Film Industry
About
[EN]Riley Axon is a visual artist working across film and design, combining analogue process with AI-assisted tools. Their practice is driven by curiosity and experimentation, exploring identity, belonging, and queerness through process-led visual work.
With two years of in-house experience at a film production company, Riley understands the rhythm of set life and pre-production, moving quickly, thinking clearly, and adapting in real time. Working closely with directors and production teams, Riley develops treatments, visual research, storyboards, social media content, and location research that help ideas gain clarity and projects establish their tone early on.
Riley works as a creative partner within production teams, supporting directors by shaping visual language early and helping ideas become concrete. Often acting as a bridge between intuition and structure, Riley translates abstract concepts into shared visual concepts that align teams and strengthen creative decisions.
[DE]
Riley Axon ist eine visuelle Künstlerin, die an der Schnittstelle von Film, Design und neuen Bildsystemen arbeitet und analoge Prozesse mit KI-gestützten Werkzeugen verbindet. Geleitet von Neugier und Experimentierfreude entstehen visuelle Welten, die sich mit Identität, Zugehörigkeit und Queerness auseinandersetzen und den Prozess ebenso wertschätzen wie das Ergebnis.
Mit zwei Jahren Inhouse-Erfahrung in einer Filmproduktionsfirma kennt Riley den Rhythmus von Set und Vorproduktion und arbeitet schnell, fokussiert und anpassungsfähig. In enger Zusammenarbeit mit Regisseur*innen und Produktionsteams entwickelt Riley Treatments, visuelle Recherchen, Storyboards, Behind-the-Scenes-Inhalte und Location-Recherchen, die Ideen schärfen und Projekten früh eine klare visuelle Richtung geben.
Riley versteht sich als kreative Partnerin innerhalb von Produktionsteams und unterstützt Regisseur*innen dabei, visuelle Sprachen früh zu formen und Ideen greifbar zu machen. Als verbindendes Element zwischen Intuition und Struktur übersetzt Riley abstrakte Konzepte in gemeinsame visuelle Referenzen, richtet Teams aus, stärkt kreative Entscheidungen und schafft eine stabile Grundlage, noch bevor ein Projekt das Set erreicht.
Work Experience
- In-house Creative,
Robot,
Cape Town,
2023 - 2026
- Contributed to the creative development of commercial and cultural film projects through research and treatments.
- Produced pitch decks, storyboards, and AI-assisted visualisations to support directors during pre-production.
- Captured and edited BTS content for social and promotional use.
- Supported production teams with location research, decks and presentation materials.
- Creative Research,
dir. Ayanda Duma
prod. Robot
Remote, 2026.
- Creative Research,
dir. Ryan Hing
prod. Sublime Film
Cape Town, 2025.
- BTS package,
dir. Priya,
prod. 400SEATS
Cape Town, 2025.
- Creative Research,
dir. Andréa Katzeff
prod. TwinFilm
Cape Town, 2024.
Education
- AI Filmmaking Course,
Curious Refuge, 2025.
AI-assisted storytelling, storyboarding, and post-production workflows.
- Graphic Design,
Academy of Digital Arts, 2022.
- Concept-led visual communication and design fundamentals.
- Business Acumen for Artists,
Cape Town Creative Academy, 2022.
- Pricing, contracts, and soft skills needed for a creative practice.
[*]
Software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Premiere Pro
- Runway
- Nano Banana Pro
- Figma
Behind the Scenes
- Puma x Maglera
- Vans x Little Simz
- Woolworths
- Nancy Ajram, Warana Eh
- Decathlon
- Audi
- Simple Be
- Jacamo
- Pepco
- Nancy
- The Ceder
- Bramley
- VW
- Ackermans
BTS. Packages [VID&IMG]
Portfolio
Detailed Summary
Storyboards
- Revlon
- Lays
- L’Oreal
- MTN
- Elvive
- Ackermans
- Pepco
- Steers
- Defy
- Halls
- Standard Bank
- Dettol
- Strongbow
Creative Research
- Anatomy
- Balmain x Disney
- Moonchild Sanelley
- Defy
- Standard Bank
- Debonairs
- Kotex
- L'Oreal
- Lays
- MTN
- Revlon | Live Boldly
- Elvive
- One Wall Street
- Pick’n Pay
- Supersport
- Ackermans Summer
- VVSSA Touareg
- Audi
- Sunny | Project Anthem
- Ackermans Baby
- Ackermans Brand
- Steers
- Nido
- Woolworths
- Balmain x Disney
- Karri Card
- Season Series
- Dettol Winter Soap
- Strongbow
- KFC
Directors Treatments
- Anatomy
-
Maybelline New York
-
Bash
-
Balmain x Disney
-
Ackermans
-
Pepco
-
Steers
-
One Wall Street
-
VW Touareg
-
Moonchild Sanelly MV
-
Halls
-
Nido
-
Revlon
-
Woolworths
-
Strongbow
-
MTN
-
Debonairs
-
Telkom
- Dettol
[*]
Directors
- KC Locke
- Zandi Tisani
- Ciel Rose
- Ayanda Duma
- Ehsan Bhatti
- Adriaan Louw
- Jason Fielkov
- Andréa Katzeff
- Nick Riley Bentham
- Priya Patel
- Craig Moore
- Nelis Botha
- Ryan Hing
- TwoFold
Location Decks
- Adidas Supernova
- Balmain x Disney
- Butterfinger
- Cheez-It
- Eurojackpot
- Rolls-Royce
- Bash
- Floating parade
- Hellmans
- Fifa
- Ploom
- Huawei
- Renault
- Nubank
- Hyundai Archery
- JBL
- Bank of Ireland
- Oral-B
- Orangina
- BEATS
- Marshall JHB & CPT
- Lindor
- Courvoisier
- LG
- OLX
- Hermes
- Verbund
- Friso
- Linkedin
- Miller
- Mami Wata
- Motorola
- No Abyss No Peace
- Pepsi
- Postfinance
- Quickbooks
- Rexonna
- Standard Bank
- Tide Evo
- UBS
- Vanquish
- Veet
- Vraylar
- VW
- Nancy
- Xdemvy
- Party Rings
- Pardon / Wanda
- Decathlon
- Project Nam
- Rexulti
- Bebat
- Lexus
- Sam Fender MV
- Dreamies
- Turtlewax
- LisaxTyla
- 30 feet of dust
- Freemans
- Somersby
AI
Background
I work with AI as part of film and image-based production workflows, using it to support visual development, concept testing, and production planning. The focus is practical: using AI to explore ideas, generate visual environments, and help teams make clearer decisions before and during a shoot.
My background in photography, design, and painting shapes how I approach these tools.
I use AI selectively and in dialogue with existing film processes, treating it as an extension of visual thinking rather than a replacement for craft or collaboration.
In practice, this includes AI-assisted storyboards and visual references for pitches and treatments, early concept exploration, and the generation of visual environments used within production contexts.
I’m interested in expanding this approach across projects where AI can support visual planning, environment generation, and continuity between concept, shoot, and post.
Research & Development
- AI Filmmaking course,
Curious Refuge, 2025.
The programme focused on using AI within real filmmaking contexts — developing short-form films, testing visual ideas, and exploring how AI can support storytelling, art direction, and production workflows.
The course strengthened my understanding of how AI tools can be integrated thoughtfully into film processes, from early concept development through to production-facing experimentation, without separating them from analogue craft or collaborative practice.
[*]
R.A.W. Exhibition
Alongside commercial workflows, I also use AI as a tool for critical and artistic thinking.
In R.A.W., I explored the tension between tactile painting and machine-generated imagery, combining hand-rendered works with AI-generated portraits and video. I treated AI output as material; intervening through drawing, paint, and physical printing on perspex to question what authorship, identity, and intimacy look like in a machine age.
Video
Content
Video shot on iPhone and camcorder and edited for Social Media.
Vans Old Skool Campaign
Johannesburg
2024
Directed by Adriaan Louw
Production Co. Robot
Video shot on iPhone 13 and edited for social media.
Images shot on 35MM point and shoot & 120MM medium format cameras.
PUMA X MOSTRO
Cape Town
2025
Directed by Priya
Client Puma
Production Co. 400SEATS
Video shot on iPhone 13 and edited for social media. 24-hour turnaround.
Your dreams are right in front of you.
VW Touareg commercial.
Cape Town
2025
Directed by Jason Fialkov
Agency Ogilvy
Production Co. Robot
Video shot on iPhone and edited for Social Media.
Images shot on 35MM point and shoot camera. 24-hour turnaround.
ROCKRIDER EACTV100
Decathlon
Directed by CIEL ROSE
Int. Produciton Co. Matiere Premiere
Local Production Co. Robot
Video shot on iPhone and edited for Social Media.
24-hour turnaround.
The A3 Range.
Audi
Directed by Nelis Botha
Agency Ogilvy
Production Co. Robot
Video shot on iPhone and edited for Social Media.
24-hour turnaround.
Pepco
Directed by Craig Moore
Production Co. Robot
Cape Town
2025
Video shot on iPhone and edited for Social Media.
Images shot on 35MM point and shoot camera.
Music Video for Nancy Ajram, Warana Eh.
Directed by KC Locke
Int. Production Co. Swords & Eagles
Local Production Co. Robot
Video shot on iPhone and edited for Social Media.
Jacamo
Directed by Nick Riley Betham
Int. Production Co. Motel
Local Production Co. Robot
Cape Town
2025
Video shot on iPhone and edited for Social Media.
24-hour turnaround.
Simply Be [Stills]
Photography by Nick Riley Betham
Local Production Co. Robot
Cape Town
2025