Alyssa McClelland

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Alyssa McClelland
McClelland in December 2012
Born1981
Sydney, Australia
EducationNewtown High School of the Performing Arts
Australian Theatre for Young People
University of Technology Sydney
Atlantic Theater Company, New York
Occupation(s)Director, writer, actress
Years active2000–present
Known forSecond Best (director), Amandaland (BBC), Sex Education (Netflix), Everything Now (Netflix)

Alyssa McClelland is a director, screenwriter, producer and former actress. She directed the finale episodes of acclaimed Netflix series Sex Education and was the set-up director of Everything Now, also with Netflix. McClelland directed the successful BBC comedy series Amandaland and the award-winning short film Second Best. Prior to her directing career, she appeared in lead roles in Australian film, television and theatre.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

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McClelland is the daughter of an industrial chemist father and office manager mother.[4] McClelland was educated at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts in Sydney and was Dux in her final year. She attended the University of Technology Sydney where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in Media Arts and Production, majoring in film.[5][6] From the age of fifteen she trained and performed in productions with the Australian Theatre for Young People in Sydney, until she received a scholarship that enabled her to study abroad with the Atlantic Theater Company in New York.[7]

Career

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Director / producer / writer

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McClelland's short film Second Best won the Dendy Live Action Short Award at the Sydney Film Festival, the Australian Directors' Guild Award for Best Direction in a short film, Best Short Film at the Milano Film Festival, Best Foreign Film at Lake Shorts Film Festival, the Youth Award at 20MinMax Film Festival and Best Direction at Flickerfest [1].

McClelland directed, wrote and produced seasons 1 and 2 of the cult hit web series One Step Closer to Home, and the short film Nic and Shauna which was a finalist in Tropfest, the world's largest short film festival.

McClelland is also a respected international commercial director, having directed campaigns for Google Pixel, Apple, Air New Zealand, Samsung, Netflix and Vodafone, AEG, McDonald’s and Pot Noodle. Her advertising work has won awards such as the Black Pencil at the D&AD Awards and Best Direction at the London International Awards.[8]

She was the recipient of the InStyle Magazine Woman of Style Scholarship for her work as a filmmaker in Australia.

Actor

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McClelland has had roles in the feature films A Man's Gotta Do, The Bet, Deck Dogz and in Australian television series Rake, Home and Away, Dance Academy and Canal Road.[9]

She received an Australian Film Institute Award nomination for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in Television, for her 2005 role in the Network Ten telemovie Small Claims: White Wedding.[9]

McClelland has performed leading roles in productions with the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, and Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney.[10]

McClelland is a former Jan Logan star, and face of the annual campaign, alongside other Jan Logan ambassadors Rose Byrne, Elizabeth Debicki, and Teresa Palmer.

Director / producer / writer credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
2009 Emilia Eckle Director, writer Short film
2010 Nic and Shauna Director, writer, producer Short film
2011 The Bride Co-producer Short film
2011 Home Producer Short film
2018 Second Best Director, writer, producer Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
2011–15 One Step Closer to Home Director, writer, producer TV web series, seasons 1–2, 19 episodes
2021 Home and Away Director TV series, 5 episodes
2022 Everything Now (aka The Fuck-It Bucket) Director TV series, 2 episodes
2022 Sex Education Final block director TV series, season 4, 3 episodes
2023 Class of '07 Splinter unit director TV series, 7 episodes
2025 Amandaland Lead director Motherland spin-off, 6 episodes


Awards

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Year Nominated work Award Category Result
2005 Small Claims: White Wedding Australian Film Institute Award Best Guest or Supporting Actress in Television Nominated
2010 Emilia Eckle Reel Shorts Film Festival, Canada Best Short Film Top 5
2010 Nic and Shauna Tropfest Best Short Film Nominated (finalist)
2012 Alyssa McClelland InStyle Magazine Woman of Style Scholarship Won
2014 The Duchenne Foundation Awareness for Muscular Dystrophy TVC D&AD Awards Black Pencil Award Won
2018 Second Best 20MinMax Film Festival Youth Jury Award Won
2019 Second Best Australian Directors' Guild Award Best Direction in a Short Film Won
2018 Second Best Flickerfest Best Direction Won
2018 Second Best Lakeshorts International Film Festival Best Foreign Film Won
2018 Second Best Maryland International Film Festival Best Short Film Nominated
2018 Second Best Milan Film Festival Best Short Film Won
2018 Second Best Milano Film Festival (MIFF Awards) Best International Short Film (15–30 minutes) Won
2018 Second Best Sydney Film Festival Dendy Live Action Short Won
Alyssa McClelland London International Awards Best Direction Won

References

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  1. ^ Green, Ricki (26 June 2018). "FINCH's Alyssa McClelland wins Dendy Live Action Short Award at Sydney Film Festival". Campaign Brief.
  2. ^ Piña, Christy (27 September 2023). "'Sex Education' Director Unpacks Final Moments of the "Perfect Show"". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ Hankin, Kate (18 August 2022). "Alyssa McClelland Directs New Netflix Series". FINCH. Retrieved 2 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Alyssa McClelland – Giving It Everything". The Beast. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Alyssa McClelland biography". IMDb. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Alyssa McClelland". elCinema. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Alyssa McClelland profile, ATYP". Australian Theatre for Young People. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Alyssa McClelland". FINCH. 13 February 2025.
  9. ^ a b Alyssa McClelland at IMDb
  10. ^ "Ray's Tempest". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 May 2005.
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