Paulette James was born in Crewe, Cheshire on 3rd October 1976 where she spent most of her childhood. She moved to London in 1995 to study American and Film/Television studies at Brunel University in Twickenham. Since graduating, Paulette’s worked in media for nearly ten years in a variety of roles. She currently works in advertising production for
Sonny London.

In 2008, Paulette attended the Berlin Talent Campus and made valuable contacts who she would work with on her next short film, Enter The Preacher’, funded by B3 Media on their Blank Slate scheme. 'Enter The Preacher' won Best Comedy film at the Fringe Report Awards 2009. Paulette’s first official short film, ‘Shantell Town’, won Best International Short Film at The Images Of Black Women Film Festival 2007 and awards for Best Director and Best Actress at the BFM Film Festival 2007. ‘Roots, a short documentary about black hair, appeared on Current TV autumn 2007. Recently, Paulette produced and directed fourteen films about slavery abolitionists, Equiano and Mary Prince, for Future Histories website Trading Faces.