Biography & Showreel
Paul is Perth based actor. 2023 was a very busy year. After founding "The Western Australian Film Company", Paul acted in its productions "Hi Dad", "The Chase", "Family Business", and "Handsome Hank". He worked as Producer of the short horror film "The Girl with the Knife", a co-production with writer/director Jonathan Keys. Paul also produced Handsome Hank, and early 2024 produced and performed in our music video "Hard Wood Lovin'".
Feature film credits include Radio Man (released June 2023 & distributed by Amazon Prime) and Before Dawn (released April 2024) show Paul's potential as a feature film actor. Paul was a principle cast member of Before Dawn and played Lieutenant Longhorn. In Radio Man Paul played "Sam the Game Show Producer".
Further, lead roles in the micro-budget feature film "Respire" (set in dystopian Western Australia; a father and daughter fight to survive "Mad Max" style), Jack Alwyn's "Letters" (set in 1915, a widowed lonely farmer, whose son is fighting at Gallipoli, battles to remain sane), and the troubled writer “Paul” in Jeremey Mullaly’s “Dear Andy” (a writer struggles with inspiration and finds it through an unlikely person) are expressions of dedication, hard work and a steady career progression.
Paul has completed his Pistol Proficiency Training. This training is provided by ex-special forces soldiers from The Mill Gym, who have also trained Travis Fimmel and the Hemsworths. Should a role come along Paul will engage The Mill to bring his weapons skills up to the required standard.
Paul's acting skills have been refined through working with Emma Jackson, Miranda Harcourt, Steve Bisley, Eden Falk, Nadia Townsend, Emma Booth, Marcus Graham, Annie Murtagh-Monks, Ali Roberts, Lisa London, Siobhan Dow-Hall and Loren Johnson. Further to support his acting Paul has completed the Diploma of Film at SAE Institute.
Paul speaks Dutch fluently, is well-travelled, has a cheeky sense of humour, is refined, loves acting, and elite level exercise.
Latest News
April 2024
Before Dawn World Premiere
On Friday the 22nd of March "Before Dawn" premiered to an audience of 1500 special guests, cast, crew, friends and family. What an event to finally celebrate the completion of an epic and grandiose project. This was an outstanding life experience, an epic story, and extremely educational for my acting career. Here some photo impressions of the evening, and images taken from the film for promotional purposes.
Hard Wood Lovin'
In February 2024 we at The Western Australian Film Company Ltd decided to make a music video of the fabulous song "Hard Wood Lovin' ". This to raise some awareness for potential fundraising, and to get used to the set for our comedy "Hard Wood". The song was written by our resident soundie, musician and composer Daniel Court. It's a bit of silly fun and the song rocks. The song will feature in the film during a work montage. Shooting for Hard Wood is scheduled for May 2024.
Handsome Hank Art - by Daniel Austin (New York, USA), taken from the film
Handsome Hank Screening Success
In February 2023 we founded The Western Australian Film Company Ltd. We've worked tirelessly this past year producing films and finding our groove. The highlight of the year was our 32 minute film Handsome Hank. I play Hank: Hank, having destroyed his family, seeks redemption. A tale of addiction, second chances and a man's love - for himself. We screened the film to a paying audience on the 27th of January to a wonderful reception. It now sets off on a tour of the worlds festivals and will soon be uploaded to YouTube.
Before Dawn Trailer Released
EXPERIENCE IN CINEMAS APRIL 4
Based on real life war diaries, Before Dawn is an epic retelling of one of Australia’s biggest victories during WW1. Jim Collins, a young man from the outback, leaves his family-run sheep station to join the ANZAC and fight on the western front with hopes of making a difference. Soon, the realities of the muddy, ruthless, and entirely unforgiving war takes its toll on Jim. As the men in the battalion are whittled away and hope becomes a distant memory, a final chance at redemption at the Battle of the Hindenburg Line, one of Australia’s greatest WW1 military victories. Jim must risk death or forever carry the burden of leaving yet another man behind.
DIRECTOR: Jordon Prince - Wright
Radio Man picked up for global distribution
Very exciting development for the 80s style feel good comedy Radio Man by Brad Newland. Bounty films out of Victoria have picked it up for streaming and blu ray distribution. Radio Man won't win an Academy award but the humour and setting will resonate with all Australians and the fun we all had making it drips off the screen. Congratulations to everyone and Brad in particular. Satisfying indeed to have acted in a feature film that has gone on to distribution. Click HERE to see a collection of behind the scenes photos. Onwards.
HI, ...Dad Released
Here is the trailer to our first co-production with a re-edit by the talented Colby Gaynes. In the version the acting gets more time to breath and the punchline hits better. Please visit our YouTube channel to watch the full version. Thank you and enjoy.
The Chase
The Chase is a short action film that we shot for one of our talent, stunt man Kyren Cleave. I helped by playing the crime boss chasing the hero. This was a great opportunity for The Western Australian Film Company to shoot action using three cameras to capture choreographed fighting in a beautiful setting. The Chase is in post production now. Here is a quick bts film from Andrew Nottage. Fellow director of The Western Australian Film Company.
Behind the scenes of Letters
Given the convenience of smartphones and being an extremely visual person means I instinctively, like many people, film what is going on around me or what catches my eye. Perhaps to keep a record of my life. Or simply for fun. I also do this to practice editing and the skill of story telling through a visual medium. "Show don't tell" we're taught at film school. In this behind-the-scenes film I try a bit of narration for the first time. I may as well also practice some voice over work while I'm at it. This also helps with writing scripts and dialogue. Here I also show some elements of how I build a back story and what I did to get into character.
Resume
20240419 Paul Walenkamp Acting Resume.pdf
Winner Best Supporting Actor
For his performance as the Captain, Paul won Best Supporting Actor at the Star Trek fan convention Treklanta. Of the 32 fan films entered, 120 eligible actors were whittled down to 8 by the Star Trek fans, with Paul ultimately being voted the winner.
Extended Acting Highlights
Letters - Trailer
A Ballet Story
balletv1.mp4For talented cinematographer Ross Metcalf I played a ballet choreographer on the stage of
Her Majesties Theatre.
This footage will be available to purchase on "Film Supply".
Sandman
SANDMAN FINAL CUT 2K_2.wmvThe world has changed. Sleep is now ILLEGAL.
Without the need for rest humans evolved exponentially.
However, there is a minority that still sleep...They are called SLEEPERS.
Sleepers are hunted and killed.
Star Trek - Line of Duty
Line of Duty Paul Highlights_1.wmvThe Captain of the Starship Challenger discovers he has a soft spot for the humble but strong Communications Ensign. When they discover that the Romulans are about to launch an attack on Earth, the Captain sends Ensign Wallace back to Earth while holding off the Romulans in what will be a certain death battle.
Flu Shot
flushot paul highlights.wmvLeroy the local hitman gets a job that doesn't quite go to plan.
Sugar Babies
paulinsugarbabiesv2_1.wmvLured into meeting a potential Sugar Baby by two naive young women, this Sugar Daddy discovers what being catfished means!
Through Annie Murtagh-Monks PAC Directors Workshop I worked with Belinda Leeder (Director) and Fiona Cooper to produce this sequence from Crazy Heart. Here a shortened version.
Tinder Surprise
Tinder Surprise V4.mp4The first project in the Advanced Diploma in Digital Cinema was to write and produce a One Page Script. Of the 54 students on the course I was the first to complete all the requirements and shoot my film. Clearly it is a student production and we made a few mistakes. But we got it done.
Collaboration - Dan Avila / Parker & Co
Television Commercial
In collaboration with photographer Dan Avila and Parker & Co Gentlemens Outfitters we produced content that was so good Parker & Co wanted it turned into a TVC. This aired on Channel 7 during the cricket over January and February.
US Accent & Workshops
Self Tape Audition
Here the George White monologue from the feature Steal Away for which I was asked to audition.
Emma Jackson Rehearsal
Jacq Fairfax and I rehearsing at my studio for our scene.
Paul Power Rangers.wmvUS Accent - Power Rangers
In my second US accent class run by Siobhan Dow-Hall at Ali Roberts Studio we were tasked with running this Power Rangers script.
paul us accent gettysburg.wmvUS Accent - Gettysburg Address
In my third US accent class at Ali Roberts Studio they challenged me to apply my attempt at a US accent to Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address. I researched this and discovered that Lincoln had to speak to about 10,000 people without the aid of a microphone. Keenly aware that brevity is powerful Lincoln wrote this to be more or less shouted and easily understood. Particularly as the great orator and Governor of Massachusetts Edward Everett spoke for 2 hours before him. It is also thought that Lincoln was actually unwell as he complained about feeling ill on the train to Gettysburg. My performance here is an attempt to show this.
Godfather US accent.wmvUS Accent - The Godfather
In one of the PAC Directors Lab workshops I was allocated two scenes. One became the Crazy Heart scene that highlights my "on set intimacy guidlines training". The other scene was with Jamey and the director we were to work with wanted us to do a scene from the Godfather. Unfortunately this director dropped out of the course. Jamey would then be left without a scene. I found this unacceptable so I invited him to my home and we did the scene together. I shot this scene instinctively and it was made before I'd been to film school.
Radium Girls paul.wmvUS Accent - Radium Girls
In my first US accent class run by Siobhn Dow-Hall I was given an emotional scene to do where the husband of one of the girls poisoned and killed by radium confronts a representative of the company for which the girls worked. I used this as a piece for one of the PAC Directors Labs but I like this self tape rehearsal as I manage to put some emotion into it. The US accent isn't great.
Covid & Audition Collaborations
As the Covid era descended upon us I decided to continue acting and making films. Through networking I gained three scripts to film and act. I made two. With both I added a lot of my own shots to better express the stories. With "The Last Word" I also did the final edit, colour grading, title sequence and sound. Also during Covid I was asked to audition for a Dutch film and as such created the audition self tape below.
Alpha (Netherlands) Self Tape Audition
The Last Word
By Quinn Carnegie. A total stranger who studied film years ago. This script was written by her. Upon my request for scripts to act and film during Covid, Quinn replied. This is the result. Quinn and I have never met. We simply shared the script, storyboard and shot list. An example of modern film making in the Covid era.