Biography

James Kramer has been working as a writer, director, producer, show runner and executive in television, film, and theatre for over 40 years. A graduate of Yale University, Mr. Kramer began his professional career in the theatre, writing and directing plays in New York City and at some of America's leading regional theatres including the Kennedy Center, The Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Williamstown Theatre Festival. For five years he was the General Producer and Artistic Director of the award winning Chelsea Encore Theatre in New York City, where he staged over 70 original productions of new plays, comedies, and musical revues.

He began his television career as a writer, director and casting director of the daytime drama "Search For Tomorrow," which at the time was the longest running series on television, reaching almost 9000 episodes. In 1985 Mr. Kramer moved to Los Angeles, where he worked steadily in prime time television, serving as writer, director, and producer for series including "St. Elsewhere," "Moonlighting," "Due South," "Once & Again," "Judging Amy," and "Diagnosis Murder," for which he also wrote the pilot episode. His work has been recognized with nominations and prizes including the Emmy, Prism, Angel, Gemini, and Hollywood Reporter awards. In the late 1990's Mr. Kramer also began to work as a production and writing consultant, teaching writing for professionals, offering workshops in Los Angeles and around the USA, and serving as a private writing coach for authors of feature films and series pilots.

In 2005, Sony Pictures Television International invited Mr. Kramer to teach a workshop for writers in Moscow, in partnership with Amedia Productions. He returned to Moscow shortly afterwards as the creative consultant to supervise the adaptation of the romantic comedy telenovela "Betty La Fea" for Sony, Amedia and CTC Channel, which became extremely popular as "Ne Rodis Krasivoi." Enjoying his experience in Russia tremendously, Mr. Kramer then accepted Sony's invitation to stay in Moscow as Vice President of their Russian office. During his tenure with Sony in Moscow he supervised the business and creative aspects of dozens of local productions, as well as the adaptations of series formats from Sony's international library. Most satisfying of all was his work discovering and training talented Russian authors, directors, and producers, many of whom went on to form the core of the now booming Russian television industry.

Since leaving Sony in 2011, Kramer has expanded his international work as producer, writer, director and consultant. With clients including Warner Brothers, Fox, NBC Universal, Fremantle Media, Sony, A & E, and more, his consulting and producing work has taken him all over the world, including Vietnam ("Glee" and "Last Man Standing"), Colombia ("E.R."), Philippines ("Pretty Little Liars"), Italy ("Parenthood"), Netherlands ("Lipstick Jungle"), Russia (many including "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," "The Mentalist," and "Bones"), Egypt ("Prison Break"), and Ukraine (many including "E.R.," "Rita's World," original crime drama "Bad Cop, Good Cop," and more). He also continues to lecture and lead workshops around the world, with a focus on creating original series, pitching, and mastering genres for writers, directors, producers and executives.
- IMDb mini biography by: James Kramer