19-year-old filmmaker Nicholas Carlton caught the attention of the film and media industry when he created Australia’s first social web series, OzGirl. He wrote, produced and directed the web series independently for during his summer break from film school.  The 23-part, feature length (105 minutes) web series which garnered over 25, 000 fans was produced and marketed on a shoe-string budget of AUD$7, 000. Following the success of the series, which has been described as “Australia’s next social media sensation”, he signed a distribution deal with KoldCast TV which saw the series syndicated across TiVo, iTunes, and Zune.

Most recently, OzGirl won the top prize, ‘Best Web Series’ and ‘Best Acting’ at the 4th Independent Television Festival in Los Angeles. The series also made its New York debut at the 5th New York Television Festival in September 2009.

The purpose of OzGirl was to gain expertise in cross-platform filmmaking and distribution. Creating OzGirl proved that the young team understands how to deliver a commercially successful new media product fast, cheap and with audience appeal. The experience gained in bringing OzGirl to life has lead to the creation of Carlton Digital – we are building on what we learned and working with producers, distributors and brands to deliver engaging entertainment to young consumers.

Nicholas, currently attending the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts, started making films at the age of 10, using a webcam that was connected to his computer. He is a self-described internet geek, and fan of American film and television. A subscriber to the “Robert Rodriguez” school of filmmaking, he writes, shoots and edits his own films.

To date Nicholas has written and directed over twenty short films. In 2006, he produced a short documentary titled Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble, which examined the question of whether or not ‘for the public good’ creates an orderly society or an oppressed one.  This film was nominated for an ATOM Award. Nicholas followed his documentary in 2007 with Blood and Water a short dramatic film about the drought in Australia and resulting break down and civil unrest.

In 2009, he launched Carlton Digital, a digital media and entertainment studio specializing in youth oriented cross-platform projects. He is now overseeing the development of several original web series, features and cross-platform properties. Nicholas also gives talks at television and new media events including Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) Fringe in Sydney this year.

Nicholas is currently based in Melbourne, Australia and is represented by United Talent Agency in Los Angeles. He is working actively as both a filmmaker and the CEO of Carlton Digital and enjoys long walks on the beach and sun dried tomatoes.