Paul J. Salamoff
Writer/Producer/Director/Educator

Can you tell us a little bit about what you do?
I have been working for over 30 years in film, TV, video games and commercials as a writer, producer, director, executive, comic creator, storyboard artist and make-up FX artist  — and I also teach screenwriting at The New York Film Academy. I am the author of ON THE SET: The Hidden Rules of Movie Making Etiquette and the graphic novels Discord, Tales of Discord, Hired Guns, Logan’s Run and issues of Vincent Price Presents. My short stories and essays have been included in acclaimed anthologies including MIDIAN UNMADE: Tales From Clive Barker’s Nightbreed and THE CYBERPUNK NEXUS: Exploring The Blade Runner Universe and I am a two-time Bram Stoker Award Nominee. I made my feature-film directorial debut with ENCOUNTER a multi award-winning Sci-Fi/Drama based on my original screenplay that stars Luke Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Cheryl Texiera and Tom Atkins. ENCOUNTER just won “Best Independent Film” at The 46th Annual Saturn Awards in October.

How did you first become interested in art?
My grandmother was an artist as well as my godmother (who playfully claims ownership of my talents!) and I’ve been a “creative” from an early age. Ironically, I grew up in one of the biggest sports communities in New England (Natick, MA), but was focused on art instead of the grid iron. This was only bolstered by my love of movies, especially Sci-Fi when I saw “Star Wars” in the theater at age 5 and then discovered “Doctor Who” on TV. Both inspired me to make my own costumes and toys. And soon I developed a love for horror which made Halloween that much more interesting. By age 13, I decided I wanted to be a professional make-up FX artist and the rest, as they say, is history.

How does art enrich a community, and what are some ways people can engage with art in Burbank?
You can engage with art in Burbank at Burroughs High School in their choir and theater programs that have never failed to astonish me with the talent of their students. It can also be found at the niche restaurants that take pride in their meals and most certainly at my personal favorite spot — the AMC 16 Theater (as well as the AMC 6 & 8), where I have spent an obscene amount of time watching movies on a weekly basis.

If you could share with our community one thing about art, what would it be?
Art is in everything, and it usually goes hand in hand with passion. I feel that art brings a healthy perspective to things and helps one to think “out of the box.” As someone who is driven by my creative impulses, art consumes me and can be found in so many facets of my life. As well as building things or creating stories, I love to cook and bring my creativity to not just what I cook but how I present it. I firmly believe life would be drab and dull if there wasn’t art in the world.

To find out more about Paul and his work, visit his website paulsalamoff.com.