🎙️ In this episode of the What Really Matters podcast, we talk with Paul Holbrook, writer, director, filmmaker, and proud working-class creative, about storytelling, identity, and using film to give voice to communities that are so often overlooked.
Paul shares his journey growing up on a Bristol council estate, discovering filmmaking as a lifeline, and breaking into an industry that wasn’t built with people like him in mind. Through honesty, humour, and powerful lived experience, he reflects on class, representation, and why authentic storytelling matters now more than ever.
We explore:
- Paul’s upbringing, early struggles, and the barriers working-class creatives still face.
- How filmmaking became his outlet, his voice, and eventually his career.
- The importance of telling real stories from real communities, not stereotypes.
- What the industry gets wrong about class, and what needs to change.
- How creativity, opportunity, and belief can transform a young person’s life.
- Why representation behind the camera is just as vital as representation on screen
🎬 A raw, inspiring, and deeply human conversation about creativity, identity, and using storytelling to shine a light on what really matters.
🎙️ Want to have your say on What Really Matters to you? Contact Ben Carpenter at info@grassrootcommunities.org
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Learning from the past and present to help inform a brighter future — What Really Matters ❤️