An award-winning director, writer and producer, James’ career spans film, television, music videos and branded content.
His work is available on numerous platforms including PBS, Amazon Prime Video, DUST and CryptTV, and has screened globally at festivals such as Popcorn Frights Film Festival, Chicago Horror Film Festival and the North East International Film Festival. His work has won awards including a Webby Award and a Discover Film Award.
James most recently directed LEVIATHAN - an 18-minute adaptation of Bradley Harper’s debut novel A Knife in the Fog. The film takes place on a thunderous night in 1888 during the Whitechapel murders and stars Lauren Cornelius (Call the Midwife), Matthew Lloyd Davies (The Madness of King George) and Rafe Bird (Ripper’s Revenge). The film is now streaming on PBS, selected for the network’s local public television program WHRO Public Lens, presented by WHRO Public Media.
His tech-horror short film NIGHTMARES starring Victoria Morrison (Plan Z) screened at over 50 film festivals and won multiple awards including Best Horror Short at the Discover Film Awards. The film is currently streaming on CryptTV.
James’ sci-fi horror short film RUPTURED starring Kate Soulsby (Zombie Women of Satan) won three awards at Kino London Short Film Festival including Best Sci-Fi Short Film and Best Horror Short. It’s streaming on Gunpowder & Sky’s sci-fi platform DUST.
His short film UNDER THE BED starring Kevin Ashley (Holby City) screened at festivals including Crystal Palace Int. Film Festival and Discover Film Awards and is available to stream on Samsung TV Plus.
James wrote and directed the short film THE MAN IN THE LIVING ROOM starring Jamie Shelton (Emmerdale) and Keicha Greenidge (Waterloo Road). It is available on the streaming platform Filmzie and video entertainment platform Viddsee.
He directed music videos with UK metal band Evile for Hell Unleashed and Gore (ft. Brian Posehn) from the album Hell Unleashed, released via Napalm Records.
James has worked for international brands including Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan, HSBC, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Levi’s and Shell. He contributed to the web series BBC Ideas: Thinkers from the past on our world today which won a People’s Choice Award at the Creativepool Annual 2020 Awards and the Public Service & Activism Award at the Webby Awards in 2019.
In addition to filmmaking, James has written on creativity and filmmaking for Little Black Book and Raindance. His science fiction short story HIS BODY BENEATH was narrated by Chris Herron for Tall Tale TV. James has been a mentor and ambassador for The Creative Mentor Network and a festival programmer for Kino London Short Film Festival.
James began in documentary filmmaking and reality television as a camera operator for Channel 4, BBC, MTV and Sky among others.
He resides amongst the Hertfordshire countryside in the UK with his wife and their two daughters.
email: james.ar.mansell@gmail.com