The Work That Made Me: Madeline Clayton
Focused on telling intimate stories with energy and emotion, Madeline has developed an acute sensitivity to the human experience. By honing in on the core emotions of every story, her authentic visual language brings a unique perspective that is rooted in honesty. Striving to find hope while tackling some of life’s biggest emotions head-on, her work spans real, scripted, performance-driven, and visceral genres and reframes the struggles of the human experience as the common denominator that brings us together. She is a Young Director Award Finalist, and her work has won at Cannes Lions, 1.4 Awards, Sydney Queer Film Festival, and Melbourne Queer Film Festival and has been nominated at AICP, AWARD, The Webbys, OneShow, Shots, Mumbrella, and St Kilda Film Festival awards. Her short films have screened at 20+ prestigious film festivals internationally, most notably Palm Springs International Film Festival, and won the largest prize in the world for LGBTQI films, Iris Prize in Cardiff, Wales.
The ad/music video from my childhood that stays with me…
NZ Anti-Drink Driving Commercial
This isn’t quite from my childhood but definitely from my younger years. Kiwis undoubtedly have a much better sense of humour than the Aussies do, and this commercial is not only quotable ('I’ve been internalizing a really complex situation in my head') but it’s one I’ve never forgotten for its genius.
The ad/music video/game/web platform that made me want to get into the industry…
LGBT - The Obstacle Course
I remember when I saw this piece for the first time, I’d just started thinking about becoming a commercial director, and it genuinely gave me chills down my spine. The concept, the execution, and the message felt perfectly aligned with one another, and it showed me how rich the territory of short-form filmmaking can be in the commercial space.
The creative work (film/album/game/ad/album/book/poem, etc.) that I keep revisiting…
I’m currently writing a very personal feature film script, and Febos’ memoir-meets-masterclass is one I keep returning to as a reminder of how powerful our lived experiences are in shaping compelling storytelling. She’s taught me how to view memories through a specific lens, without judgment but with curiosity and intrigue.
My first professional project…
Condoms for Africa
This was the first job I was ever paid to direct. It was incredibly run and gun, just me and a DP friend with a 5D; I recorded the sound myself. We spent a week in Uganda filming and interviewing all sorts of people and found ourselves in some incredibly hilarious and precarious situations speaking with locals in Kampala about their sex lives (a topic of conversation not usually discussed publicly).
The piece of work (ad/music video/platform…) that made me so angry that I vowed never to make anything like *that*…
Gosh, this is a hard one because I hate shaming and shit-talking creative work but probably that weird Pepsi ad with Kendall Jenner. That felt totally tone-deaf. I also struggle when brands try to use political movements to promote their products without a genuine relationship with the cause.
The piece of work (ad/music video/platform…) that still makes me jealous…
Guinness ‘Surfer’ - Jonathan Glazer
It’s so bold and evocative. It’s also an incredible edit, and the use of sound is beyond! Glazer is definitely a hero.
The creative project that changed my career…
Nineteen - Short Film
This one is incredibly special to me as I was able to attend some international film festivals with it, which really cemented my love for narrative storytelling and being part of the filmmaking community. It changed my career because it was the first short film I ever made and opened a lot of doors for me to meet people who have helped my career grow and develop it to where it is now.
The work that I’m proudest of…
Ikea - Piggy Bank
My Curfew EP, Kathryn Berk, and I had been strategising on how to focus my career on more narrative, emotional storytelling, and when this one came along, it felt like the perfect step toward the type of commercial stories I want to tell. I thrive when working with actors, building character and story, and even though this one is so simple, I feel we found something quite magical and special, which can be really hard to cultivate with the rapid pace of shooting commercials.
I was involved in this, and it makes me cringe…
My first job in the industry was as a production assistant for Nickelodeon Australia. We got up to all sorts of weird stuff, and it definitely wasn’t a traditional “job.” I slimed people on the regular, especially kids. I helped with a live television show called “Dare Off,” which meant chasing these comedians around and filming them while they performed dares in public sent in from kids. It was a lot of fun but definitely cringe-worthy.
The recent project I was involved in that excited me the most…
Toys for Tots - Anyone Can Be Santa
I’m really excited to release this PSA; it’s a clever little character study that shows the humanity in everyday people and our capacity to give which lives inside all of us. I also got to work with some of my best friends to make it happen, which is always a highlight!
