Duckpond Productions

23/08/2025

Hey guys! Last week our distributor Slated asked if I would like to have a chat about the creative process behind our film. It was a lot of fun dissecting the film and reminiscing about some of the creative choices we made. If anyone wants to check it out I’ll leave a link in the comments below 👇

27/06/2025

Pinch me. Somebody wrote an 85 page review/analysis on THE MATRIARCH and is selling it on Amazon. I haven’t read it *yet* but I do try and read all reviews (both good and bad), so I better strap in 😳

24/06/2025

Better late than never - -

THE MATRIARCH is now available on Prime Video!

If you haven’t seen it yet, please check it out for the price of a cup of coffee. Every bit of support goes a LONG way.

Thirteen-year-old Missy kills her addict mother's boyfriend, Trent, in self defence. When her vengeful mother Annette tries to murder her as penance, Missy is forced to fight for survival in her own home.

15/06/2025

HAVE YOU RENTED THE MATRIARCH YET?

“The Matriarch is a quick and dirty thriller that excels at atmosphere and instilling real anxiety in its audience from the jump, delivering a compelling and scary story.” - Film Ink.

“Have you ever found yourself gripping the edge of your seat while watching a movie? Well, Jayden Creighton’s The Matriarch had me holding on for dear life.” - Maddwolf.

“Creighton delivers the nerve-jangling goods with The Matriarch, which I highly recommend.” - The Good, The Bad and the Verdict.

“I loved The Matriarch, a near perfect blend of slasher and thriller with a bit of home invasion in the mix.” - The Rotting Zombie.

“The Matriarch is one of the best horror films of the year. This isn’t a debut for Jayden Creighton; it is a grand entrance, exclaiming him as the best new voice in horror since James Wan first hit the scene all those years ago.” - Film Threat.

The reviews are overwhelmingly positive, and we’re so glad it’s being well received by the horror community. I did get one SCORCHING review on IMDB, saying it was “so bad they couldn’t finish it,” but you can’t please everyone 🤷‍♂️ go check it out and see if you agree with them.

If anybody wants to add their voice to the community, please feel free to share a user review on IMDB. If you have an account, you can write something. If not, you can use the star rating system.

Thank you everybody for supporting!

The film is available on Google Play and Apple TV in Australia.

22/05/2025

HUGE NEWS.

I’ve been keeping this close to the vest for a while now, but I’m excited to announce that I’ve partnered with Slated for the distribution of my debut feature film THE MATRIARCH.

Slated have delivered financing and distribution to over 50 independent films, including recent releases starring Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard, and Billy Porter.

They LOVE the film, and it’s so nice to have people in our corner who care about its success.

The cherry on top, I woke up to a Bloody Disgusting exclusive article about our film, which I’ll link in the comments below 👇 BD is the number one entertainment destination for horror and I’ve been following them for years so being on their radar is a privilege.

The film will be coming out on TVOD on June 10th, I will let everyone know how you can help support me as I move into the next phase of my filmmaking journey ❤️

14/04/2025

Happy Birthday to this super star 💫 I’ve written numerous roles for Amy since meeting her, but they’ve all fallen through for whatever reason. This year we’ve brought her on to a few shoots and we’re so lucky to have her in our stable of talent. Fantastic and versatile actress, and a great person to have on set. We hope to see some big things coming your way soon!

24/03/2025

Appreciation post:

I was driving home today with some 100 year old sickles in my boot thinking how lucky I am to have such a great support network.

I needed some cash to pay a deposit on a location, so you guys bought all of my merch in ten minutes.

I asked for some “lynching weapons” and I’ve been given more than I can carry.

I wanted some extras and now I’ve got over a dozen split across Lismore and the Gold Coast.

People have even offered to donate to the cause if I don’t have their shirt sizes 🤯

A lot of this generosity is coming from people who have already vacated their homes in the past to allow us to film in them. They continue to support us even after sinking so much of their time and effort into previous projects already.

Anyway, just want to thank everyone for putting up me. Including my partner Jade for dealing with my one track mind.

That’s all I have. I met my actors the other day face-to-face and they’re amazing. Very excited to show you all the next era of Duckpond Productions.

18/03/2025

Wow! Honoured to take out Best Australian Film at A Night of Horror International Film Festival.

“Recognizing it's Australian roots, A Night of Horror reintroduced it's “Best Australian Film” award this year, which was won by THE MATRIARCH. This feature debut from Jayden Creighton, tracks a 13 year old girl's brutal battle for survival against her own drug-addicted mother, capturing that raw and visceral potency that Australia's top genre filmmakers deliver better than anyone on the planet.”

Fun fact, the festival was based in Sydney before moving to Eau Claire Wisconsin, which is a sister city of Lismore. They even have a hotel called “The Lismore Hotel” which features wallpaper made out of old Lismore newspaper. Seems like a fitting fest to wrap up our circuit!

Thank you to the amazing programmers for a great experience!

16/01/2025

Excited to announce we’ve been selected for A NIGHT OF HORROR. Once known as Australia’s premier horror film festival, ANOH now takes place in Wisconsin. This will likely wrap up our festival circuit, so we’re excited to finish on a high note! Check out their first wave of programming (including THE MATRIARCH) below 👇

https://www.anightofhorror.com/news/2025/1/16/17th-a-night-of-horror-first-programming-wave?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR00yBg5ug7TRq7-aDlezqdY7NIlMX2FxnOPGYUuSl38H2jUSMXmk7H2V5Y_aem_r64y3KcDTA8bvDs4p0r5TQ

A Night of Horror International Film Festival, announces its first programming wave for 2025 today. Long admired as Australia's premier genre film event, the festival now takes place in the United States. This year, the festival's 17th edition - and second year in the USA - screens from March 6-9,

06/01/2025

How cool is this wall plaque from the New York City Horror Film Festival 😱 thank you to the festival coordinator for sending it all the way from the big 🍎

25/12/2024

Merry Christmas on behalf of the entire Duckpond fam. We've had a huge year, and we're so grateful to everybody who has supported us big or small. We hope you have a wonderful holiday, (however you spend it), and we look forward to showing you what's in store for 2025.

Side note, I know Terrifier 3 beat us to the punch - but I could see Annette spreading some Christmas cheer too, she's great with kids 😅

19/12/2024

Hey all! I had an on the spot interview with the LismoreApp yesterday. Thank you to Matthew Bidner for pointing our interviewer in my direction. And thank you to the Lismore App and the rest of our community for getting behind my work. Really appreciate the mountain of support.

*quick note, it was the Monster Pictures pitch initiative, and we were a top 20 finalist but unfortunately did not win. But it did give us confidence which is a win in itself 💪