Experience

Nashville Film Festival

• United States
• Entertainment Providers
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Script Reader/Pre-Screening Committee

  • Apr 2021 - Present



Freelance

• Screenwriter

  • Oct 2018 - Present

  James is a member of the ISA/International Screenwriters Association. He writes plays, short films, feature films and develops television series. He is a writer for hire for freelance writing assignments. He has consulted and ghost written for feature films and films in development in Japan.

• Director

  • Mar 1996 - Present

  James is an award winning director and has taught and directed at international festivals across five continents and in over nine countries including Colombia, Iran, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, England and New Zealand. He was invited to be a member of the international jury at the 33rd Fadjr International Festival of Theatre in Iran in 2015, and was Maestro by special invitation at the 2014 Iberoamericano Festival de Teatro in Colombia. His work with CITA includes upcoming projects with English and French theatre companies, he wrote, choreographed and directed EMOTO, which played at the Satohsakichisai festival in Tokyo and then at Artistree in Hong Kong, Richard III (in collaboration with the Nowhozenrounar Theatre Agency in Iran) 重力/EARTHBOUND (as an award winning Director), Romeo and Juliet (as Director) Nose, (Tokyo, Korea) the EU Japan Festival supported ICARUS, research and development for CITA's new theatre project, and their short film The Immigrant in which he is Co-directing and performing in for an international film festival event in Japan. Other recent work includes War Knocking on My Window (Korea) Kanadehon Chushingura (England) The Bag (Korea) Albert Speer (New Zealand) Hole in the Roof (England). He is currently employed as a script consultant and is writing a book on actor training exercises. Show less

• Actor

  • Mar 1996 - Present

  James has been privileged enough to work with some of Japans best directors including Yojiro Takita, Takashi Shimizu and Sato Shunsuke and recently on the award winning short COIN LUNCH directed by David Allen. His roles in television include small roles in both Japan and New Zealand in DEATH NOTE, LOVE BITES, IVANHOE and LEGEND OF WILLIAM TELL. He has worked on a number of commercials in Japan, most recently for CANON, GANMA MANGA, NINTENDO SWITCH, MITSUI HOMES, MIDORI ANZEN, HITACHI, KUBOTA, CALORIE MATE, METS , KIRIN and HONDA. Show less



Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music

• 1 - 100 Employee

• Actor Training Professor

  • Apr 2019 - Present



C.I.T.A International Center of Theatre Arts

• Tokyo, Japan

• Founder

  • Sep 2012 - Present

  C.I.T.A could be defined as a central hub through which artists, from around the world and from a variety of disciplines, may come together to collaborate and test work. They do this in the hope of revitalizing the theatre and rediscovering what it is that speaks to people and through ways in which people can identify. A key principle of the company will be: Seeing what is most alive. In rehearsals this becomes very clear; when stories or play texts are stood up they work. The meaning is revealed in the body. All questions are reduced to one question. Not what does it mean, but how does it come alive? Show less



2015 Fadjr International Festival of Theatre

• International Jury Member

  • Jan 2015 - Present



Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá

• Public Relations and Communications Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Maestro

  • Apr 2014 - Present



I.C.C.A Inetrnational Centre for Creative Arts

• Founder

  • Dec 2012 - Present

  "It is hoped that ICCA will be a melting pot, a place for refreshment and nourishment, a place for enquiry, collective inquiry, where not only diversity is celebrated but also what it is we all share. From the outset I’ve always been uneasy at the thought of calling ICCA a school, for a school can have negative connotations, a fixed establishment. The aim maybe to reassess the fundamentals of the theatre and build a pedagogy, that never fixes itself but evolves with each generation, and does not have any particular aesthetic agenda. A place for artist to discover their own theater. We have designed a series of workshops this year linked by a theme, in 2014 we are planning to add more advanced workshops which will compliment and build off this year’s courses. One of the features of these is that people who come and explore with us are not required to commit to a year of work full time, they are able to choose which workshops they want to do when, this gives them time for life. It is however recommended that they do all the first year workshops before returning to do the more advanced courses. In a way ICCA is investigating this question of what is good theatre training and how can it not crystallize into a particular style or tradition. Training can be defined as: The education, instruction, or discipline of a person or thing that is being trained. The word training in the English language is synonymous with indoctrination, which is very much what we are against." Show less



University of Essex

• United Kingdom
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• H.O.D BA/Hons Physical Theatre

  • Sep 2007 - Apr 2012

  James based his work here on the observation of everyday life and the dynamic of the natural world reflected in the body. By recalling the great physical theatre traditions of the past - from the tragic to the comedic, he attempted to offer an indispensable dimension of experiential play. James considers the artist as an author in search of his or her own style. By employing an improvisational approach, the artist is opened up to provoking the invention of an original theatrical language. James’ teaching currently includes: Movement Analysis • Physical and vocal preparation • Movement analysis • Acrobatics and martial arts • Feldenkrais and Alexander work including conditioning, principles for relating the body to the theatrical space, studies of imagery, and interpretation Acrobatics Introduced as the study of movement in action from floor to aerial movement, contact improv, work with objects, with applications including juggling and stage combat Technique • including studies to develop a mimetic vocabulary, choreography, craft and style, and applications in play. • The dynamics of space • Music and dramatic composition • Poetry and the substance of words. Also includes training with voice and text. • Emotions, behaviour and the creation of characters Improvisation Including the re-play of everyday life, The state of calmness and the Neutral Mask, dynamics of nature - elements, materials, animals and their dramatic transposition Expressive and found masks and the conflicts of psychological drama Larval masks and the playfulness of comedy Mask-making, Your own mask, characterization We undertake an exploration of the language of gesture and storytelling, Dramatic imagery, Melodrama, Chorus and tragedy, Commedia dell'arte and the human comedy, Buffoon and clown. Presentation In-house fortnightly presentations based on given themes. Show less



DrDapertutto

• Directing/Performance Projects

  • 2000 - 2012

  Directing:Currently: Preparing two versions of Romeo and Juliet for performance in Tokyo, Seoul, and Columbia.2012: Chushingura. Monzaemon Chikamatsu. Clifftown Studios, Essex, England.2011: Go Solo. A festival of new one-act plays. Clifftown Studios, Essex, England.2011: Hole in the Roof. Devised performance at the Southwark Playhouse, London2010: Go Solo. A festival of new one-act plays. Clifftown Studios, Essex, England.2010: Panem et Circen. Devised performance at the Clifftown Studios, Southend on Sea.2008: The Government Inspector. Nikolai Gogol. Clifftown Studios, Essex, England.2007/2008: The Harmfulness of Tobacco. Performed in London at The Space, and Color House Theatres.2007: Blood Wedding. Federico Garcia Lorca. East 15 Acting School, England2001-2005: Artistic Director of “Dr Dapertutto” Theatre Company and Research Laboratory. May 2004: Titus Andronicus Co Directed by James Sutherland and Bronwyn TweedleJanuary to March 2004: Company in residence at Studio 77. Auditor!! Written by John Downie, Directed by James Sutherland at Studio 77.June 2003: The Visit. In Co- Direction with Bronwyn Tweedle at Studio 77.November 2002: DSCH: The Conscience of Music. Devised and Directed by James SutherlandSeptember 2002: From Below: Community theatre project for the international socialist organization. Devised and Directed by James Sutherland.June 2002: Silence is the Force that Generates Confession. Devised and Directed by James Sutherland.March 2002: Senjinkun. Devised and Directed by James Sutherland.February 2002: Maison de Sante. (Written by Dave Shearf)Directed and devised this ensemble piece for the 2002 Wellington Fringe Festival.March 2001: Dapertutto 537. Co-wrote and co-directed this original piece for 2001 Fringe festival.2000: Hamletmachine. Heiner Muller. Studio 77, Wellington New Zealand. Show less

• Acting/Performance Projects

  • Jul 1998 - Feb 2011

  Acting2011: Momaya Press Awards Play Readings. Soho Theatre, London.Currently: Devising solo show Keeping Time, based on the life of Leonard Bernstein. 2009: Third Interlude. At Riverside Studios in London. Performing movement improvisation with accompaniment by some of the UK’s top Jazz musicians.July 2004: Albert Speer (David O Donnell) playing a number of roles in this ensemble production at BATS TheatreSeptember 2000: Saying Yes. Performed as a barber in this one act play as part of a season of one act plays. Designed, rigged and assisted in the operation of sound and lighting.June 2000: The Feigned Courtesans. (Aphra Behn) Performed as an English Cavalier, and also was directly responsible for fight choreography and training in empty hand, rapier, and rapier and dagger combat. Shared responsibility in engineering sound design. Lost and Found. Performed this solo percussion piece as part of a recital for American composer Fredrick Rwesezki.March 2000: Foreplays. Performed in three separate plays in one evening as part of the Wellington Fringe festival. The Daily Grind, Forget Him and Café Café. Film August 2004-March 2005: King Kong (Peter Jackson) Featured ExtraAugust 2000: Lord of the Rings (Peter Jackson) Featured extra May 2000: Lord of the Rings. (Peter Jackson) Performed as part of the Orc stunt team. Television May 2001: Lenny two times on Kahukura’s television series Love Bites. September 1999: Dark Knight: The Legend of Ivanhoe. Performed as part of the stunt team, doubling for the lead character Ivanhoe. Distributed in Germany, England and New Zealand.July 1998: The Legend of William Tell. Performed as fight captain for the Stunt team. This involved performing stunt fighting, and assisting in the choreography and training of actors on screen. Show less



Victoria University of Wellington

• New Zealand
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Specialist tutor in Theatre practice

  • Jan 2001 - Mar 2005

  2004-2005: Lecturer Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand. THEA 302 Physical Theatre Methodologies: Duties on this paper included; Co-director on the THEA 302 production contributing to course co-ordination and administration. THEA 304 Directing Method: Mentor to 12 directing projects for Victoria Universities THEA 304 directing paper THEA 203: Movement Tutor 2003: THEA 304 Directing Method: Mentor to 6 directing projects for Victoria Universities THEA 304 directing paper THEA 203: Movement Tutor SEFT 101: English Tutor 2002: THEA 204 Classical Traditions in Western Theatre: 2001: THEA 204 Classical Traditions in Western Theatre: Assisted in course co-ordination, ran regular physical workshops, co directed performances as part of learning outcomes, mentored third year directing projects Show less