Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Paula Lauzon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Paula, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I am extremely happy to be a Creative Artist. I began as an Actor in Hollywood, and built my foundation there, working my way to being a Film and Music Video Director as well as an Acting Coach and Casting Director.

I don’t feel having a ‘regular job’ is conducive to someone in this Industry. We think, act, learn and do things MUCH differently than in the Private and Public Sector. I’ve had those jobs for well over thirty (30) years.

Prior to entering the film industry as an actor, I’d worked as a legal assistant and later as an administrator and business developer. Working in the legal field taught me critical problem solving and fast paced decision making, as well as the value of intensive research. Working in business development taught me analytics. It taught me how to observe and adapt in the field and how to gauge potential. These skills have proven invaluable in my work in the film industry.

Paula, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Absolutely! I was inspired by SO MANY classic Hollywood icons; Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert, Doris Day, Myrna Loy, Lucille Ball; I wanted to be these women; whether they were sad, funny or serious, I later learned of how strong these women were in their careers and the choices that they’d made. I wanted to be that woman, as the actress that I knew I could be.

As the years went on, life took its course. I married (twice), had a son and decided that I’d cut my acting teeth in community theatre in Fall River MA where I was born. I began with ensemble roles and then had a supporting role in “Oklahoma!’. That was very challenging for me because it was in front of a live audience. I’d never memorized lines before, my anxiety level was peaked but with the help of all of my castmates, I made it through. Those individuals are family to me. I felt that I found my ‘place’, my ‘people’, my ‘community’. I miss musical theatre and hope that I can get back to it.

A short time after that, I spent my time honing my craft through Master Acting Classes with former “Days of Our Lives” star Steve Blackwood. I continued acting in local theatre and music videos. While I still resided in Boston in 2015, I decided to make the leap to commercial work in NYC and then onto LA. I quickly became recognized as a diverse character actress in both film and on many television shows.

My son gave me his blessing to leave for LA in the Spring of 2015, where I arrived with $40 in my pocket; go me. I did a little bit of research and I hit the ground running, doing background work with Central Casting (I credit CC greatly because it brought money in and I learned something on EVERY set I was on, PLUS I got to see the studios where all the old films and tv shows were filmed at!), and taking on roles in student films and short films, all of which have been submitted and won various awards at Film Festivals around the Country and at Cannes.

I did my four (4) years of acting class while I lived in LA, from 2015 to 2019, all on various sets. I didn’t attend an acting school, although when I did have the cash, I took classes at various schools in Burbank, and briefly studied with Anthony Montes and was also tutored by the well-regarded Brionne Davis-Davel.

In early 2019, the East Coast called me back and when I arrived here in July 2019, I decided to open The Durham School of Acting as well as my production company, HarLau Productions. The production company opening happened in the middle of the pandemic; I don’t know what I was thinking but it actually worked out for me. I’d spent that time reading screenplays and optioning scripts and stories from creatives in the region. My team and I finished production of a screenplay, entitled, “Consequences”, written by Matt Higgins who is a NC local. The film is about a former attorney who is asked to help an inner city teen facing jail time, but first he must confront his own troubled past. This project took two days to film in North Carolina.

I’m also in Pre-Production for another Music Video for a local artist here in North Carolina; this will be my fourth project with her. As well, I’m in Development for a Feature Horror Film entitled, ‘Cell Block Z’.

I also have more screenplays in the pipeline with development funding as it’s available. I keep busy with the advancement of screenplays and script reading to make my selections appropriately that align with my production company’s mission statement.

I’m also a Member of the Television Academy and judge for the Burbank International Film Festival, and The Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards for ©The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

This is a great question; I feel that there has been so much change over the decades. If I’d come into this field well over thirty (30) years ago, I feel that I would’ve failed. I was determined that when I made the jump into this industry, that I had the tools that I needed to thrive. Being a middle-aged woman with well over three (3) decades of corporate experience under my belt, I’d worked as a legal assistant and later as an administrator and business developer. The skills that I’ve learned over the decades have proved invaluable in my work in the film industry.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

When I was little, my father’s favourite sailing ship was the Cutty Sark. He enjoyed building boats, reading about them, speaking about them to me. I thought it fitting that when I spoke with a young man, who is also in this Industry, along with something that my son used to tell me, when I was ‘struggling’ out in Hollywood.

Here’s the Mission Statement that’s on the landing page of HarLauProductions.com :

The Cutty Sark was one of the fastest and largest ships ever constructed in the clipper-class of ships.

It was a direct result of years of fine-tuning and engineering.

At HarLau Productions, our goal is clear in that we are constantly refining the skills of our team while remaining cognizant that a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Our resiliency and efficiency are direct results of the seas we’ve navigated.

The challenges that we face have helped us to evolve into more dynamic and compassionate allies.

We embrace the future challenges for ourselves and partners and see them as an opportunity to show compassion and support, while enthusiastically welcoming the mastery and resiliency gained by being triumphant in those challenges.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.harlauproductions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulalauzonofficial/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/plauzon/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/LauzonPaula
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg29XD0Jo3aKXytMNFY8h1A
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6340022/