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Paul Starkman

Paul Starkman

Director, producer and writer

Primetime Emmy nominee · 1 other major award body

Paul Starkman, a Brooklyn-based, film and television director is a graduate of the AFI Cinematography program. Paul quickly worked his way up from camera operator on MTV's The Real World to DP of America's Next Top Model. In 2006 Paul began shooting finales for Project Runway and was soon directing for the program, which led to his first Emmy nomination. He joined Bravo's hit Top Chef, directing for seven seasons. In 2007 Paul wrote and directed The Tree, a short film that told the story of one man looking for shade on a treeless block in Brooklyn. Other credits include Ink Master, The Glee Project 2, Work of Art, and Nailed it!!

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Biography from TMDB.

Works as
Director, producer and writer
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 14 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Up 15% in 30 days

What are Paul Starkman's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
42%
Society
22%
Bonds
18%
Power
6%
Ideas
6%
Morality
4%
Survival
2%
Ambition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Hopeful
8
Joyful
5
Tense
4
Warm
3
Thrilling
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Fun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Paul Starkman's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (5).

Subscription and free streaming for Paul Starkman's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

14 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page.

  • Let's Marry Harry(2026)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • On Brand with Jimmy Fallon(2025)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all shows

  • Temptation Island(2025)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • The Trust: A Game of Greed(2024)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Morimoto's Sushi Master (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 12 episodes · Director

  • Pressure Cooker(2023)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Next Level Chef(2022)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows

  • Baking It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 11 episodes · Director

  • Crime Scene Kitchen(2021)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • The American Barbecue Showdown(2020)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Wheels(2020)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Making It(2018)

    Show Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Project Runway(2004)

    Show 14 episodes · Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Bang the Machine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 5 titles from 2002 to 2023.

Highest rated

Making It (2018)

Midcredits 81st

Most popular right now

Next Level Chef (2022)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing4 of 5: 2 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting1 of 5: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing1 of 5: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography2 of 5: 1 only cinematography, 1 with another role

By decade

2000s2 · crew2010s1 · crew2020s2 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it.

Awards

4 major nominations and no wins, 2008–2014.

  1. 2014
    • Directors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs
  2. 2011
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
  3. 2009
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming
  4. 2008
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

Who does Paul Starkman work with?

People who share at least 2 of Paul Starkman's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Friedman shares the most, 4.

Cinematographers and editors

Producers