Paul DeNigris

writer-producer-director

Paul DeNigris is an award-winning filmmaker and film educator with two decades of experience in making moving images for screens both big and small. Paul's body of work combines a passion for storytelling with a mastery of digital filmmaking technologies, and ranges from epic computer-generated adventures to intimate character portraits, from short comedies to feature-length film noir, and from commissioned video art installations to surreal rock and roll fantasies.

Paul is also Professor of Digital Video at Tempe’s University of Advancing Technology, where he developed the digital video curriculum from the ground up. Paul’s students have gone on to work on such television series as “Game of Thrones," "Life on Mars,” “Justified,” and “Battlestar Galactica,” and on feature films such as The Avengers and Avatar.

Paul recently completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in Digital Cinema and continues to freelance as a video producer, editor, and compositor. For more of Paul's work, check out IMDB or his official website.

Selected films and awards:

  • "Red Sand: a Mass Effect Fan Film" - producer and faculty advisor for a student-produced fan film based on the Mass Effect​ series of videogames, starring the lead voice actor from the games, Mark Meer.
  • "Fallout" - writer, director, and faculty advisor for a student-produced science fiction thriller shot entirely on greenscreen, which spent a year on the film festival circuit and won 9 awards, including Best Arizona Short (2011 Phoenix Film Festival)
  • 2007 Arizona Filmmaker of the Year - awarded by the Phoenix Film Festival
  • "Kottak Attack" - designed a series of surreal effects-driven visuals to accompany drummer James Kottak's amazing 10-minute drum solo as part of the farewell tour of international rock icons The Scorpions
  • "Cowboy Dreams" - short comedy Western starring Blue Collar comedian Bill Engvall and Hollywood icon Danny Trejo
  • The Falls - writer-producer-director-editor of this indie feature, which played multiple film festivals and got picked up for worldwide DVD distribution in spite of having no name actors
  • Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings - director of the opening cinematic to one of the best-selling real-time strategy games in computer gaming history
  • Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles - motion-capture director for three episodes of the animated Heinlein spin-off, and CGI director for a fourth
  • Screen Wars - executive producer and segment director for this short film competition series, nominated for 13 Emmy Awards (including Best Arts & Entertainment Program)
  • NetherBeast Incorporated - visual effects artist and title designer for this offbeat indie vampire comedy starring Dave Foley and Judd Nelson
  • "Extraordinary Colleagues" - director of this 48-hour film challenge entry, which garnered 5 awards from IFP/Phoenix, including Best Director