A writer/director/producer of feature films and an educator for over twenty-five years. His first short film Revelation made its broadcast premiere on The Sundance Channel. James made his feature film debut, Sleepwalk, which premiered at SXSW Film Festival through his own production company. The Independent Film Channel showcased Sleepwalk as part of IFC's Next Wave Films where it ran monthly for 3 years. His most recent film Around June played festivals around the world and was theatrically released in 2012, and is currently airing on Showtime.

 

An educator for the past fifteen years, James has taught filmmaking in San Francisco where he ran a wildly successful screenwriting workshop, and is currently on the Directing Faculty at the prestigious University of Southern California. He has traveled around the globe teaching and inspiring the next generation of filmmakers, most recently in Shanghai, China – where he lived/worked and taught at the Film Academy at Shanghai University, and in Saudi Arabia, where he has traveled to Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah – giving workshops and training both directors and actors. Here in Saudi Arabia, James feels most at home, as the passion of his students is alive and constantly evolving.