Film Producer Lindsey Paulette on Seizing Opportunities and Progress in the Filmmaking

Recently we caught up with Lindsey Paulette to hold a wide-ranging interview about filmmaking. Lindsey is an American writer, producer, and director who hails from Richmond, Virginia.

Lindsey made a very early start in the performing arts, as she began performing on stage at the age of seven. Later, she went on to study film at John Tyler Community College and then at Savannah College of Art and Design. She then went on to graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University’s cinema program. Since graduating, Lindsey has successfully directed her first feature length film which premiered earlier this year.

In this interview, we cover a lot of topics including the following.

• We examine Lindsey’s preference between the disciplines of writing and directing
• We talk more in depth about how Lindsey started in theatre, and her education since then
• We discuss the difference between working in front of and behind the camera
• Lindsey’s advice for people when choosing their career direction
• The benefits of studying film in college
• What it’s like to be the youngest person on a set, and tips on how to establish one’s presence
• The importance of staying true to oneself

We are sure that you will gain many insights and lessons from hearing Lindsey’s story in this interview.

If you’re eager to delve deeper into Lindsey’s journey and gain her valuable advice, watch the full interview here.

How Lindsey manages her time as a freelancer.

In our interview, we examine how the life of a freelancer can be busy. “It varies, from month to month, week to week”, Lindsey explains. “Sometimes I’m super slammed and I’m really busy with work, and then other times it’s a slower period.” But as Lindsey explains, that can have advantages too. “During those times I tend to focus more on personal projects.” Overall, it seems as though no two weeks are ever quite the same… but it’s a paradigm that Lindsey has grown accustomed to. “It’s an interesting balance”, she says. “Sometimes I wish I was working less, and then there’s times where I really wish someone would call me so that I could have a job!”

One of the challenges of this way of working that we explore, is having the time to stay on top of communications, and keep in touch with everyone. As we discover, this can be particularly challenging for an independent contractor who is working on multiple projects.

Lindsey appreciates the practices of screenwriting and directing.

Another topic we cover during the interview, is the fact that Lindsey has a background both as screenwriter and also as a director. 

During our conversation, we explore the question of whether Lindsey has a preference between the two. It seems choosing between them is not so easy. “It is tough because I really, really enjoy writing”, Lindsey begins. “I’ve obviously been doing that longer because I’ve been able to access writing for longer. I started on stage, so I’ve been writing plays since I was a young child and then I transitioned into film. And I really love that.” But what about directing? As Lindsey remarks, writing is such a solo process. “One of my favourite things about directing is the collaboration.”

How Lindsey started in theatre and her background in education.

We talk at length in the interview about how Lindsey got started in her profession, and even before that, how she first showed a disposition for film and theatre. Lindsey made a very early start in the performing arts, as she began performing on stage at the age of seven. “I had a lot of confidence and enthusiasm as a child”, she explains. “I was very out there and I had a lot of energy, and my mom didn’t know what to do with all that”. Letting Lindsey perform on stage seemed like a natural progression. 

However, as she got older, Lindsey realised she preferred working behind the camera instead of in front of it. Later, she went on to study film at John Tyler Community College and then at Savannah College of Art and Design. She then went on to graduate from Virginia Commonwealth University’s cinema program. Since graduating, Lindsey has successfully directed her first feature length film which premiered earlier this year.

The difference between being an actor and working behind the camera.

During our conversation, we discuss Lindsey’s impressions of how being an actor differs from working in a ‘behind the camera’ role. We explore the notion that working as an actor can make someone a better writer or director, because it gives them more empathy for what the actors and actresses are having to do on the other side. “When you’ve been there before, you understand the anxiety of being in front of a large group of people”, Lindsey explains. And as Lindsey puts it, when considering other actors, “you definitely don’t think of them as talking props like some people do!”

Lindsey’s advice for people when choosing their career direction.

One lesson that becomes clear in our interview with Lindsey, is that as a creative professional, it’s important to have a long-term, whilst also focusing on the day-to-day. From our conversation, it’s evident that Lindsey has a long-term plan and is keeping one eye on the future, whilst working on her day to day projects. “Right now, I have a lot of projects under my belt. But the plan has always been to continue to build the portfolio and prove that though I might be a young director, I’m also a competent director. Then maybe, one day someone will pay me for that.”

The benefits of studying film in college.

During the interview we explore whether studying at film school is necessarily a better path for aspiring filmmakers, than going it alone, or learning skills via another route. Ultimately, it seems that there are as many routes to finding success as there are filmmakers trying to do so. Lindsey explains: “I am definitely not someone that thinks that film school is necessary, especially with the technology that we have access to now.”

However, as we discover in our conversation, Lindsey admits there are of course some great benefits to attending film school. Reflecting on her own experience, she emphasised the value of the personal relationships that she fostered during her time in school. Ultimately, those connections have gone on to help her after leaving school when working on sets and when being part of teams for various filmmaking projects. 

As Lindsey explains, it is really important when on production sets to build good relationships, and of course it helps if you already have pre-existing relationships, some of which may have been formed during film school or college.

Lindsey’s current and upcoming projects.

As we discuss, 2024 is clearly already a busy year for Lindsey. Her first feature film, The Trip, was released earlier this year and is currently being screened at multiple film festivals. After it completes the festival circuit, naturally Lindsey is hoping it will find a distribution home, so it can reach more people, and ideally generate some income. At the same time, Lindsey has begun development of her next project already.

Overall, as we explore in our interview, it seems that Lindsey has no intention of slowing down, with multiple projects in the works in 2024. “I have a hard time sitting still and relaxing”, Lindsey admits. “I feel like I constantly have to be working on something. Whether it’s paid commercial work, or throwing myself into another personal project because I don’t feel like I have enough going on.”

Where to find out more about Lindsey and her work.

You can browse Lindsey’s filmmaker page on IMDB at the following link: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9855723/ 

You can find all the relevant links to Lindsey’s social accounts and to her work projects, at the following link: https://linktr.ee/LindseyPaulyD