Bio: Francis James

A Passion for Perception

Francis James is an award winning writer, director and cinematographer, born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.

A graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art, James has been active in the film industry for nearly a decade. James Works as camera man in the American Cinematographers Union (Local 600) and runs Perception Films. He recently worked on the action film “12 Rounds” and as the lead camera on the new Disney series “The Imagination Movers.” James directed the “Movers” first break-out DVD, which was produced through Perception Films.

The American Film Institute (A.F.I.) selected James as one of only ten experimental filmmakers nationwide to participate in their Digital Arts program in Los Angeles. His previous six films have won numerous awards and acclaim including the Bronze Apple award from the National Educational Market and the Kodak Vision Award from the International Photographers Guild/American Society of Cinematographers. In addition, James is the recipient of a number of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Film Institute and the Louisiana Division of the Arts.

James was a contributing Director of Photography on “Trouble the Waters,” in theaters, which won Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival 2008. James also served as Director of Photography on “Mutiny,” Official Selection in the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, and he shot additional photography for “Cuttin’ Loose,” which won at Sundance for Best Documentary and Best Documentary Cinematography in 1996.

James was recognized for his skills behind the camera as a Second Unit DP or Camera Operator on such films as Mark Forester’s “Monster’s Ball,” Steven Soderbergh’s “Out Of Sight,” Antonio Banderos’ “Crazy in Alabama,” Forest Whittaker’s “Black Jaq,” and a season of USA Network’s “The Big Easy.”