Paul G Andrews - Interview

Did anyone ever tell you weren't good enough?

Yes, I have had people tell me I wasn't good enough that realistically I wouldn't make it as a real filmmaker. But I have amazing support from my friends and family.   

How can you stay focused on your goal?

I stay focused on my goal by reminding myself that this is what I want to do and what I love. I have too much respect for the story and the crew to not give it my all and make it the best I can. 

Have you ever had a breakdown because of your Job?

Yes, on my film "We Should Be Strangers" I had a feeling on one of the days that it was very overwhelming, I was second guessing myself, time was running out, and I didn't feel like I belonged there. But I pushed through it and now I am so insanely proud of the whole team and crew for what we made and I'm proud of myself. 

Talent is a blessing or a curse?

I believe that talent is both a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing in that the talent will come very naturally to someone and they will most likely thrive immediately. But I feel it can be a curse in that sometimes that person won't know what it is like to struggle until they reach a high enough level and they can't just rely on talent anymore. 

What would you like to improve about yourself as a filmmaker?

I would like to improve my time management skills as a director. I can sometimes get carried away trying to get a particular take that I accidentally push the schedule back a little bit. I had a short scene that should've taken about 20 minutes to shoot take almost an hour because I kept trying new camera set ups that weren't necessary. 

What's the worst critic you have received?

I think the worst criticism I received was for a short film I made in film school which said "the idea is there, but the execution wasn't". I still think about that on set to make sure I serve the idea and crew and make it the best I can.

If you weren't a filmmaker what would you like to be? 

I think I would be a movie critic if I wasn't a filmmaker. I love watching movies and talking about them afterwards, so I would love to tell the public what I thought of the movies that I've seen.

If Cinema was a color what would it be?

When I think of film I always see the sepia color from the beginning of the Wizard of Oz. The old timey look of those films are just classic to me and that's what I associate with film.

A day without a movie is...

A day without a movie is a sad day. I try to watch at least a movie or an episode of a TV show everyday if I can. For me I see it as homework, I'm learning from the ones who have made it in the industry and I learn what works and what doesn't. 

If someone offered you to direct a movie that you despice but that for sure will make you rich and famous...would you accept the job?

I think if I were offered a job for an idea I despise, but it would make me rich and famous I would take it. Even though I hate the idea, I haven't made the movie yet. So I could try and change some things to make it better and try to make it better than what is on the page. I would see it as a learning opportunity and I would be blessed to make the films I wanted to from the succes I received.

What's your greatest ambition?

My greatest ambition is to try to make a film in every single genre if I can. I want to be a very diverse filmmaker and have audiences be surprised with the films I make. 

What's your biggest fear?

My biggest fear is people seeing my name on a project and immediately having a negative opinion without having seen it. I think we should judge the movie and not what the filmmaker made before. 

Does music helps you to direct, write?

Yes, I cannot write without listening to music. I make a playlist of the music I think the soundtrack would sound like and I play it on repeat to fully immerse myself into the world I am creating. 

You have the chance to make a Silent movie, what's your message to the audience?

We actually have a silent film in post production that we are very excited about. But the message we want to share with the film is that even if we lose someone we love, it's important to take how they taught us to be happy and use it to move forward and build relationships with those that are still here.

Share your speech if you should win an Oscar.....

My Oscar speech would sound something like "First I'd like to thank the Academy for the amazing honor of just being here tonight. I'd like to thank my family and everyone who supported me during this journey. But most importantly I'd like to dedicate this award to the cast and crew of the film. Without them I am not standing here tonight and this is just as much theirs as it is mine. Thank you again to everyone and goodnight."   

How old you were when you decided you wanted to be an actor/director/screenplayer?

When I was 15, I officially decided to go into film as a career. I have always been a writer, whether it was playing with my dolls and giving them incredibly in-depth backstories or drawing little picture books in my preschool classes. The catalyst for my desire to be a screenwriter, however, was finding Korean Pop music videos when I was 15. Every video was so cinematic and so dense with both verbal and environmental storytelling. Discovering K-Pop completely changed how I saw filmmaking, and solidified my desire to be a screenwriter. It's been nine years since that discovery, and I couldn't be happier!

For you a Film is...

For me, film is a medium of art that uses every other medium of art, including visuals, audio, and performance.

What do you feel when you're acting/directing/writing?

I have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which means I am constantly thinking about multiple things at once. Since being a writer and director means you have to keep track of multiple things at once, it feels like a very natural extension of how my brain already works. So because of my neurodivergence, I actually find the processes of writing and directing immensely gratifying!

You can go to the Movies with an actor/director/screenplayer that you love. What kind of movie do you choose and with who you're gonna watch it?

I'd love to watch a movie with the late Satoshi Kon. "Paprika" left a massive impact on how I write visuals and dream sequences, and is one of my favorite movies. As for what movie we'd see...honestly I would watch anything with him. I would just want to know how he sees the world.

Audrey Hepburn used to say “Nothing is Impossible”, what do you think about it?

I agree that nothing is impossible; however, some things are more challenging to achieve than others.

Can you live just on your passion?

I think in general yes, it is possible to live on just your passion. In order to live on just your passion, though, it takes a lot of planning and perseverance.

What's more important, talent or luck?

I think that talent is more important than luck, because talent can beget luck, but luck can't always beget talent.

You must go to a desert island but you can bring with you just one movie...

Any of Hayao Miyazaki's films, especially "Spirited Away", "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind", or "Howl's Moving Castle"!

Have you ever accepted a part/ a movie to direct/ a script to write even if you didn't like the project?

Luckily, I have not! I have always seen the commissions I didn't expect as new opportunities to expand my horizons!

What's the best compliment you have received about your Job?

When I was writing "Black Ocean," my first feature screenplay, I reached out to one of my professors at New York University. This professor in particular was known for being tough as nails and brutally honest, and I valued his opinion the most out of any professor I had. I met with him and discussed my script, to which he gave amazing feedback. The next day, I came to class, and he called me out in front of the other students and told me he had forgotten to tell me something. I held my breath, unsure of what was going to come. This man looked at me and said the best compliment I have ever received: "Your first 10 pages are the most important. You don't need to change yours." My heart burst with joy. To this day, more than three years later, if I am struggling with a script, those words pop into my head and push me past my anxiety.

 Are you satisfied with your career?

I was lucky to get my start very young, my first internship being at the age of 16. Since then, I have been more than grateful for all of the opportunities I have gotten and the amazing people I have worked with. That said, I am only 24 years old now - I have a lifetime ahead of me to grow and develop as a filmmaker. Therefore, to answer the question, I am more than satisfied with where I am now, but I am always looking to try new things!

Do you have a good luck charm?

My partner, Rishika. She has brought so much joy to my life and encouraged me at every step of the way. She's a neuroscientist, so she always gives incredible insight on my projects, no matter what they are. I love her from the bottom of my heart.

Which is the worst moment on set ?

It's easily the time I was tricked by a director into being the victim in a sexual assault scene. I was a crew member on a classmate's project and they asked me to be an actor in their film on short notice. They informed the other actor that they would be playing a rapist, but didn't tell me that I would have my jacket ripped off and that I would be pushed into a wall. I didn't find out until 45 minutes into the shoot what the intent of the scene was, and told the director that I would not have my clothing ripped off. The director defended their decision, saying that I would be beating up the rapist in the scene and that it would be okay. I stood firm and told them no, I would not let myself be undressed in the middle of the street. I never would have agreed to do the scene if I had been informed of it. The other actor was completely horrified that I hadn't been informed what the scene was, and asked me the rest of the night if I was doing okay. I told my friends and my loved ones what happened, saved documentation of the event, and resolved to never put another actor or crew member through what I went through.

How do you feel when a job you've been part of it's ending?

It's always bittersweet. I find joy in finishing the work and being proud of what I did, but I often revisit my old work and miss the process of doing it. However, that just encourages me to improve upon my process with whatever new projects I have.

Have you ever lied to get a part/job?

Never - I pride myself on honesty. I would rather people know that I am queer, neurodivergent, and have been through hell and come out the other side, rather than try to pretend that I am a very narrow version of normal.

If you should win an Oscar your first taught would go to…

My first thanks would go to my mother and brother. They have always supported me, through thick and thin. But recently, they have been especially encouraging in my creative endeavors. For context, my father passed away in the summer of 2021, and he had been my biggest creative partner. He had been reading and editing my stories, and helping me workshop ideas. Since his passing, my mother and brother have been extremely helpful in talking me through my thoughts, reading my scripts, and making me feel less alone. I would not be where I am without my family, and I love them with everything that I am.