James is a recent film production graduate of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. James has created films ranging from drag queen extravaganzas to introspective depictions of gay hook up culture. His mission in film is to bring LGBTQ+ storytelling to the mainstream and normalize the portrayal of gay characters in entertainment. Building off his previous work, James continues his quest to highlight queer characters in his films. Born during the loneliness and isolation of quarantine, Pillow Talk is James’ exploration into the emotions that this past year has made him feel.
Director Statement
As an LGBT filmmaker, I find that telling genuine human stories within the gay community is integral to the progression of normalizing LGBTQ+ storytelling in entertainment. I want to create stories that feature gay characters but not be focused on their sexuality. I believe as a society, we have moved past the simple ‘acceptance’ storylines and are ready to tell more dynamic LGBTQ+ narratives. If we want to normalize queer characters, we have to treat them as normal characters. My mission with this film, in addition to my previous work, is to create a story that features gay characters but not have the story based around their sexuality.
LGBTQ+ Toronto Film Festival 