James Liakos is an award-winning producer, director, and screenwriter who began his studies at the New York Film Academy in 1998 before pursuing English, business, and public speaking in college. In 2009, he 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 over twenty online publications including THE SAN FRANCISCO GLOBE. 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 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 James 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 Ray Romano on EPIX’s Get Shorty (TV Series 2017). He produced and directed The Recovery (2017) for the 48 Hour Film Project – Albuquerque. The film was positively received for its colorful characters, writing, and direction. James wrote, produced, and directed A Day In the Park (2019), winner of Best Social Drama at the Mindfield Film Festival. Working with writer/director Eric Smigiel, James produced Sea Critter (2021), winner for Best Visual Effects and Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy at the Southern Shorts Awards along with Man’s Best Friend (2021), a platinum finalist at the Mindfield Film Festival. James’s last non-studio directed short film is Twalette (2024), a romantic comedy.

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.

“The world deserves to be a better place. We are all responsible for protecting the environment and should share ideas to promote positive change.”
James Liakos