PAUL GOLDMAN: LONGFORM BIO
PAUL GOLDMAN attended the Swinburne Institute of Technology’s Film and Television School in Melbourne, Australia.
After being expelled, he established a music video production company: The Rich Kids.
Directing, shooting and editing dozens of music videos in his hometown translated into interest from overseas, taking him to London via Los Angeles where he began directing music videos between the U.K. and America.
Since then he has directed over 200 music videos and many feature length Concert Films, including work for Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, The Birthday Party, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Kylie Minogue, Missy Higgins, Hunters & Collectors, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes, The Go-Betweens, The Drones, Sarah Blasko and Crowded House. His many awards include the 1990 American MTV MVA: Best Male Video for Elvis Costello’s “Veronica” and the 2007 ARIA Best Video Award for Silverchair’s “Straight Lines”.
Paul eventually came back to Australia to attend the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), graduating from the Director’s Course.
A year later he was the Director of Photography on John Hillcoat’s critically acclaimed first feature film GHOSTS . . . OF THE CIVIL DEAD, written by Nick Cave.
After shooting GHOSTS Goldman established the Melbourne based production company CITY FILMS. Music videos and commercials once again leading him to work overseas, between Australia, the UK and America.
Paul has directed television commercials for local and international clients, including Qantas, MLC, Ford, Telstra, CUB and Tooheys, Honda, Peugot, the ANZ Bank & Commonwealth Banks, Foxtel, Sony, Myer and David Jones, Panasonic, McDonalds, Italian Telecom, Jim Beam, the Royal Australian Airforce and the Royal Australian Navy, Coles and Woolworths, NRMA, Beyondblue, AMP, Google and the Sydney Opera House amongst others.
In 2001 he directed his first feature film, AUSTRALIAN RULES. The screenplay, co-written by Goldman, won the 2002 AFI Best Adapted Screenplay Award. The film was in Official Selection at the Sundance Film Festival. It was also the official closing night film at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2002.
In 2002, Goldman directed THE NIGHT WE CALLED IT A DAY, an English/Australian co- production starring Dennis Hopper, Melanie Griffith, David Hemmings, Joel Edgerton and Rose Byrne. Produced by Emile Sherman, Jonathan Schteinman and Nik Powell, it was sold to The Weinstein Company.
In 2005 Goldman directed SUBURBAN MAYHEM. Written by Alice Bell, Produced by Leah Churchill-Brown and Jan Chapman. In 2006 it premiered in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival. It subsequently screened at other international film festivals and was the official closing night film at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
In 2010 Goldman directed the feature documentary SUCH IS LIFE: The Troubled Times Of Ben Cousins, produced by Craig Griffin and Michael Gudinski, a controversial portrait of the AFL’s first “rock star” football player. Cousins, a self-confessed drug addict and friend of major crime figures, was the first AFL player ever de-registered for “bringing the game into disrepute.” The explosive documentary screened on the SEVEN NETWORK over two nights.
In 2011 Goldman was the set-up director on CONSPIRACY 365 for FOXTEL. He directed the first four episodes of the 12 part television series which screened in Australia and overseas in 2012.
In 2015 Paul directed the documentary THE DIPLOMAT, THE ARTIST & THE SUIT: The Story of Denton Corker Marshall, about the internationally acclaimed Australian architectural firm DCM. It went to air on the ABC in 2015.
Paul Goldman is based in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.