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ABOUT PAUL:
Paul Prischman has always been the guy you call. For advice. For a tech opinion. For dish on upcoming movies. To debate the merits of certain recordings of classic rock bands. To discuss art or politics, current events or family crises.
You will probably never meet a more generous, more giving, more caring guy than Paul. Paul always does what he can to include people, to embrace them and bring them into his circle. He’s that rare type who doesn’t feel the need to exclude or keep people at arm’s length. Humble about his own talents while offering nothing but enthusiastic encouragement to the talents he sees in others.
Paul is the kind of guy who will tell the same story a dozen times, with the same energy and gusto as the first time, to an eager listener who hasn’t heard it yet.
He’s the kind of guy who will insist you come over to his place for Thanksgiving dinner because you don’t have anyplace else to go, and then reassure you that it’s really no trouble if you want to bring along a couple of friends.
Raised in the 60’s and 70’s on Universal Monster movies, Edgar Rice Burroughs, comic books, Tolkien and STAR WARS, Paul, like so many of us, is a dreamer: a dreamer who has sketched scenes of his ultimate character match-up or daydream movie scenario, hoping one day someone would look at something he’s drawn and say, “You know, that’s really good.” And they did. A dreamer who, obsessed with rock n’ roll, learned every guitar lick of his favorite songs, hoping one day, someone would hear him play and say, “You know, we should be in a band together.” And they did.
Paul worked at “Dave’s Video – The Laser Place” in the early 2000’s which meant, as far as the movie industry was concerned, that he got to meet and talk to a virtual who’s-who of Hollywood. One can’t really talk about Paul without explaining a little bit about Dave’s Video.
Dave’s was the kind of place folks will always say “you had to be there to understand.” You hear the name and you think, “Mom & Pop Video Store.” But Dave’s was actually a very unique and special place, specializing (initially) in the rental and sale of Laser Discs – the LP-sized (and usually overpriced) precursor to DVD. Laser Disc lived and died as a niche market, albeit one that taught the home video industry what direction to move in, providing superior video and sound quality than VHS, the ability to “chapter skip” like a CD and also pioneering the concept of the “bonus feature” – audio commentary, isolated score tracks, retrospective documentaries, storyboard-to-film comparisons, trailer archives, deleted scenes, etc.
The store was strategically located in Studio City, on Ventura Boulevard right near Laurel Canyon – a hot spot for celebs and industry-types.
These folks (movie stars of the highest marquee caliber as well as genre cult icons, TV stars on the brink of stardom and struggling actors working towards their big break, big name producers, world famous directors, superstar musicians, screenwriters, production designers, storyboard artists, effects guys…you name it) would merely stroll in off the street, usually knowing at least two things: that Dave’s would have what they were looking for, and that the staff knew their stuff. It was almost a prerequisite that you be either a movie geek or a film snob in order to get a job there. The managers at Dave’s prided themselves on hiring knowledgeable staff. (What better way to cater to the clientele: the very folks making the movies?)
Dave’s was also the place to go for signings and other such events. What other single place could you go to get your discs or posters autographed by the likes of Soderbergh, Friedkin, Carpenter, Darabont, del Toro, or Kevin Smith (to name but a few)?
Paul came to Los Angeles from Chicago in 2000 and was hired at Dave’s soon thereafter. A certified movie geek and first-rate artist, he moved to L.A. with his wife Cristin to try his hand at the movie industry. His first goal was to find a job as a storyboard artist, but, like any other gig in the film biz, he had to start somewhere.
Paul had previously managed a record store in Chicago and his administrative skill and attitude were immediately recognized by the management at Dave’s. Very soon, booking filmmakers for signings became a big part of his job. This put him in a position to be, for all intents and purposes, a production coordinator. Talking to studios about events and coordinating with the filmmaker’s assistants to lock down dates, parameters, and ensure that the filmmaker was going to have everything he or she needed. His good humor, fervent attitude, and unwavering loyalty meant that people were always drawn to him, and the industry folks he dealt with were no exception.
Paul met Charles de Lauzirika while working at Dave’s. Charles was already an established and well-respected DVD producer, with high-profile special editions like GLADIATOR, BLACK HAWK DOWN, THELMA & LOUISE, SPEED and LEGEND under his belt. The two became friends through Dave’s and in the spring of 2003, Charles hired Paul to assist in the finishing stages of the comprehensive ALIEN QUADRILOGY boxed set.
Later that same year, Paul was hired by Guillermo del Toro to do storyboard work on HELLBOY, a dream project for Paul – a hardcore comic book fan since childhood. (If anyone ever needed to gauge Paul’s devotion to HELLBOY, one need look no further than Frank Darabont’s introduction to the HELLBOY: ODDER JOBS short story anthology…)
Guillermo wasn’t the only one who recognized Paul’s exceptional skill as an artist, and Paul would always show up with a pencil and sketch pad at a moment’s notice if a friend needed concept art or storyboards or wanted to develop an idea for a graphic novel.
Paul went on to choose DVD production as his main professional focus, striving to work with others to create exceptional bonus features – superior to, but still the child of, those Laser Disc features of old. He continued to put his all into project after project at the Lauzirika Motion Picture Company, culminating in serving as associate producer for what many believe to be the holy grail of DVD boxed sets: 2007’s BLADE RUNNER Ultimate Collector’s Edition.
Paul and his lovely wife Cristin live in Los Angeles and are the proud parents of two beautiful little girls, Michaela (4) and Abigail (2). Together, they are terrific parents. A team that truly complements one another. A template for others to follow. Paul may have had a hand in creating DVD materials that have entertained people around the world, but his proudest creations will always be his daughters.
In late 2007, Paul was plagued by a series of symptoms which seemed, at first, to be some sort of recurring sinus infection. But no conventional sinus treatment helped, and his symptoms worsened. In February, an MRI revealed that Paul had a brain tumor the size of a golf ball in his brain stem. On March 18th, Paul underwent brain surgery. Although the tumor was successfully removed, the pathology proved to be Grade 4 brain cancer: Gliobastoma Multiforme (GBM).
GBM is an incredibly aggressive form of cancer with a very low survival rate, and Paul, guided by an all-star team of neurologists and oncologists, is undergoing extensive radiation and chemotherapy. The cost of this treatment - prescriptions, hospital visits, various and sundry complications – has taken an enormous financial toll on the Prischmans. And since Paul was the sole financial provider for his family, you will begin to understand the need for your donations.
The outpouring of support from countless individuals working in the industry who know Paul has been amazing. Selfless people asking what they can do to help.
PAUL’S BRAIN TRUST is a group of people close to Paul who have come together to coordinate auctions, movie screenings and other spectacular fund raising events, with all the proceeds going to help Paul and his family.
Contact us for more information: paulsbraintrust@gmail.com
Paul with his family (taken Mother's Day 2007)
For more photos of Paul, please visit:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pauls-Brain-Trust/15253276764
