We’re looking forward to introducing you to Paugh Shadow. Check out our conversation below.
Paugh, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
I wake-up around 6:00 AM and get my day started by doing things around the house to make sure everything is organized for the entire day to make less distractions for when I start working on the things I need to do for the business. Then by 6:30 AM I start checking any messages or emails and handle those and then I check my list of things I was working on and try to accomplish any task I missed or couldn’t get completed and then I write any new things I need to get done down and then I prep to start completing those items. I write down everything marking them Doing and I highlight them and mark them DONE when completed. I usually try to give myself a time limit to work on each task so not to procrastinate and if I see it will take a long time I arrange my to do list for things that will take minutes up to things that will take hours. That way I accomplish the little things fast it motivates me to move to the more complicated or time consuming tasks. I take 10-15 min breaks throughout accomplishing each task that took awhile to do. No more than 5 min breaks for things that took less than 15 minutes to do. This keeps me focused. If a task takes more than an hour I take my break and then come back to finish it if I feel stuck or start wandering and making any mistakes. Then I throw in a meeting with a client or whomever I need to make appointments with or create contracts or collaborate with which many times is part of my to do list as well. I keep meetings between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. But like most days, this is no exception, something comes up that I have to give my attention to that I was not expecting. So I am writing this response. I throw in other things to relax in between working throughout the day but my day doesn’t end until about 1:00-2:00 AM each day. Then I grab 4-5 hours of sleep and repeat.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a film producer of indie films mostly of the horror genre. I also act and have many hats in this company and while on set, to get movies made. We have a few small teams for production for multiple movies at one time if necessary. I do a lot in the arts including writing books and making paintings as well as other artistic outlets for my creative side to explore. We have been involved in making over 15 films either of our own or collaboration with other indie artists as well as working on Hollywood films. Right now we are working on filming Krazy Klowny a breaking the 4th wall horror film which has never been done before. Our first film in this universe was The Covid Killer which we used a cell phone to film the entire movie which at the time had never been done before. Since then some others have done their film this way too. The second was The Omicron Killer in which the film was done in the perspective of the killer which at that time was never done before as well. So now we are venturing out to another first. What I liked about the second film was it was based on actual events though the killing part was added to the story. This film I like because we have Nicholas Cage’s son Weston Cage playing the major role in this film. We have had other celebrities but this is the first where the celebrity is playing the lead. Before we only had celebrities as supporting cast. We have returning cast members for this film which is also a first for us since we normally can’t retain people to reprise their role from a past film because of budgeting and availability. Returning cast is Felissa Rose, Bai Ling, Lynn Lowry and Rob Emmer from Impractical Jokers. Lastly, we are sneaking in Jessica Baptist from the original The Toxic Avenger. So I am looking forward to working with this cast again and welcoming the new members to our team.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a tobacco farm kid in Maryland told by my school counselors that I shouldn’t expect much in my life goals and accept that I would remain in the area and be a farmer of some sort. I wasn’t expected to go to, let alone graduate college. Not really how this question was asked but this makes the most sense in my response to me. But after I graduated from High School, I made sure to do things that interested me and have not let no be the answer though I received that response a lot especially in this industry. But I would go do other things until I got the yes and if I didn’t get a yes I made my yes happen. Just like these films. I kept being denied roles in Hollywood films though I have been in a lot in my opinion but never the lead of a substantial enough role to get my hooks into being well known. I feel my talents have been wasted by this industry so I started making my own movies to show that a 6’6″ big guy can actually do this work. We are definitely under represented in the movie industry. Usually just given the same tired trope characters to portray. So with going on my own to see 70 countries around the world and accomplishing the many things I have so far, I would say my counselors didn’t deserve the job they were handed and should never had been allowed to foster the future of any child. I know it’s not easy but no one should let someone dictate their destiny. It may sound trite but you should be the only one with the say in that, though unfortunately, we are surrounded by those that want to put in their two cents and control our lives as much as they can. All you can do is take what you must but never forget what you want also matters.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I would say its not you, its the adults and children as well that are around you. Be patient and have confidence in yourself and don’t let negative people sway you from doing the things that you want to create and experience. I know it will seem like you are wrong but be wrong rather than regret.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes and no. I have no filter in public. What you see is what you get. But I also play a role for movies I am involved. So if you see me acting out it might be for a role I am working on. But I am not worried what strangers think about me. They may or may not like what I am doing. But I rarely run into someone I saw in public again and have to explain myself to them. I am fairly reserved though in my real life. I can be very friendly and talkative though. It really depends how comfortable I feel where I am at the time. I do get a lot of “You aren’t what I expected” and I do get labeled quite harshly because of my size. People are normally very afraid of me for no reason at all. That’s why answering this question is hard for me to articulate. It’s not always about me that matters in this interpretation. People have their implicit bias about me, judging the book by its cover. When they get to know me personally many realize it was them, not me. But then there are others that blatantly lie about me for whatever nefarious reason and most get away with it initially because of said bias towards people of my stature. It’s unfortunate but that’s why the small few I have in my circle know they are blessed to know me. The others lost out. Pure and simple.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I am working and completing something I am working on. Anytime I am working on my books, music, paintings, movies or anything creative and helping others do the same I am in nirvana. I love doing things for the environment. I have bee farms around the world as well as other animal reserves and I have orphanages where we take care of 100’s of children and prepare them to be self-sufficient members of society. But my biological children are my everything. The world could fall apart and I don’t care. As long as they are safe, I am good. They make me laugh and think and inspire me. The 4 best people in the world next to my wife, Monica. If I was on a deserted island… as long as I had these 5 people nothing else matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.araffura.com
- Instagram: @therealpaughshadow
- Facebook: Paugh Shadow
- Other: www.shadowvision.tv If you have music you want to put out this is the website for you. I have a few of my songs on there as well.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
