LOS ANGELES, USA — Production company Golden LA has signed the skillful storyteller and director Paul Minor. Known for an immersive and human approach to storytelling, he has crafted memorable spots for Acura, Lincoln, Corona, Nike, Google, and BMW. Often orienting the viewer in unique, sometimes whimsical worlds, the filmmaker has a noteworthy intuition for detail, sharpening the casting, setting, color, and sound so each element harmonizes for maximum emotional impact.
Since they met, Golden’s Managing Director Matthew Marquis singled Paul out for his exceptional talent. “I’m so thrilled to be working with Paul again. I’ve watched his approach to filmmaking evolve over the last few years, driven by his ability to combine storytelling with authentic performances and a unique visual perspective,” said Matthew, who had previously worked with the filmmaker at Logan and Sons just before founding Golden LA.
One of his recent shorts, a quirky-cute ad for TD Bank entitled “A Tall Tale,” exemplifies Matthew’s detail focus and ability to suspend reality. As he artfully depicts the story of a young woman grappling with her career path, Matthew weaves together subtle visuals and imaginatively underscores her particular perseverance despite low ceilings and drenching rainstorms by stringing together well-crafted and emotionally resonant mini-scenes.
“Constraints within the short form change constantly, yet endless possibilities exist,” said Paul. “It’s always a good creative challenge to successfully tell a story by tapping into the emotional landscape of the characters and shaping a world around them in such a short time frame. One day, you’re shooting an intimate story in a moving car, and another, you’re setting up a sweeping wide shot in the Star Wars universe, that’s one of my favorite parts of the job.”
In addition to short form, Paul also plans to help enable Golden’s fresh evolution into long form. “Both Matt and I are enticed by the countless creative possibilities television and feature film projects have to offer. I look forward to helping contribute to Matthew’s vision in that new space.” Paul is currently attached to direct a feature film version of the novel “I Am The River,” which he adapted with the book’s author, T.E. Grau.
Raised in Texas, Paul discovered filmmaking in his teens, when he often experimented with making lo-fi, VHS slasher films. Simultaneously, playing in hardcore punk bands at the tender age of 14 ignited a passion for music. Those two paths would later converge as Minor went on to craft music videos for bands such as Editors, Muse, and Queens of the Stone Age before turning his eye to spots.
An editor, composer, and sound designer, the multi-talented Paul draws on his DIY background to create his own tactile, atmospheric soundscapes. Sometimes, his musical compositions appear in his film work, like the suspenseful score he contributed to the Lenovo spot “The Getaway” and the ambient reworking of a Coldplay track he contributed to the O2 campaign he directed, boosting his projects’ originality, and sonic specificity.
Paul just completed his first project as part of Golden LA’s roster, an upcoming campaign for Dell, scheduled to air in June 2023. “I’ve always admired Matt’s unique perspective on the business and his out-of-the-box thinking. Since we worked together years ago, we both wanted to find a way to do more together. I couldn’t be happier to join the crew and set sail on the SS Golden.”
