Clare Toonen (she/her) is an AWGIE-nominated emerging screenwriter, script coordinator and notetaker based in Boorloo (Perth), WA.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Curtin University majoring in Screen and Performance Studies, and a Masters of Screen Studies from the WA Screen Academy, where she was awarded the Channel 9 Award for Best Scriptwriting for her short film You, Me & Karen.
Clare has worked with Perth film, TV and digital production companies Mad Kids and Galactic Baby, co-writing Mad Kids’ comedy series KGB for ABC iview in 2019 as well as helping to coordinate the companies’ development slates and perform notetaking duties.
In 2024 she received an AWGIE nomination for her multi-award winning animated short Bird Drone, which has screened at festivals around the world including Austin Film Festival, AFI Fest, Sydney Film Festival and Sitges Film Festival. Her brand new short comedy film, Skin and Boner, premiered at Flickerfest in January 2025 and screened at St Kilda Film Festival.
Clare is currently in development on two features and a half-hour dramedy series, and has also taught screenwriting at an introductory tertiary level. Her keen (and nerdy) eye for grammar, formatting and proofreading has led to a passion for working in the script department; Clare served as script coordinator on Amazon Original comedy series The Moth Effect as well as an upcoming Western Australian SBS/NITV series.
