About Me

Although Paul J. Mason has been involved with various areas of production for over fifteen years (including Producing and Art Direction), it is his first love, makeup, that he always finds himself eagerly returning to.

Having discovered his love for the art of makeup in his late teens, he started as many do: Halloween makeups for himself and friends. As a few years passed, he found his makeups getting more elaborate, and the need to create more intricate and involved makeups arose. Fueled by a need to know as much as possible, he attended film school at night at New York University while working overtime days...only to be convinced that his future was in makeup FX and prosthesis. He took all available courses at the NYC based Special Effects Workshop, at the time the only available makeup local FX makeup courses. When the school closed and became a full time production studio, he was one of their last students and one of their first hirees. There was no looking back from there.

He has since partnered in two full service production studios: initially Daydream Productions as an on-site FX and Prop Artist and then with Carl Paolino Studios Inc. where he supervised the FX division and worked in such disciplines as Special FX/Character Makeup, prosthetics, puppetry, props, stop motion animation, and also producing and developing new projects. He has worked on such films as Personal Velocity, Across the Universe, and independent chiller The Sickness (which he also produced); such TV Shows as Celebrity Deathmatch and 30 Rock; worked for commercial clients such as Verizon, Black and Decker, and Jeep; did projects for stage greats like Edward Albee (The Goat) and August Wilson (King Hedley II); worked on live events like a massive NYC zombie walk for AMC's Monsterfest, large shows for well known NYC clubs like Webster Hall, and events like the NYC Inner Circle; finally, also working music videos for such artists as Circa Survive, Fallout Boys, and David Bowie (with Trent Reznor). Regardless of the project or client, his focus, whether for major production or micro budget independent alike has always been to create the highest quality product within budget and against the tightest deadlines.

Today, Mason continues to work freelance for his newly formed self-run company focusing on Special FX makeup, prosthetics, and 'life based' props, as well as the development of further live action and animated projects. he is also on the faculty at the School of Visual Arts as well as the prestigious acting school, The Neighborhood Playhouse School.

I have been in the industry since 1994.