April • 2016
James was great. He filed mobile rushes and then C100 footage later in the day. Would definitely work with him again.
James C.
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8 reviews$400 - $1200 / Day
About
I am a documentary director and cinematographer. The grandson of a Newsweek bureau chief, I started my career in 2012 directing web commercials and independent documentary shorts. I then began regular travel to the North Dakota oil fields to work on my debut feature doc, THE BAKKEN, as co-director, producer, and cinematographer. In 2013, my short RUNNING ON FUMES IN NORTH DAKOTA was published as the lead above-the-fold article on nytimes.com and named among the Top Ten Most Popular OpDocs of 2014. In 2016, I completed work on HARVEST as DP, editor, and associate producer, which later premiered online in The Atlantic, and wasalso one of 10 producers invited to the IFP Narrative Filmmaker Labs for my work on THE MISSING SUN. In 2020, I won the Tribeca Film Institute’s If/Then Documentary Shorts – American Midwest competition for my solo directed TO BE RECONCILED, which premiered at the 2021 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. I live my passion every day in non-fiction storytelling as a leader and crew member to produce visually striking, humanistic content for audiences worldwide.
Top Services
- Documentary DP
- 7 reviews
- News Shooter / Video Journalist
- 1 review
- Video Editor - News
Clients
Top Reviews
April • 2018
James was thorough and very communicative during the whole process. We look forward in working with him again.
July • 2016
Took on a tough overnight assignment and delivered.
Top Projects
Kyle Skye - Derby Days 2014
A short, day-in-the-life documentary about Minneapolis hip-hop artist Kyle Skye as he prepares and performs as the opening act for Chief Keef and Waka Flocka Flame at Derby Days 2014.
- Commercial DP
- Documentary DP
- Video Editor - News
Produced for The New York Times
Running on Fumes in North Dakota - The New York Times
A migrant female truck driver discusses the alienation, agony, and odd hope of making it in the male-dominated oil fields of North Dakota. After winning the first annual Camden International Film Festival New York Times OpDocs pitch competition, my team and I released this piece to great critical acclaim as the lead above-the-fold article on the nytimes.com. Later named Top 10 OpDocs of 2014.
- Documentary DP
- Video Editor - News
Midway Stadium - MinnPost
A short, nostalgic documentary about the "worst ballpark in America" - St. Paul's Midway Stadium, home of the minor league St. Paul Saints - before it was demolished to make way for a new stadium. I produced this documentary independently as a side project; however, I sent it to Tom Nehil, news editor at MinnPost, who posted it to the front page of the site.
- Documentary DP
- Video Editor - News
Reel 2015 on Vimeo
Selection of clips from 2014/2015 projects only.
- Commercial DP
- Documentary DP
- Video Editor - News
5.0 Produced for 60 Second Docs
Teen Veggie Baker - 60 Second Docs
A group of high school students in a majority-black Minneapolis neighborhood started their own bakery, using produce from their urban garden. 17-yr-old CEO Alfonzo Williams founded the business to offer his classmates healthier snack options, like carrot pumpkin bread, in an operation that’s 100% run by teens.
- Documentary DP
4.0 Produced for CNN
CNN Vital Signs with Sanjay Gupta - The nun's devoted to understanding Alzheimer's.
Over 600 Catholic nuns have donated their brains to a University of Minnesota study to understand Alzheimer's disease.
- Documentary DP
Equipment
Video
- Full HD video camera
- Multiple cameras
- 4K video camera
Video
Audio
- Wireless lavalier mic
- Shotgun mic
Audio
Miscellaneous
- Stabilizer
- Lighting kit
Miscellaneous
All Services
Production Support
- Commercial DP
- Documentary DP
- News Shooter / Video Journalist
- Field Producer
Production Support
Post Production
- Video Editor - News
- Video Editor - Documentary
- Video Editor - Commercial
Post Production