Experiencing Interruptions?

Beyond Staffing

When Mindy Kelly wakes up in the weirdest recruitment consultancy she's ever seen, she doesn't realise exactly how weird things really are, nor how life changing her next decision will be.

  • Paul Russell
    Director
    Cats!, The Returning
  • Paul Russell
    Writer
    Cats!, The Returning
  • Stephen O Reynolds
    Writer
  • Paul Russell
    Producer
    Cats!, The Returning
  • Adrianna Aye
    Key Cast
    "Mindy"
  • Paul Michael Connor
    Key Cast
    "Tropy"
  • Maying Sobey
    Key Cast
    "Goddamnit Janet"
    Cats!
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Sci Fi, Satire, surreal, comedy, fantasy
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 47 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 31, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Malaysia
  • Country of Filming:
    Malaysia
  • Shooting Format:
    Red
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.4:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • MP Film Festival 4/2019

    Belgium
    November 5, 2019
    Belgium
    Best Short Film
  • MP Film Festival 4/209

    Belgium
    November 5, 2019
    Belgium
    Best Director
  • Direct Monthly Online Film Festival Oct 2019

    October 3, 2019
    Best Short Film
  • Five Continents Film Festival Nov 2019

    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    December 3, 2019
    Best Comedy Short
  • Five Continents Film Festival Nov 2019

    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    December 3, 2019
    Best Lead Actress
  • Five Continents Film Festival Nov 2019

    Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
    December 3, 2019
    Best Art Direction
Distribution Information
  • Intellect Pictures
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Paul Russell

Paul is an award winning British DOP/Director who made South East Asia his home in 1995. He picked up his first camera in the late 1970’s and has been shooting ever since. He is a well-travelled, pragmatic perfectionist.

At the moment he has his own production company in Kuala Lumpur.

Paul first started telling stories for a living in 1995 as a copywriter in Singapore after 12 years in corporate IT sales in the UK. By 2000 he was freelancing at the major MNC agencies, where he conceived press, TV and radio campaigns for a wide variety of multi-national brands.

While at McCann Erickson in 2001 he wrote the Web Without Wires Commercial for Motorola that was shot by Hollywood director Oliver Stone. By 2002 his work also included his one-time hobby, photography, and in 2007 he moved into video.

Currently, Paul is working on the development of a new feature film based on the short stories of best-selling Malaysian author Tunku Halim.

As a musician and composer, Paul has released or co-released several CDs (including as part of the duo Anawaty/Russell) and is a member of the Composers and Authors Society of Singapore.

Paul’s Awards

Beyond Staffing (2019)
Best Director, MP Film Festival Season 4, 2019
Best Short Film, MP Film Festival Season 4, 2019
Best Short Film, Direct Monthly Online Film Festival October 2019
Best Comedy Short Film - Five Continents Film Festival Nov 2019
Best Art Direction - Five Continents Film Festival Nov 2019
Award of Prestige, Best Fantasy - Vegas Movie Awards January 2020
Nomination, Best Directing  - International Online Web Festival 2019
Nomination, Best Short Film - International Online Web Festival 2019
Nomination, Best Sound Design - International Online Web Festival 2019
Vegas Movie Awards Honorable Mention, Best Indie Short, January 2020
Special Mention, Director - Five Continents Film Festival Nov 2019
Special Mention, Editing - Five Continents Film Festival Nov 2019
Special Mention, Supporting Actor - Five Continents Film Festival Nov 2019

Cats! (2018)
Best Short Comedy People's Choice Award, World Film Fair, LA 2019
Best Short Comedy People's Choice Award, Austria International Film
Festival, 2019
Best Comedy Short , South Cinematography and Arts Film Festival #13, 2018

The Returning (2017)
Best Horror Film. World Film Fair, Los Angeles 2019
Best Horror Film, Madrid Art Films Festival 2019
Best Director of the Month, AAB International Film Festival, May 2018
Best Director of the Month: Direct Short Online Film Festival Dec 2017
Best Indie Short Film: Five Continents International Film Festival #13 2018
Best Romance (Short Film): South Cinematographic Academy Film and Arts 2018
Best Sound Design (Short Film): South Cinematographic Academy Film and Arts 2018
Third Audience Award: South Cinematographic Academy Film and Arts 2018
Award of Excellence, Direction: Depth of Field International Film Festival Spring 2018
Award of Excellence, Editing : Depth of Field International Film Festival Spring 2018
Award of Merit: Accolade Global Film Competition
Award of Merit: Canada Shorts Film Festival 2017
Award of Merit, Producer: Southern Shorts Awards, Drama 2017
Award of Merit, Director: Southern Shorts Awards, Drama 2017
Award of Merit, Cinematography: Southern Shorts Awards, Drama 2017
Award of Merit, Music: Southern Shorts Awards, Drama 2017
Award of Merit, Editing: Southern Shorts Awards, Drama 2017

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

“I apply a very musical approach to the storytelling of my films,” he says, “I like to find the rhythms, the solid chord structure and the soaring melodies in every story.”