Meet Paul Foster | Founder of Second Hand Productions

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paul Foster and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paul, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When we kicked off Second Hand Productions, the aim was to have a centralized entity for all my work. The cool part was that we had income from an older YouTube Channel, which was enough to set up the LLC. However, we only did that when the production company was ready to gather funds for projects. At first, we operated as a Sole Proprietorship and later made the switch.

Over the past 7 years, it has grown and earned a reputation that I’m proud of. The independent films we represent have received recognition both nationally and internationally through festivals. I’m really proud of our achievements so far, and the future looks promising.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Discovering my filmmaking style took a considerable amount of time; surprisingly, it required completing four small projects along with the first feature to truly establish my footing and unique style. I believe that the art of storytelling and engaging the audience is the most crucial aspect of my work. There’s a rhythm to storytelling—some filmmakers emphasize visuals, others acting, some the story itself, and others music. I treat each of these elements as layers contributing to the final project.

Approaching the story from an editor’s perspective, I aim to visualize the end product during the filmmaking process. Stories unfold three times in a project: during the writing, filming, and final editing stages. I differentiate myself by not being tied to the original script, focusing on creating a compelling and effective narrative that works for the audience.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Numerous individuals have played a crucial role in supporting me over the years, and though it’s impossible to name them all, I’ll do my best. From a young age, I knew I wanted to enter the film industry, but I lacked a clear direction on how to make that happen. I wrote scripts in high school and beyond, but none of them gained traction.

It wasn’t until later in life, during a friend’s screening, that I realized the opportunity. I had no idea he was involved in filmmaking until then. After the screening, I approached him, expressing my willingness to do any task on his set. This marked the beginning of a two-plus-year collaboration with Kelly Johnston.

Wearing many hats for Kelly, I failed at most of them, but the experience motivated me to learn and grow. My first script received support from Micah Lyons, a friend I didn’t know well at the time, who read the script and provided feedback. I was amazed at someone taking the time to help without asking for money or credit. Other key supporters included Vicky Jones Stanfield, one of the first actors to work with me, Christa Watson, Ryan Miller, and many others who joined me in my debut feature film. They took a chance on a relatively unknown director navigating the challenges of the indie film scene.

There are countless others to whom I owe gratitude for pushing me to strive harder. The film “Unwanted” received mixed reviews, but the trailer landed me more work, marking the beginning of it all.

Twitter: @Paul_SHP

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SecondHandProductionsFilmStudios

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/secondhandproductions

Other: IMBD: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8448417/?ref_=ttfc_fc_wr1

Image Credits
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