Paul Usher

Biography: Paul wrote high-concept feature film THE HOLD, which sold to Instinctive Film. He was subsequently invited to join the company as a producer, in which capacity he now has a number of projects in development, including FEAR PARIS: a multi-director horror feature, which Paul is co-writing, that will be helmed by Joe Dante (Gremlins), Christian Alvart (Pandorum), Xavier Gens (Hitman) and Timo Vuorensola (Iron Sky) among others.

Paul continues to write and produce film independently from Instinctive. He is writing a feature adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's HIGH AND LOW for Forefront Media, producers of Paul Walker's VEHICLE 19, and is developing a cross-platform film for YouTube. Paul recently completed a postgraduate degree at the University of Oxford where he undertook research into the development of filmmaking in the digital era.

Paul has worked as a script editor and advisor for producers and directors on films including THE BROMLEY BOYS, ELIMINATORS and URBAN HYMN, and for writer clients in his former role as a film and literary agent at CMM (Creative Media Management). Previously, Paul headed the script department on Five’s continuing drama FAMILY AFFAIRS and worked on ITV’s popular police drama THE BILL.

Paul has also written a number of produced short films (FUGADO, PAULIE and THE IDIOT), as well as plays for stage (touring THE LAST REQUEST, QUICK PERFECT BLISS and MY RECREATION – which won the Enter-Stage-Write competition), and has had several prose stories published. He was a regular contributor to Rowan Pelling's print journal THE AMORIST and has edited numerous prose stories. Paul has also written essays on film, screenwriting and literature, lectured at Skillset academies, and was the creative content advisor to the Hexagon Film Fund.

Film writing:

HIGH AND LOW AKA THE CROSSROADS (2019. Drama feature adaptation. Commissioned by Forefront Media. Producer: Ryan Haidarian)

THE SLAYER (2017. Horror film pastiche. Script optioned by Motion Picture Capital (Sense8, Dredd). Director: James Nunn)

THE HOLD (2015. Instinctive Film. High-concept action thriller. Rights sold. Director: Joern Heitmann. Producer: Darryn Welch)

SMOKING HOT (2013. Instinctive Film. Thriller. Commissioned)

Film producing:

THE SECRET OF ROCK‘N’ ROLL (2018. Instinctive Film / Bad Films. Documentary in development. Director: Mike Freedman.

FEAR PARIS – as Producer and Writer (2017. Instinctive Film. Directors: Joe Dante, Christian Alvart, Xavier Gens. Producers: Darryn Welch, Laura Rister)

URBAN HYMN (2015. Instinctive Film. Hard-hitting drama. Director: Michael Caton-Jones. Writer: Nick Moorcroft. Producers: Darryn Welch, Nick Moorcoft, Daniel Towland)

ERRORS OF THE HUMAN BODY (2013. Instinctive Film. Thriller. Director: Eron Sheean. Writers: Shane Danielson and Eron Sheean. Producer: Darryn Welch. Featuring: Michael Eklund, Karoline Herfuth)