Meet Mike James | Writer & Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mike James and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mike, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Every decision you make small or large is a risk. I’ve always felt the biggest risk was not living my life in a way that was fulfilling. Creative endeavors come with risk like financial loss, reputation loss or time loss but if you allow those risk factors to keep you from doing it then it never happens. If it never happens then you have to live with the question of “what if?” and that scares me. Living with regrets is a greater risk than living with failures.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I tell fun, unique and surprising stories. My films are very much an extension of myself which is pretty absurd but also wholesome. I grew up on a farm in rural Indiana. For me the lack of diverse landscape was a blank canvas. A piece of wood and a marker could be used to create a computer keyboard. A straw bale with a hat became and evil boss that must be defeated. The tall corn stalks were obviously a haunted forest. I never let go of my “backyard imagination”. I try to apply the same approach to my work now that I did as a kid when I would just grab a stick and create epic adventures surrounded by corn and soy bean fields.

I’m most proud of the amount of shorts I’ve been able to get made in the last few years. I believe it’s not the single piece that moves the needle of a career but the body of work. I’ve learned so much making the different films I’ve made. The knowledge from each experience is the valuable asset you take away from a short film. How I got to where I am professionally today has been actively seeking out experiences where I can learn. Constantly pursuing more experience, which is not easy because a lot of the experiences suck. It’s been super hard and still is. I overcome the adversity by giving myself a fresh perspective. I try to step back and look at the larger painting rather than a single brush stroke very close to the canvas. When I step back and look at the larger painting I feel encouraged because I like the direction I’m headed in.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I like to golf so I would suggest beginning with a morning round at Chevy Chase Country Club. Beautiful course that isn’t far from where I live in Atwater Village. There I’d take them to Tam O’Shanter for lunch because anytime is a good time for Prime Rib and whiskey. Then maybe a matinee movie at the AMC Brand 18 but making sure to park at the Galleria and walk to the Americana to avoid paying to park. That evening I’d suggest drinks at The Roost as well as some pool at High Low bar. You’ll notice all these locations are pretty close to each other because even if a super close friend was to come visit I’m still not driving to the Westside.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
5secondfilms.com the comedy collective behind the web series and feature film “Dude Bro Party Massacre 3”. They brought me into their troupe in 2010 when I was just starting out with comedy aspirations. They absolutely gave me support, mentorship, love and encouragement. Still do to this day. They are my best friends and family. Members are: Brian Firenzi, Joey Scoma, Tim Ciancio, Maria del Carmen, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Ben Gigli, Kelsey Gunn, Tomm Jacobsen, Alec Owen, Michael E. Peter, Paul Prado, Michael Rousselet, Jon Salmon, Erik Sandoval and Jon Worley.

Website: www.heymikejames.com

Instagram: @heymikejames

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heymikejames/

Twitter: @heymikejames

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mikejamesproductions/