Desert Rose Films founder Nancy Paton, 39, is an award-winning director, screenwriter and producer who lives on Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, with her husband and children, aged two, six and nine.
Australia-born of Polish origin, she attended acting school in New York, had experience with a Hollywood production company and jobs as a runner, actor and extra, before moving to London in 2009.
Being data manager at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital sparked Ms Paton's breakthrough short film, Daisy, and led to the setting up of a management agency.
Ms Paton spent four years in Saudi Arabia teaching women and girls digital photography, screenwriting and storyboarding, founding Desert Rose, and running “underground” filmmaking workshops.
Her films seek to break boundaries, challenge perceptions, promote female empowerment and include a recent adaptation of children’s book trilogy The Boy Who Knew the Mountains, which embraces autism awareness, inclusivity, climate change and Arabian heritage preservation.
Where did money feature growing up?
My dad was an engineer who left Poland and got to Australia. My mother followed, worked really hard, night shifts. They started afresh, knew no one, had nothing. They were getting away from a communist regime.
There were lots of ups and downs, but seeing my parents struggle, go through pain financially, also shaped who I was.
The apartment was in a dodgy place, we got robbed. I learnt quickly you can have things, but they can go in a second.
I always wanted stability, but money was never really the driver for me. My mum was a psychologist by nature and education and said: “Your knowledge is power.” So, I invested in myself as a kid and as an adult.
Did you earn while young?
I had friends who were wealthy, so I was 14 when I applied for a weekend job at the cinema, hostessing, ushering, helping in projection. I wanted to buy myself stuff, extra drama courses. I was getting paid AU$12 ($8) an hour … what my mother was making.
I worked through university, always had jobs tutoring, in bars, restaurants, hotels, babysitting, dental assistant, party organiser. I saved and travelled a lot.
I don’t understand the concept of not working. It was expensive living in Manhattan, paying for studies, so I had to prioritise and budget.
That helped me as a producer. I won’t do a project until I know we have all the funding and can execute for the budget we have.
So, you embraced saving early?
If I wanted to do a presenting course or theatre course, I had to. And I’m grateful for that. At times, it was hard.
I picked things I knew were not only beneficial at the time but would get me where I wanted to be.
Why the film business?
I love the arts. My parents were like: “Be a doctor, there’s no career in the arts.” So, I moved into science and medicine, and had another epiphany in my 20s and went to New York.
I’ve always loved cinema, the atmosphere, the unity of people watching together, storytelling.
My mother said you can be anyone and do anything as long as you put your mind to it. From where I’ve come from to where I am now … the work does pay off.
How are you spending versus saving?
I won’t spend just to spend, and do quality over quantity. So I would prefer to wait to get the right thing. If it’s a need, something good for the family, career or health, I’m willing to save and work to get it. I don’t mind spending … I’m quite balanced.
I’ll use credit cards, for points, but I know I’ve got the money, and pay it off straight away.
So, you are sensible?
We are a team, me and my husband. He’s in finance, we do a lot of budgeting, and film is all budgets. I love spreadsheets.
Seven years ago, I did our 40-year plan, mapped out three holidays a year, places we need to hit, achievements we want to do. We revisit our plan every year and are on track.
There are things you’re going to have more time for at certain times in life. Same thing with money, what you are investing in at different times.
We have children, needed a family home and made a really good investment, but when we’re older, we’ll probably live in an apartment … it’s being wise about what you need and when you need it.
How are you growing wealth?
Investing in the company; now I’ve got returns I am dabbling into gap financing for films that are not mine, sticking more to creative investments.
I look at investing in a theatre company or show if I’ve extra money or savings. The returns aren’t there in some things, but there are different reasons to invest, it’s not always about money.
Any key investments?
Knowledge has been the biggest, and I invested a lot in travel in my 20s, went to obscure places. Experiences make you grow and learn, make you an asset.
Hollywood wasn’t my endgame, but I moved to New York when I graduated to live in America, to see this whole industry, where I fit in.
I see people doing jobs they don’t want to be doing. I said: “I want to do every course, meet the right people, network and travel, so I can have a career that I want, in my own company.” I took that risk.
filmmaker and founder of Desert Rose Films
Do your films generate cash?
A lot of people make movies just to make money. It’s an industry, a business. I’m not doing it specifically for money, I also want a legacy. Stories I choose to do I want to be proud of, and my kids to be proud of.
Hollywood was always the pinnacle. However, I realised that’s not what I really loved. Spending $100 million on a movie doesn’t mean it’s going to be one you’ll want to remember.
When I made Daisy, everyone was “you’re crazy spending that much on a short film”. I got my return, did more than I expected, but didn’t in the first three years.
You make money in the industry if you do it the smart way. I’ve been able to reinvest and do more movies.
Is your relationship with money healthy?
I’ve learnt not to be attached to things. I don’t stress when I don’t have money because I’ve had times when I haven’t.
I invested enough in knowledge and who I am that I’m always going to be able to survive. I need money to work and do business, I understand it and respect it.
There are dramas on set, things are more expensive … there’s always a solution. Most films overspend by miles; I refuse to do that.
We’ve got investment for our next projects because we did a great job [with The Boy Who Knew the Mountains], stayed in budget. My way with money keeps evolving … with every project, and having children.
What are you happy buying?
Stuff’s never been my thing – experiences have always been. That said, I enjoy buying the kids books to read with them. And I’ve a great library for when I retire.
I like shopping while travelling, to go and see what art there is.
