Doug Clarke
Doug Clarke, also known as Douglas Clarke, is an Australian software engineer and co-founder of Blackmagic DesignBlackmagic DesignBlackmagic Design is an Australian imaging-technology company established in 2001. It develops professional cameras, video capture and live-production equipment, and post-production software including DaVinci Resolve. Co-founded by Grant Petty, Douglas Clarke and Peter Barber, the company has its principal place of business in Melbourne.Open the full entry. His public technical record includes joint patent applications concerning media-file reading, writing and synchronization.
Contents10 sections
Key facts
1990sMeeting Grant Petty
According to Forbes’ profile, Clarke met Grant PettyGrant PettyGrant Petty is an Australian entrepreneur and engineer, and co-founder and CEO of Blackmagic Design. His background in post-production and telecine engineering led to imaging-product development focused on broadening access to professional video tools.Open the full entry at an Apple computer user group in the 1990s and was initially hired for a summer job.[1]
2001Co-founding Blackmagic Design
May 30, 2011HyperDeck Studio Award Coverage
TV Tech’s NAB awards report pictured Clarke and Petty accepting a STAR Award for Blackmagic Design. The award recognized HyperDeck Studio, a recorder using dual solid-state-drive slots for uncompressed HD video.[3]
May 27, 2021Debuting on the Australian Rich List
The Australian Financial Review’s annual Rich List announcement named Clarke as a first-time entrant, ranked 200th with estimated wealth of A$590 million. This was the list’s valuation in 2021.[4]
October 9, 2025Media-File Reading and Writing Application Published
US patent application US20250315178A1 was published, naming David Hammerton and Doug Clarke as co-inventors and Blackmagic Design as the original applicant. It describes an associated descriptor file that allows recorded media to be read before recording is complete.[5]
December 10, 2025Media-File Synchronization Application Published
European patent application EP4660821A1 was subsequently published, also naming Hammerton and Clarke as co-inventors. It describes synchronizing a media file between devices while the original file is still being written. These records document published applications, rather than establishing that patents were granted.[6]
September 17, 2026Directorship and Shareholding Record
A Federal Court judgment recorded Clarke as a Blackmagic director holding 22,575,000 shares.[7]
Education and Technical Background
Clarke graduated from Monash University in Melbourne. Forbes describes his professional background as software engineering.[1]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Blackmagic Design: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/ (opens in a new window). The following links are company accounts.[8]
Blackmagic Design X: https://x.com/Blackmagic_News (opens in a new window).[9]
Blackmagic Design LinkedInLinkedInLinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals. It was founded in 2002 by Reid Hoffman and others, launched in 2003, and listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2011; after Microsoft acquired it for approximately $26.2 billion in 2016, it became a wholly owned Microsoft subsidiary. Its revenue comes from membership subscriptions, advertising, and recruitment solutions.Open the full entry: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackmagic-design/ (opens in a new window).[10]
Blackmagic Design YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: https://www.youtube.com/@BlackmagicDesignOfficial (opens in a new window).[11]
Sources
- Doug Clarke — Forbes Profile (opens in a new window)
- Grant weaving his black magic (opens in a new window)
- The STARs Come Out in Las Vegas (opens in a new window)
- The Financial Review Rich List Reveals Surge in Wealth to $479.6 Billion (opens in a new window)
- US20250315178A1 — Reading and/or writing media files (opens in a new window)
- EP4660821A1 — Synchronisation of media files (opens in a new window)
- Barber v Blackmagic Design Pty Ltd (Security for Costs) [2026] FCA 1378 (opens in a new window)
- Blackmagic Design — Offices (opens in a new window)
- Blackmagic Design — X (opens in a new window)
- Blackmagic Design — LinkedIn (opens in a new window)
- Blackmagic Design — YouTube (opens in a new window)