Paul Martin Smith grew up in the U.S., Canada and Europe. He worked in summer stock theater in Nantucket, Massachusetts before studying photography at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C. He broke into the film business as an assistant cameraman on documentary films for the USIA. In 1971, he produced the documentary, The Animals are Crying which won several awards.

Since 1973, Smith has worked in London, America and Europe editing over 70 hours of drama, comedy, documentaries, commercials, corporate programs and music videos. Among his numerous credits are the feature films Born American and The Matchmaker, TV movies The Canterville Ghost, Unforgivable, TV series Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Earth 2, and documentaries Gunfight U.S.A., Cold Spring New Dawn.