Meet Paul Preston | Comedian & Molecule Changer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Paul Preston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Paul, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
The funny answer to “why did I pursue an artistic or creative career” is “because I have no other skills.” But there’s an element of truth to that! I never pursued careers I didn’t want any part of. I stayed entirely on target with a creative life. I believe it was Glenn Close who was asked why she was an artist and she said something to the effect of the ability to change people’s molecular makeup. If a play or film hits and her work hits the right way, it can profoundly affect an audience member’s way of thinking, emotions and more and I find that an intoxicating description that I endorse and LIVE. That’s my answer to “What do you do?”…”I change people’s molecules.”

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Like most artists nowadays, through both desire and necessity, I’m a multi-hyphenate. I didn’t want to do anything besides acting and comedy that I didn’t also LOVE. So, while an enterprise like The Movie Guys feeds my heart and brain, I created Digital Mind Productions, my indie production company, to feed myself. Starting Digital Mind was fairly easy, maintaining it is the trick! I’ve purposefully stuck to a one-man operation, learning the skills to get most freelance production jobs done, and sparing myself from having to manage many employees and then becoming a manager, which I’m not. Digital Mind feeds my filmmaking soul, not my desire to be in management. I’ve been lucky so far to steer clear of having to invest too much in advertising, word-of-mouth has still sustained my business and I’ve never bit off more than I could chew, although I’ve built a stable and talented base of friends should I need to collaborate. The Movie Guys is the passion project, and it’s always growing. It’s core is TheMovieGuys.net and from there hundreds of articles, reviews, podcast episodes and more have launched and it’s always expanding and surprising me in new ways (the latest of which is my involvement in an online movie trivia league that is the PERFECT audience of the comedy-driven take I like to bring to the movies). The challenge, as ever, in this over-populated world of content – the audience finding us. When they find us – they love us! But sticking out in a crowded field is an ongoing struggle, and social media giveth and social media taketh away… What I want the world to know is that I’m not a household name, but I’m pretty damn proud of being able to sustain a creative career in the challenging city of L.A. for twenty years with love, laughs, adventure and more. And I did it on my terms. If something in my sights was expensive or impossible, I worked harder, I never, ever settled. Settling is death.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I have a “patented” Preston driving tour of L.A. where someone visiting can see a lot if the time they have in town is limited OR it’s a good kick start to get the lay of the land at the top of that week-long stay. Along that run through Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the PCH would be a stop for food at El Coyote for the L.A. kitsch and history of the place. However, this pandemic has changed my entire view of the city. Everything’s been closed most of the year…but outdoors is open. And I’ve been going outdoors. A LOT. So, now I’d be filtering in as much outdoors as possible in a week-long stay, including Crystal Cove in Laguna (w/food at The Beachcomber and dessert at the Shake Shack). El Matador with its awesome beach and caves is my new favorite beach in Malibu. I’d also take people to The Huntington in San Marino, which is stupid-pretty and whose founder came from my hometown in Oneonta, NY. Anyone from Oneonta who does anything needs to be celebrated…! And since you’re asking me this in the fall, I’d have to take visitors to Oak Glen for the closest thing L.A. has to autumn, with apple picking, cider, donuts, a petting zoo, apple pie, botanical gardens and more. But, of course, it’s impossible to deny the great history of Los Angeles, and I’d probably take people on a run around to movie locations and set up a studio tour at Warner Bros. or Paramount so they can see some things they won’t see anywhere else in the country.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wife, Karen Volpe, was my sidekick (and I was hers) through my twenty-years-so-far L.A. journey. She died last year from pancreatic cancer and told me she had no regrets. It was the proudest moment of my life to know that we shot for the moon together and pursued our heart’s desires in the greatest city in the U.S.

Website: www.themovieguys.net
Instagram: @TheMovieGuys & @PPrestonLA
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/themovieguys/
Twitter: @TheMovieGuys & @PPrestonLA
Facebook: Facebook.com/TheMovieGuys
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/digital-mind-burbank
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheMovieGuysOnline