MICHAEL CLIFTON
Screenwriter
BIO
Growing up on a hazardous waste site that’s home to the Mothman legend was a lot to take in. Today I write stories about outsiders caught between real and imagined horrors. Recent accolades from Academy Award Qualifying festivals include CineQuest, HollyShorts, Raindance, Nashville and Austin Film Festivals. My horror screenplays have won top prize in competitions from FilmQuest, HorrOrigins, Nightmares, SF IndieFest, VHS, WritersXWriters, Flickers' RIIFF to Page Turner Awards. My writings on art and culture have been published in
V Magazine and Encyclopedia Britannica.
"I write stories about outsiders caught between real and imagined horrors."
UPDATES
May 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
May 2025 - Mouse, Kissyfoot, Gloves and eMorto! appear on Coverfly's The Red List
May 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Dundead FIlm Festival
May 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Chicago Horror Film Festival
May 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Shock Stock
April 2025 - Paper Monsters, Gloves and Kissyfoot, Finalists, Scriptwriters & Co
April 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, Semifinalist, Scriptwriters & Co
April 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Dallas International Film Festival
April 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Crypticon Seattle
April 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, Finalist, Dallas International Film Festival
April 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
April 2025 - Mouse, Kissyfoot, Gloves and eMorto! appear on Coverfly's The Red List
March 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at LGBT+ Film Festival Poland
March 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at HorrorCon
March 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Roze Filmdagen
March 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Landshut Short Film Festival
March 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Nevermore
March 2025 - Kissyfoot wraps filming with director Renetta Amador and actress Dale Dickey
March 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
March 2025 - Mouse, Kissyfoot, Gloves and eMorto! appear on Coverfly's The Red List
February 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Aurora International Horror Film Festival
February 2025 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Marti Gras FIlm Festival
February 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, Finalist, Outstanding Screenplay TV Pilot
February 2025 - Kissyfoot, Semifinalist, ScreenCraft Film Fund
February 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
February 2025 - Mouse, Kissyfoot, Gloves and eMorto! appear on Coverfly's The Red List
January 2025 - Bath Bomb, Audience Award at Another Hole in the Head
January 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde and Mouse, Semifinalists, Cinequest
January 2025 - Kissyfoot, Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Film Fund
January 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, The Short List, Barnstorm
January 2025 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
January 2025 - eMorto! #1 Horror TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
January 2025 - Mouse, Gloves and Kissyfoot on Coverfly's The Red List
December 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, Semifinalist, SoCal Screenplay Competition
December 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde and eMorto!, Quarterfinalists, Outstanding Screenplays
December 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, Quarterfinalist, LAIS Diversity Initiative
December 2024 - Mouse, #1 Horror Short on Coverfly's The Red List
December 2024 - eMorto!, #1 Horror TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
December 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
December 2024 - Kissyfoot, Gloves and eMorto! on Coverfly's The Red List
November 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, Semifinalist, New York New Stories
November 2024 - Mouse, Semifinalist, New York New Stories
November 2024 - Mouse, #1 Horror Short on Coverfly's The Red List
November 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
November 2024 - Kissyfoot, Paper Monsters, Gloves and eMorto! on Coverfly's The Red List
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Best Script Nominee, Chilliwack Independent Film Festival
November 2024 - Mouse, Finalist, Los Angeles International Screenplay
November 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, Quarterfinalist, Los Angeles International Screenplay
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Maniatic
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Soho Horror
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Image + Nation
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Melbourne Queer Film Festival
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Hellifax
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, South African HorrorFest
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Terror Molins
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Leeds Film Festival
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Fogfest
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Blood in the Snow
November 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection. Albertoir Horror Festival
October 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, Finalist, ScreenCraft Pitch
October 2024 - eMorto!, Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft TV Pilot
October 2024 - Kissyfoot, Quarterfinalist, Big Apple
October 2024 - Paper Monsters, Honorable Mention, Big Apple
October 2024 - Mouse, Quarterfinalist, Pittsburgh Shorts
October 2024 - Cannibal Christmas, Bronze Nib Award, Let's Make It
October 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
October 2024 - Kissyfoot, Paper Monsters, Gloves, Mouse and eMorto! on Coverfly's The Red List
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, SXSW Sydney
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, FilmQuest
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Flickers' Vortex
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Out on Film
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Edmonton International
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Shortcutz Lisboa
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Smodcastle Film Festival
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Atlanta Horror
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Monsters on Film
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Screamfest
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Cineclube Pombal
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Fantasmagoria
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Ramaskrik
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Knoxville Horror
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Nightmares
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Fright Nights
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, VHS
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Lusca Fantastic
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Celluloid Screams
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, HorrorHaus
October 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Splat Film Fest
September 2024 - Mouse, Semifinalist, Outstanding Screenplays
September 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
September 2024 - Cannibal Christmas, Second Rounder, Austin Film Festival
September 2024 - Mouse, Quarterfinalist, SYS
September 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, HorrOrigins
September 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, Finalist, FilmQuest
September 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at MotelX
September 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Calgary International Film Festival
September 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Film Out San Diego
September 2024 - eMorto! on Coverfly's The Red List
September 2024 - Kissyfoot, Paper Monsters, Gloves, Mouse, The Bad Poet, Graven, Chitlin on Coverfly's The Red List
August 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at FrightFest
August 2024 - Gummies, Official Selection, LA Under the Stars
August 2024 - Graven, Gloves and Kissyfoot, Quarterfinalists, Final Draft Big Break
August 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, Finalist, HollyShorts
August 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, Quarterfinalist, NexTV
August 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Popcorn Frights
August 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
August 2024 - Kissyfoot, Paper Monsters, Gloves, The Bad Poet, Chitlin and Mouse on Coverfly's The Red List
August 2024 - Mouse, Honorable Mention, Bolt
July 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at Fantasia
July 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection at FilmOut
July 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde, #1 Thriller TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
July 2024 - eMorto!, #1 Horror TV Pilot on Coverfly's The Red List
July 2024 - 17 LGBTQIA+ Screenwriters To Watch In 2024, Killer Shorts Blog
July 2024 - Mouse and Paper Monsters, Semifinalists, Creative Screenwriting Shoot Your Short
July 2024 - Kissyfoot, Paper Monsters, Gloves and Mouse on Coverfly's The Red List
June 2024 - Jekyll and Pryde and eMorto! on Coverfly's The Red List
June 2024 - Paper Monsters, Kissyfoot, Mouse, Gloves and The Bad Poet on Coverfly's The Red List
June 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, South Out
June 2024 - eMorto!, Quarterfinalist, Suspense Emerging Screenwriters
May 2024 - Paper Monsters, Kissyfoot, Mouse, Graven, Gloves and The Bad Poet on Coverfly's The Red List
May 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, deadCenter
May 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, Portland Horror
May 2024 - Paper Monsters, Winner, WritersXWriters
May 2024 - Kissyfoot, Winner, NYISA
April 2024 - Paper Monsters, Mouse, Graven and Gloves, Semifinalists, NYISA
April 2024 - Graven and Paper Monsters, Honorable Mentions, UK Film Festival
April 2024 - Mouse, Paper Monsters, Kissyfoot, Graven, Gloves and The Bad Poet on Coverfly's The Red List
April 2024 - Kissyfoot, Quarterfinalist, TSL/The Scrip Lab,
April 2024 - Paper Monsters and Kissyfoot, Finalists, WritersXWriters
April 2024 - Cannibal Christmas, Mouse and Kissyfoot, Longlist, UK Film Festival
April 2024 - Bath Bomb, Winner, Best of Festival and Best Actor, Panic Fest
March 2024 - Bath Bomb, Official Selection, BIFFF
March 2024 - Bath Bomb and Gummies, Official Selections, Panic Fest
March 2024 - Mouse, Finalist, Atlanta Film Festival
March 2024 - The Toy Collector, Official Selection, Coverfly's Pitch Week
March 2024 - Mouse, Paper Monsters, Kissyfoot, The Bad Poet and Gloves on Coverfly's The Red List
February 2024 - Paper Monsters and Kissyfoot, Semifinalists, WritersXWriters
February 2024 - Kissyfoot, Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Short Film
February 2024 - Mouse and Paper Monsters, Semifinalists, Atlanta Film Festival
February 2024 - Kissyfoot #1 Horror Short, Coverfly's The Red List
February 2024 - Mouse, Paper Monsters, Kissyfoot, The Bad Poet and Gloves on Coverfly's The Red List
February 2024 - Mouse, Semifinalist, Filmmatic Horror
January 2024 - Kissyfoot, #1 Horror Short, Coverfly's The Red List
January 2024 - Kissyfoot and Paper Monsters, Quarterfinalists, WritersXWriters
January 2024 - Mouse and Paper Monsters, Quarterfinalists, Atlanta Film Festival
January 2024 - Mouse and Paper Monsters, Semifinalists, SF IndieFest
January 2024 - Kissyfoot, Quarterfinalist, SF IndieFest
January 2024 - Mouse, Kissyfoot, The Bad Poet, Paper Monsters and Gloves on Coverfly's The Red List
January 2024 - Kissyfoot, Semifinalist, Outstanding Screenplays
December 2023 - The Toy Collector, Top 5 Finalist, Shore Scripts Development Fund
December 2023 - eMorto!, Finalist, Shore Scripts Development Fund
December 2023 - The Bad Poet, Paper Monsters, Gloves, Kissyfoot on Coverfly's The Red List
December 2023 - Paper Monsters, Quarterfinalist, Outstanding Screenplays
December 2023 - Kissyfoot and Paper Monsters, Finalists, SWN
November 2023 - The Bad Poet, Paper Monsters, Gloves, Kissyfoot on Coverfly's The Red List
November 2023 - Gummies, Winner, Best Writing, Best Micro Short, Ethereal Horror Fest
November 2023 - Gummies, Winner, Best Director, Best Actor, LA Crime and Horror
November 2023 - Gummies, Official Selection, Krampus Film Festival
November 2023 - Kissyfoot and Paper Monsters, Quarterfinalists, Vail Film Festival
November 2023 - Gummies, Winner, Audience Award and Best Young Performer, HorrorHaus
November 2023 - Gummies, Winner, Best Film, Terror Fest
November 2023 - Mouse, Top 10 Finalist, Filmquest
October 2023 - The Bad Poet, Semifinalist, Austin Film Festival
October 2023 - Paper Monsters, Second Rounder, Austin Film Festival
October 2023 - Kissyfoot, Second Rounder, Austin Film Festival
October 2023 - Paper Monsters, Semifinalist, Pittsburgh Shorts
October 2023 - The Bad Poet, Paper Monsters, Kissyfoot, Graven and Gloves on Coverfly's The Red List
October 2023 - Paper Monsters, Top 3, A Night of Horror
