The Director (Halloween Horror Nights)

"Nothing compares to real blood on film. It's the only way to really capture the emotion and fear of reality in what the victim is feeling. Tells the story truthfully. This motivation is the key. My actors only get one take - it's a short take."

- The Director's quote on the interview-like commercial for Halloween Horror Nights 13.

Paulo Ravinski, better known as the Director, is a icon for Universal Orlando Resort's Halloween event known as Halloween Horror Nights. He first appeared in 2003 as the icon of the thirteenth event, Halloween Horror Nights 13. He would later re-appear in 2006's Halloween Horror Nights: Sweet 16 and at Halloween Horror Nights: Twenty Years of Fear, during 2010. The song he plays while torturing and killing his actors is called You Oughta Be In Pictures by the Boswell Sisters. In 2010's event, he is revealed to be one of Fear's minions, given the name "Sacrifice".

Early Years
Paulo Ravinski was born in Eastern Europe. He started out as a snuff filmer capturing actual human suffering, torture and death on his film camera. His film career began when he picked up his father's camera while only eight years old, resulting him into getting in trouble for wasting film. He would shoot birds with a BB gun while filming them flittering, when he saw them falling out of the trees. A controversial project known as The Widow's Eye, was his first project yet. The film shocked many country population that Paulo was forced out, which is the reason he came to America. Some people have found tamer examples of directed by Paulo himself. Films mentioned included films such as Death Procession and The Blood Letting.

Universal Orlando
Universal Orlando has hired the Director to film his newest horror film at Universal Studios Florida's neighbor-park, the Islands of Adventure. During 2003, he transformed each one of the islands into a terrifying horror flick as a part of his project. He would appear at All-Nite Die-In, his own haunted house, and at Infestation, his own live show which involves Paulo himself with his actors interacting with scorpions, snakes, rats, cockroaches, and other terrifying creatures. Three years later, he along with the icons of 2000, 2002, and 2005, returned to Universal Studios Florida for the event's "Sweet 16". He and the others were also featured at The Arrival, a live show hosted by Darkness.

Universal Studios Hollywood
Paulo has been hired by Universal Studios Hollywood to direct the ultimate horror film. Universal requested that Paulo would submit a short film detailing his project to preview it for their executives before allowing production to begin. However later on, when Universal Studios Hollywood discovered the real torture and death on the short film, they claimed that Paulo's twisted actions were too graphic for film audiences. They cancelled the project for good, and banned Ravinski from ever stepping foot into Universal Studios Hollywood again. However, Paulo took up residence in an abandoned backlot set at the park, demanding revenge on Universal. Aware that Paulo was hiding on the backlot, Universal Studios Hollywood warned visitors that real horror would be delivered from the Director, although they still allowed their annual Halloween event to run in 2006.

Fear Revealed
In 2010, the Director returned to Universal Studios Florida along with the other Sweet 16 icons and the previous year's icon for the event's twentieth anniversary. He and the other four icons were also revealed to be minions of Fear himself. Paulo was given the alias "Sacrifice".

Appearances at Halloween Horror Nights
The Director first appeared at Halloween Horror Nights 13 as the icon for the event in 2003. During his debut year, he also starred in not only his own haunted house called All-Nite Die-In, where guests would explore slasher films, but also a live show called Infestation, where he would place an insect or arachnid on the victim, telling them they'll never have the capacity to sleep ever again. He has appeared in 2004 and 2005 again, but not an icon again until 2006. He appeared in 2004's Horror Nights Nightmares along with Jack, Eddie, and the Caretaker, and at 2005 in Rat Run. During 2006, Halloween Horror Nights moved back to Universal Studios Florida to celebrate its "Sweet 16". The Director was one of the icons of 2006's event along with Jack, the Caretaker, and the Storyteller. He has also appeared in Halloween Horror Nights: Ripped from the Silver Screen, at the last week-only scare zone, Shadows of the Past. When its twentieth anniversary came in 2010, the Director became one of Fear's minions along with the other past four icons including the Usher during Halloween Horror Nights: Twenty Years of Fear, given the alias, Sacrifice.

Personality
The Director is sadistic, dangerous, brutal, evil, creepy, and seems to show no remorse for his actions. He seems to enjoy killing and torturing his actors, considering his job as a snuff filmer, to which a snuff filmer is a murderer and film director combined. His snuff films were so frightening and violent, that his films were banned in almost every single country. Law enforcement agencies and film critics both call his work snuff cinema. Paulo prefers his work to be referred to as "art".

Quotes
"They say that film is art. FILM IS NOT JUST ART! Film is power. Film is magic. And in the right hand, film is a weapon."

- In the queue video of Halloween Horror Nights Sweet 16's All-Nite Die-In: Take 2 maze.

"You know, you are perfect for this part. See how sharp the blade is? You won't even feel it. Now put your head on the block. That's it. Look at the camera. Annnnd.... action! Cut."

- What he says on one of the Halloween Horror Nights 13 radio commercials.

"Are you ready for your finest scene? How's the water? "You Oughta Be in Pictures"! How long can you hold your breath? ANNND..ACTION!!"

- Another Director quote from a HHN radio commercial.

"You'll never sleep again!"

- Taunting a park guest during a live show called Infestation.

"Death is a sacrifice I'm willing to risk in the name of film! For this scene, you'll realize your death is near. So stand by, and get ready to show me your fear. And..ACTION!"

- The Director getting ready to electrocute his victim in a bathtub at The Arrival, a live show from Halloween Horror Nights: Sweet 16 during 2006.

"Was I excited when Universal, the studio that created the first great horror movies asked me to reduce their new Halloween Horror Nights? Of course I was. Look at the sets I have a chance to work on. They have an atmosphere. They have character. They have realism. But when I show Universal Studios Hollywood plans for my new Halloween Horror Nights production, they had second thoughts. "It's in bad taste" they told me, but I could tell they were just getting nervous. They said "It was too graphic, too real for their audiences". "Graphic is good", I said. Real is what people want to see! Universal Studios Hollywood wouldn't listen. They banned me from the studio, kept me from casting my actors, they tried to stop me from taking any part in their event, they ruined all my planning, all of my work, and this project, which was going to be based on my live Hollywood experience, was going to be my masterpiece. But I promise you this: I will settle a score with the people at Universal Studios Hollywood. There's nothing that will stop me from creating and filming the most realistic and most terrifying Halloween event that Hollywood has ever seen. Nothing. I need great talent to complete my vision. Casting has begun. We'll see with who I deal more with making the cut."

- The Director's rant on Universal Studios Hollywood.

"They asked me to make the ultimate horror film. But when I did what they asked, they said I've went too far. They've said I've crossed the line blending horror with the reality of actual human suffering. They thought they've got rid of me. But come October, everyone will witness the genius of my work. Everyone."

- The Director hiding at Universal Studios Hollywood.

"Who came up with "reality TV"? There's nothing "real" about it. It's all staged, it's all fake; designed to appeal to a person's darker side. People say they wanna watch real horror, real suffering, and they want to be terrified. But when you give it to them.....they don't have the stomach for it - and I'll show them my reality."

- The Director's rant on reality TV.

Trivia

 * He wore different clothing in Universal Studios Singapore's Halloween Horror Nights event in 2011, as well as gaining a different actor, and a different name, which was Billy Skorrski. This could be an alternate incarnation of the Director, if the appearance of his is compared to the Orlando/Hollywood incarnation. He also doesn't play the song titled You Oughta Be In Pictures, by the Boswell Sisters, while torturing and killing his actors/actresses.