Person Biography:
Paul Anthony Nelson grew up as an obsessive devotee of DC and Marvel comic books, spending hours reading and watching TV. His childhood was filled with trips to the movies every school holidays and endless hours of VHS tapes. It was the iconic action movie "Die Hard" that sparked his passion for film, and he never looked back.
As a teenager, Nelson made his first short film, a ridiculous comedy starring a man made of pillows and a football for a head. However, it wasn't until he discovered the White Gloves Film Festival that he began to take filmmaking seriously. His early attempts were met with criticism, but he persevered and went on to make several successful shorts.
Nelson's breakthrough came with his 2002 short film "2:24", a parody of the TV show "24". The film gained recognition and led to collaborations with other filmmakers. He co-directed a music video and went on to make several more shorts, including the award-winning "Interchange".
In 2009, Nelson formed the independent production company Cinema Viscera with his partner Perri Cummings. The company aimed to create fresh spins on beloved genre conventions for 21st century audiences. He continued to make shorts and music videos, including the critically acclaimed "Cigarette".
After a five-year hiatus, Nelson wrote, directed, and edited the short thriller "Cigarette" in 2016. The film premiered at Monster Fest and marked a return to his passion for filmmaking. He went on to make his first feature film, "Trench", which premiered at the Setting Sun Film Festival.
Cinema Viscera's second feature, "Apparitions", premiered at Monster Fest in 2021 and was released in the US and UK. Nelson continued to work on shorts and features, including the ambitious short film "Three Sisters", which is set to premiere in 2024/25.