James has worked as a camera operator on numerous Hollywood blockbusters, TV series and commercials, and as a cinematographer on TV series and independent Canadian features, while documentaries have taken him everywhere from the Downtown Eastside to a helicopter over the Great Wall of China. He has co produced two feature films, numerous shorts, and more recently, he wrote, directed, photographed and edited his second award-winning short film.  James joined the IATSE camera guild in 1984, and is a full member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers.