James Liakos
- Additional Crew
- Production Finance and Accounting
- Actor
James Liakos is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and producer who began his studies at the New York Film Academy in 1998. He was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1980, and would run around the house with his father's camcorder making homemade movies since the age of 10.
In 1999, James pursued a degree in Film/Video at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, NJ. Unfortunately, he had to drop out and undergo half a dozen surgeries following a serious car accident.
He returned to college in 2007, pursuing studies in English, theatre, business, and public speaking. He maintained High Honor Roll status and enlisted as a Member of the Dean's List and the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.
James created Cute Whippet Dog Story: Man's Best Friend (2009) during an actual pet-sitting job. The video went viral, surpassing seven million hits and was featured in dozens of publications including The San Francisco Globe.
He collaborated with producer and writer Mary Vesper to direct Two Bears on the 4th (2011). Inspired by The Gift of the Magi, the short film was well received by children and adults alike, and showed how James and Mary met, as portrayed through the lives of two teddy bears. Later that year, he established James Liakos Photography and Film.
In 2013, James was a camera man for the interview of Lifetime and Meritorious Award-Winning Dr. Temple Grandin, shot for Keith Olbermann's network The Blaze (Liberty Treehouse). He produced, wrote, directed, and edited Tomorrow's Light (2014), a short music-driven film about a man who meditates on his life after a traumatic event. Film critic Megan Wallin of the Los Angeles Post-Examiner and Mini Motion Pictures gave the film four out of five stars, praising its unconventional approach to the hero's journey.
James relocated to New Mexico in 2013 where he befriended Ann Lerner, then Director of the Albuquerque Film Office. Her referrals led to the Accountant Clerk position on NBC's DIG (TV Mini Series 2015), followed by a position in camera crew on NBC's The Player (TV Series 2015), where he would respectfully decline acceptance to the IATSE 600 (International Cinematographers Guild) in order to pursue the Directors Guild of America (D.G.A.).
James was a stand-in for A-list actor Ray Romano on EPIX's Get Shorty (TV Series 2017). He produced and directed The Recovery (2017) for the 48 Hour Film Project - Albuquerque about a rebellious teenager and her loyal sister who go on a mission to recover an important item after school lets out for the summer. The film was positively received for its colorful characters, writing, and direction.
Around taking advanced acting classes with esteemed film acting teacher, Lora Cunningham, James wrote, produced, and directed A Day In the Park (2019), winner of Best Social Drama at the Mindfield Film Festival. He produced Sea Critter (2021), winner of Best Visual Effects and Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy at the Southern Shorts Awards, along with Man's Best Friend (2021) and the superior director's cut, Dystopiality (2023), a platinum finalist at the Mindfield Film Festival. James's last short film is Twalette (2024), a fresh angle to the romantic comedy, written by Tracy Jordan.
For years, James has taught students in public school settings about the benefits of eating healthy. James advocates an environmentally-friendly lifestyle that is healthy, less materialistic, and more compassionate towards others. He feels that film and television are excellent media options for inspiring others to reach their greatest potential and promoting freedom of expression and social change.
In 1999, James pursued a degree in Film/Video at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, NJ. Unfortunately, he had to drop out and undergo half a dozen surgeries following a serious car accident.
He returned to college in 2007, pursuing studies in English, theatre, business, and public speaking. He maintained High Honor Roll status and enlisted as a Member of the Dean's List and the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.
James created Cute Whippet Dog Story: Man's Best Friend (2009) during an actual pet-sitting job. The video went viral, surpassing seven million hits and was featured in dozens of publications including The San Francisco Globe.
He collaborated with producer and writer Mary Vesper to direct Two Bears on the 4th (2011). Inspired by The Gift of the Magi, the short film was well received by children and adults alike, and showed how James and Mary met, as portrayed through the lives of two teddy bears. Later that year, he established James Liakos Photography and Film.
In 2013, James was a camera man for the interview of Lifetime and Meritorious Award-Winning Dr. Temple Grandin, shot for Keith Olbermann's network The Blaze (Liberty Treehouse). He produced, wrote, directed, and edited Tomorrow's Light (2014), a short music-driven film about a man who meditates on his life after a traumatic event. Film critic Megan Wallin of the Los Angeles Post-Examiner and Mini Motion Pictures gave the film four out of five stars, praising its unconventional approach to the hero's journey.
James relocated to New Mexico in 2013 where he befriended Ann Lerner, then Director of the Albuquerque Film Office. Her referrals led to the Accountant Clerk position on NBC's DIG (TV Mini Series 2015), followed by a position in camera crew on NBC's The Player (TV Series 2015), where he would respectfully decline acceptance to the IATSE 600 (International Cinematographers Guild) in order to pursue the Directors Guild of America (D.G.A.).
James was a stand-in for A-list actor Ray Romano on EPIX's Get Shorty (TV Series 2017). He produced and directed The Recovery (2017) for the 48 Hour Film Project - Albuquerque about a rebellious teenager and her loyal sister who go on a mission to recover an important item after school lets out for the summer. The film was positively received for its colorful characters, writing, and direction.
Around taking advanced acting classes with esteemed film acting teacher, Lora Cunningham, James wrote, produced, and directed A Day In the Park (2019), winner of Best Social Drama at the Mindfield Film Festival. He produced Sea Critter (2021), winner of Best Visual Effects and Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy at the Southern Shorts Awards, along with Man's Best Friend (2021) and the superior director's cut, Dystopiality (2023), a platinum finalist at the Mindfield Film Festival. James's last short film is Twalette (2024), a fresh angle to the romantic comedy, written by Tracy Jordan.
For years, James has taught students in public school settings about the benefits of eating healthy. James advocates an environmentally-friendly lifestyle that is healthy, less materialistic, and more compassionate towards others. He feels that film and television are excellent media options for inspiring others to reach their greatest potential and promoting freedom of expression and social change.
