Paula Paizes

Paula Paizes is a seasoned media, entertainment, and commercial lawyer with over 25 years of experience. She resides between Los Angeles and Sydney, effectively bridging the legal landscapes on both sides of the Pacific. Paula has cultivated deep relationships across Hollywood, Australia, and internationally, representing a diverse range of media, entertainment, and technology clients. Her approach is both practical and personalised, with an entrepreneurial and global perspective aimed at securing the best possible deals for her clients through creative deal-making and strategic transactional support. Her legal career began in Sydney as a media, entertainment, and communications lawyer with Sly and Weigall (now Norton Rose) and Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst). During this time, she represented numerous prominent figures in the industry, including producers, agents, talent, studios, and government agencies. Paula's career trajectory saw her serve as legal counsel and later as general counsel for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Really Useful Group, working from Sydney and New York. Upon settling in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, Paula launched a consultancy for film and media companies, eventually becoming a principal and managing director of Ignite Capital Partners. In this role, she provided strategic advice and business affairs consulting. She has also served as an Arbitrator for Film Finances and has extensive experience as a producer and executive producer in both film and television. Paula co-founded Australians in Film, significantly contributing to its growth and the establishment of the prestigious Heath Ledger Scholarship and the Break Through Awards. She has served on various boards, including the Advisory Board of Women Who Lead and Visionary Women. Her expertise spans digital content creation, film and television production, and emerging technologies, including VR, AR, SAS, and AI. Paula is adept at managing talent agreements, intellectual property protection, and corporate financings, including mergers and acquisitions. Her educational background from the University of Sydney, combined with her fluency in Greek, underscores her multifaceted capabilities in the industry. Currently, Paula serves as the Chief Operating Officer and President of Production at Pressman Film, overseeing critical operations such as finance, production, distribution, and business affairs for the company. Her extensive portfolio includes producing and executive producing several high-profile projects. Throughout her career, Paula has continuously demonstrated an ability to navigate complex legal and business environments, contributing significantly to the entertainment sector's evolution.