices we make in the ever-evolving landscape of social media. I invite you to watch "Disconnect"—and to question what you would sacrifice for a double-tap.
Frequently Asked Questions // Director Q&A
10. What do you hope audiences will take away from watching "Disconnect"?
I hope that after watching 'Disconnect,' audiences walk away questioning their own interactions with social media and reevaluating the lengths they're willing to go for online validation. If the film sparks a self-inquiry or prompts meaningful conversations about how social media impacts our lives and personal relationships, then I would deem the project a success. My personal aspiration is that viewers will be inspired to seek a healthier balance between their online personas and their real-world selves.
Contact Information
Director / EP
Clayton Orgles
contact@claytonorgles.com
Producer / EP
Aaron Vanderkley
a.vanderkley@iinet.net.au