‍Jordan: The idea for Clout emerged after we became increasingly aware of the damaging impact social media is having on today’s youth. Tom, Tristam and I began exploring how we could weave this into a modern fable that would resonate with a wide audience. We were drawn to The Boy Who Cried Wolf - it struck us as a powerful metaphor for the nature of social media. We set out to craft a coming-of-age story within a short film format. So many shorts feel like condensed feature films, but we wanted something self-contained, with a clear beginning, middle and end - a concise narrative that stood on its own. We drew a lot of inspiration from Stand By Me, aiming to capture that same spirit of youthful discovery, while grounding the film in a cautionary tale. When it came to writing the lead character, we’d just seen Jojo Rabbit, and I immediately thought, “Who would be perfect for this role? That young boy with the thick-rimmed glasses from Jojo Rabbit.” We all agreed - he brought such vulnerability and sweetness to the screen. For a cautionary tale to land, you need a character the audience can truly root for. By sheer luck, our casting director Georgia Topley had actually worked on Jojo Rabbit. It felt like fate. We sent the script to Archie’s agent, and he came back with a yes. It was kismet - from imagining him in the role at the very start, to actually having him lead the film.

Archie: I started auditioning professionally when I was around seven, doing a few adverts in Poland and Italy. Jojo Rabbit was my big break - I was only on set for about six weeks, but those six weeks completely changed my life. I’ll always be grateful for that experience, along with other roles like Home Sweet Home Alone and Gangsta Granny. When I first heard about Clout, I immediately fell in love with it. The message felt so genuine, honest, and relevant - especially for my generation, where social media is almost unavoidable. Everyone has TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat… it’s become such a core part of our lives. When films like Clout highlight important but rarely discussed topics - like comparison and dishonesty on social media - I knew I wanted to be part of it. My agent actually told me the role had been written with me in mind, which was a lovely surprise.

‍Archie: Jordan really focused on building our relationships naturally before filming. We’d done script read-throughs on video calls, but the first time we met in person was brilliant. We went bowling and did an escape room together - it was such a fun way to bond. That approach was genius, honestly. It made acting with my co-stars so much easier and more authentic. The performances came from a genuine place. The whole crew felt like one big family. Jordan’s mum even showed up every day with homemade food for catering! It really was like being part of one massive family, which is rare in this industry. I’d never formed such deep emotional connections with a cast and crew before. If I ever direct a film one day, I’d definitely want to run my sets the same way.