F I L M M A K E R - A U T H O R - A C T O R
About
Paul started his career as a writer/journalist, specialising in horror cinema - writing for many online and print publications. He made the leap to documentary filmmaking in 2009 when he wrote, directed and produced a 98min documentary on the making of AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, which sold to Universal Home Entertainment and appeared on the Blu-Ray release of the film as a bonus feature. The documentary had its World Premiere at the prestigious Film4 FrightFest, where it was introduced by legendary director, John Landis, and then later had its North American premiere at Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema in Hollywood, where it was presented by Academy Award Winning Special Effects Artist, Rick Baker.
Paul’s first fictional short, HIM INDOORS, starred Reece Shearsmith and Pollyana McIntosh and also premiered at FrightFest to a sold out crowd on Screen 1 at the Empire, Leicester Square, and went on to win five awards – including Best Short and Best Actor – at festivals worldwide before being picked up by FearNet.com.
Paul followed that up with another short, THE BODY, starring Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones) and Hannah Tointon. In addition to his third world premier at FrightFest, THE BODY received its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, and went on to play over forty film festivals worldwide - including the TriBeca Film Festival in 2014. The film won four Best Short Film prizes in total, and in 2014 was awarded the prestigious Melies d’Or (Best European Short Film)
at the Sitges Fantastic Film Festival. Empire called THE BODY “the best Halloween-themed short film I’ve ever seen.” UK Horror Scene says “Paul Davis is hugely talented and will be one of THE stars of UK genre filmmaking very soon,” an opinion backed up by FrightFest's Paul McEvoy (“Davis is a unique genre talent”) and MovieScope magazine, who have listed Paul as one of their talents to watch.
On the strength of his short films Paul more recently co-wrote and directed his first feature film for Blumhouse Productions, an adaptation of his short THE BODY, starring Tom Bateman, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Aurora Perrineau, Ray Santiago, David Hull and Harvey Guillen. The film served as the premier episode of the Blumhouse/Hulu anthology series INTO THE DARK, which The New York Times hailed as “a clever and grotesque piece of work”, and Nerdist proclaimed “… the funniest film that Blumhouse has ever produced.”.
After the commercial success of INTO THE DARK’S first season, Paul was asked to return and helm the premier episode for season 2. Tackling the holiday of Halloween once again, UNCANNY ANNIE, written by the Bachelor Brothers, is a creepy throwback to classic slumber party horror films of the 80s and 90s, with the titular character serving as a gatekeeper for a killer boardgame in which a group of college students have decided to play on the creepiest night of the year. Starring Adelaide Kane, Georgie Flores, Dylan Arnold and Jacques Colimon, the film premiered on Hulu in October 2019 to positive reviews, with the consensus stating that "Uncanny Annie" comes to light as an entertaining season premiere and a worthy addition to the spookiest holiday of the year.”
In addition to his work behind the camera, Paul has also spent some time in front of it. In 2010, Paul appeared as an unfortunate 'Patient' who loses his leg to Tim Curry's 'Doctor Monro' in John Landis' BURKE & HARE. However, at 6ft 8" he is regularly called upon to play creatures and monsters - most notably opposite Peter Capaldi, as the King Sandman in the 2015 DOCTOR WHO episode, 'Sleep No More', written by Mark Gatiss, and as a Wookiee for Ron Howard in SOLO - A STAR WARS STORY.
In 2016, Paul adapted his 2009 documentary BEWARE THE MOON into a 200-page, limited edition book for Dead Mouse Productions & Cult Screenings Ltd. The book was followed a year later by LOST IN THE SHADOWS, a retrospective chronicle on the making of the cult 1987 vampire movie, THE LOST BOYS. Both books enjoyed sold out limited print runs between their original release date and 2021.
FULL MOVIE/TV CREDITS
INTO THE DARK: UNCANNY ANNIE (2019) Feature Film Director, Executive Producer
INTO THE DARK: PURE (2019) Feature Film Writer (Story By), Executive Producer
INTO THE DARK: THE BODY (2018) Feature Film Director, Writer, Executive Producer
SOLO - A STAR WARS STORY (2018) Feature Film 'Drill Wookiee Slave'/Creature Performer
DOCTOR WHO - S9 Ep9 'Sleep No More' (2015) TV Episode 'King Sandman'
THE BODY (2013) Short Film Director, Writer
HIM INDOORS (2012) Short Film Director, Writer, Editor
THE OTHER SIDE (2012) Short Film 'Death Face'
BURKE & HARE (2010) Feature Film 'Patient'
BEWARE THE MOON (2009) Feature Documentary 'Self', Director, Producer, Writer