Meet Clayton Tony Au.
When he isn’t working as the Creative Director at the full service Asian American marketing and communications agency PCA, he is telling stories as an independent filmmaker.
His short film, Suburban Jungle, has won Best Dark Drama Film award at the Austin After Dark Film Festival, Best Drama Film at the Oregon Short Film Festival, and Best Short Film at the San Francisco International New Concept Film Festival, San Pedro International Film Festival, and WRPN Short, Tight & Loose Film Festival Competition.
Having never gone to film school or any experience in film, Clayton got his start by moving to Los Angeles and working as a project manager at the umbrella company for a marketing agency, a talent management firm, and other brands.
Early on, his work was focused on the talent management side of the business and although it had nothing to do with video production, it gave him an opportunity to network.
Through those connections, he was able to do what many people do when they don’t have experience but they want to learn: he offered to work for free as a production assistant on any random project he could find that could get him on set.
This led to opportunities on music videos and feature films and ultimately a chance to absorb as much knowledge as he could. Eventually, the marketing agency at his workplace took notice, and asked him to come up with an idea for a short film, which extended into an opportunity to direct it.
After receiving critical acclaim for the work, Au joined the agency as a copywriter and worked his way up to Creative Director.
Synopsis:
When unexpected visitors arrive at a high school student’s home, a seemingly harmless question sets off a violent chain of events that sends the evening spiraling into the point of no return. Suburban Jungle explores the duality of scholarly Asian American teens from the upper middle class suburbs during the 1990’s who lived double lives as violent gang members.
Learn more about Clayton Tony Au:
Website: claytontonyau.com
Instagram: instagram.com/claytontonyau
Watch Suburban Jungle:
Amazon Prime Video: amazon.com/dp/B08PQ4YV11
Plex: watch.plex.tv/movie/suburban-jungle-2018
