Meet James A. Heim | Producer, Director, Writer

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

Hi James, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk equals rewards. You can’t get the things you want from life without going out and chasing them. All the beautiful, wonderful, fulfilling, exciting things are waiting for you outside of your comfort zone. It’s up to you to take the leap. The author Jon Krakauer said, “There are two great risks in life. Risking too much and risking too little.” I think most people risk too little and then wonder why they aren’t any closer to the things they desire, whether that’s a career, a hobby, a lover, or a closer relationship to those around them. Anything really. Risk is imperative to growth and I think that’s especially true for creatives. We’re constantly chasing growth, something new, something different. And I can feel it when I’m not taking risks and not growing. That’s when life gets stagnant, and I get bored and depressed. I’m someone who thrives on working hard and being productive. I’m motivated to take risks because almost every time I do, it pays off in one way or another, and it keeps me moving in the direction I want to be going.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I’m proud of and excited about a few projects I have in the works right now. I just wrapped post production on two films that I directed, one that explores the experience of the artist as they create and one that centers around the bottle service industry in Las Vegas, where I worked in nightlife for many years before transitioning to L.A. I have another project I directed that is still in post production and will be finished later this year. It’s a medieval fantasy concept and I’m excited for people to see that because it’s different from anything I’ve done before.

I recently co-produced an episode of Bite Size Halloween, directed by Michelle Krusiec, which is streaming on Hulu now and also making the rounds at film festivals. We just won an award recently at the Palm Springs Shortsfest and I’m excited to see where the rest of our festival run takes us. I’m producing several other projects at the moment, as well. Trying to keep busy and find talented collaborators to work with.

It’s always so fulfilling to see projects come to fruition. Sometimes the harder they are, the sweeter it is to show them to the world. If something is easy, it’s probably because you’re playing it too safe and not pushing yourself to reach outside of your comfort zone. Comfort is a greater threat to progress than discomfort.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The best time ever with a friend is downtime. If someone is visiting me for a week, we’re lounging around and spending as much face time as we can. We’d probably grab a coffee and a snack and just sit and talk somewhere like Sightglass or Alcove. I love Cafe Gratitude for lunch, maybe catch some live music at Pips, or drinks at the Beanery or Tony’s. If the weather is nice, we might hit up some flea markets like Melrose, Silverlake, or Los Feliz, or just find a nice park and have a picnic. Life is best experienced in the small moments. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesaheim/

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