Life & Work with Paul Santoli

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Santoli.

Hi Paul, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory. 
My storyyyyyy. Ok, here we go. This is Paul Santoli’s story. March 22nd, 1994, I was born in Massapequa, Long Island. Being the youngest of 5 siblings, I guess all the children compete for their parent’s attention, and I used comedy to do that. Then, one day, I was watching TV with my Mom and Dad, and Seinfeld was on. I just remembered how it made them feel, and it made me feel…happy. That’s when I fell in love with comedy. I saw the impact that Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Jerry Seinfeld, and Adam Sandler had on my family and, more specifically, me. And it became the dream. To make comedies. 

Then Instagram came out with the option where you can make videos 15 seconds long. And I just winged one and I saw the feedback from people, and I just got hooked and wanted to continue to build/ make others laugh. From there, it was YouTube Videos, and then one day, my mom was watching “Listen to Me, Marlon.” I didn’t even know who Marlon Brando was; I was so caught in the comedic world with these guys and cartoons that I knew zero about the dramatic side. But I was so influenced by the documentary, and I only watched the 2nd half of it. My mom said I should go take acting classes in NYC. 6 months later…I listened to her, and I did. I signed up for Stella Adler’s Studio of Acting. 

From there, I really learned some sick skills that are still with me today. I was also going to Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY. I graduated both at the same time and had to make a decision: a job in sales or to go be an actor. 2 years later, I was in Hollywood. 

I just went to Hollywood to act. I didn’t want to write, direct, produce, cast, none of it. I just wanted to ACT! And I was booking little gigs here and there. Some were awesome; some were a complete waste of time. Got paid in subway sandwiches or with a “credit” on the internet. So, I started to write again out there, and I was seeing the strongest feedback from the work I had the most control over. So, I understood the assignment God gave me. Let’s make a movie. 

By this point I had done 40 short films, led in a few commercials, and a couple bogus web series, I felt confident to lead a movie. My ego was definitely telling me I could, so I listened. I had this movie idea with this dog…my dog…Mika, I reached out to a friend who is a SICK writer, and he said yea, let’s try to write this thing. 

I’ll never forget Day 1; Cooper opens his laptop, writes the first half a page, and just looks at me and shrugs, “What do you think.” I was so hyped I didn’t even read it; I just nodded my head and kept motivating him to continue. And in some crappy apartment in Valley Village with a bunch of coffee, donuts, and 11 days of free time… we had the script. “Because of Mika.” 

I just continued to pray and go on this quest to make the movie. Every time I tried to do another project, I would just shake my head because I knew that I had what I was looking for all along. So, I finally took a breath and started to lay the bricks for this movie. From January 2021-November 2023, my team and I turned a vision into an award winning modern day 90’s comedy….”Because of Mika” Now Streaming on Amazon Prime. Go check it out. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s never a smooth road, but where’s the fun in a smooth road? The obstacles are inevitable, it’s your attitude towards it that’s the most important. As a director or leader of anything, people are watching to see how you react and handle the controversy and obstacles, so I really strived to keep a positive and light attitude while getting through whatever we needed to get through. Anytime we had a situation, I would always circle back to “ok, what’s the bottom line of what needs to be accomplished, and how can we get there in the simplest way?” I had great teammates that rode the wave with me through it all, and that’s why the movie turned out so well. The team was humble, and every player did more than they had to, including Mika. 

As a Christian, I continued to walk by faith and trust God in the process, and because of that, there were endless miracles on this set. People I had never met came in and worked so hard, endless favors from people in my hometown and in Los Angeles. All glory goes to God on this movie. Movies are a walk by faith, and “Because of Mika” is a huge testimony to that. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m most proud of the team for finishing the race with this movie. My company, A 516 Production, has 2 more scripts complete, and we are planning to shoot the 2nd movie this year (2024). What sets me apart from others is I will not let money be the reason why a movie doesn’t get made. Tony Robbins said, “It’s not the lack of resources; it’s your lack of resourcefulness that stops you.” And he’s right. Don’t compare your first movie to a studio movie; that’s not healthy. As an artist, build the best product you can with whatever resources you have in that chapter of time. And then put it out there. That’s all art is. What sets me apart most is the amount of faith I have. I stay in tune with the Holy Spirit, and that’s why it continues to bless me with moments like these, like a shoutout in your Magazine. 

Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
My Instagram is @paulsantoli. My company email is [email protected] 

The link to watch “Because of Mika” on Amazon Prime 

https://www.amazon.com/Because-Mika-Paul-Santoli/dp/B0CPB3WR4G 

If anyone wanted to donate towards the Marketing Funds for the “Because of Mika.” 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/marketing-for-because-of-mika 

I’m always looking to work with people that do great work with meaning and value. God Bless 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm9803895?ref_=hm_prof_name
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulsantoli/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.santoli.1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-santoli-634a2780/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3jWgZLdK2F5Jg6ojk7_ckw
• Other: https://www.gofundme.com/f/marketing-for-because-of-mika

Image Credits
Mika
Maria Santoli
Paul Santoli
Cameron Lao-Gosney
Cooper Tomlinson
Isaac Valadez
Daniel Gualajara
Sterling L Pope
Tyler Walden