Chressanthis, James 1953- (Jim Chressanthis, James Chressathis)

views updated

Chressanthis, James 1953- (Jim Chressanthis, James Chressathis)

PERSONAL

Full name, James Andrew Chressanthis; born May 9, 1953, in Philadelphia, PA; son of Andrew George (an engineer and photographer) and Angeline (maiden name, Nichols) Chressanthis; married Robin Lynne Becker, July 7, 1979; children: Alexandra Zoe. Education: Attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1970-72; Arizona State University, B.F.A., 1975; Southern Illinois University, M.F.A., 1977; American Film Institute, M.F.A., 1988. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Greek Orthodox.

Addresses:

Agent—Lyons, Sheldon, Prosnit Agency, 800 South Robertson, Suite 6, Los Angeles, CA 90035.

Career:

Cinematographer, producer, director, and writer. Also worked as photographer and production aide. Western Michigan University, associate professor, 1977-85; American Film Institute, member of cinematography faculty, 1993. Director and photographer of more than 100 music videos and commercials; also photographed testimonies from more than fifty Holocaust survivors in the Los Angeles area for the Holocaust Museum, 1992. Still photographer, with work exhibited in the mixed-media show Road Trips and Other Journeys, Howell Green Fine Art Gallery, Topanga, CA, 2003. Previously worked as a sculptor and artist.

Member:

International Photographers Guild, American Society of Cinematographers, Directors Guild of America, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Awards, Honors:

Ford Foundation grant, 1981; Bronze Award, Houston International Film Festival, 1983, for Remembrance of a Journey to the Village; Silver Award, Houston International Film Festival, 1984, for Necros: An Aftermath; Annual CableACE Award, outstanding cinematography, National Cable Television Association, 1991; Red Ribbon Award, American Film and Video Festival, 1991, for A Bridge for the Children; Annual CableACE Award (with Brian England), best cinematography, 1992, for Public Enemy #2; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding cinematography for a miniseries or a movie, 2001, and Kodak Vision Award, both for Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadow; Emmy Award nomination, outstanding cinematography for a miniseries or movie, 2006, for Four Minutes.

CREDITS

Television Cinematographer; Series:

Lost & Found FX Network, 1995.

Nowhere Man, UPN, 1995-96.

High Incident, ABC, 1996.

The Cape, syndicated, 1996.

(As James Chressathis) Martial Law, CBS, 1998-2000.

Thieves, ABC, 2001.

Eye of the Beholder with Serena Yang (also known as Eye of the Beholder), Travel Channel, 2004.

Ghost Whisperer, CBS, 2005—.

Television Cinematographer; Movies:

Patterns, 1990.

Death Dreams, Lifetime, 1991.

Majority Rule (also known as Majority City), Lifetime, 1992.

Father & Son: Dangerous Relations (also known as Dangerous Relations and On the Streets of L.A.), NBC, 1993.

Reform School Girl, Showtime, 1994.

Judas Kiss, Cinemax, 1999.

Brian's Song, ABC, 2001.

The Music Man, ABC, 2003.

Eloise at Christmastime, ABC, 2003.

Eloise at the Plaza, ABC, 2003.

The Reagans, Showtime, 2003.

3: The Dale Earnhardt Story (also known as 3), ESPN, 2004.

Four Minutes, ESPN, 2005.

Living Proof, Lifetime, 2008.

Television Cinematographer; Pilots:

Crazy Love, 1995.

The Cape, syndicated, 1996.

American Family, PBS, 2001.

Thieves, ABC, 2001.

Nancy Drew, ABC, 2002.

(And director) Ghost Whisperer, CBS, 2005.

Also director of photography for episodes of Joan of Arcadia, CBS.

Television Cinematographer; Specials:

Voices that Care, Fox, 1991.

Life as We Know It!, 1991.

(As Jim Chressanthis) Inside America's Totally Unsolved Lifestyles, ABC, 1992.

"Night Driving," 30-Minute Movie, Showtime, 1993.

Sex, Shock, and Censorship in the 90's, Showtime, 1993.

Television Cinematographer; Miniseries:

American Cinema, PBS, 1995.

Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (also known as Judy Garland: L'ombre d'une etoile), ABC, 2001.

Mysterious Island, Hallmark Channel, 2005.

Television Cinematographer; Episodic:

"Jake's Brother," Harts of the West, CBS, 1993.

"Smooth Sailing," The Love Boat: The Next Wave, UPN, 1998.

"Remember?," The Love Boat: The Next Wave, UPN, 1998.

"True Course," The Love Boat: The Next Wave, UPN, 1998.

Also cinematographer for episodes of High Incident, ABC.

Television Cinematographer; Other:

(And director) A Bridge for the Children, 1991.

Television Director; Episodic:

"The Accusation," The Cape, syndicated, 1996.

"Miss Fortune," Ghost Whisperer, CBS, 2006.

"The Cradle Will Rock," Ghost Whisperer, CBS, 2007.

Television Director; Specials:

Remembrance of a Journey to the Village, PBS, c. 1982.

Public Enemy #2, Showtime, 1991.

Film Cinematographer:

(And director) Epiphany, 1979.

(And director) Necros: An Aftermath (documentary), 1984.

Opportunity, 1987.

Let the Bells Ring, 1989.

Scared of Guns, 1990.

Leather Jackets, Columbia TriStar, 1992.

Kill the Messenger, 1992.

All About Lurleen (short film), American Film Institute, 1992.

The Buzz (short film), 1992.

Hexed (also known as All Shook Up), Columbia, 1993.

Summer Single, 1993.

In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King (also known as In the Kingdom of the Blind), Arrow Video, 1995.

Crazy Love, 1995.

The Homestead, 1995.

Urban Legend (also known as Mixed Culture), TriStar, 1998.

(With others) Chicago, Miramax, 2002.

(And director; both with Laura Carruthers) Outside In (short dance film), 2005.

(And producer and director) Venus & Vegas, 41, 2009.

Film Work; Other:

Producer and director, No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos (documentary), NC Motion Pictures, 2008.

Film Appearances:

Cinematographer Style (documentary), 2006.

RECORDINGS

Videos:

Photographer, "Turn This Mutha Out," MC Hammer: 2 Legit—The Videos, EMI Distribution, 2002.

Worked on the music video "Opportunity" by Bobby McFerrin, 1987; "Turn This Mutha Out" by MC Hammer, 1989; "Let the Bells Ring" by 7A3, 1989; "Scared of Guns" by John Wesley Harding, 1990; "Kill the Messenger " by Harding, 1992; "Smells like Nirvana" by "Weird Al" Yankovic, 1992; and "Summer Single" by Harding, 1993; directed more than 100 other music videos for James Brown, Dr. Dre, Easy E, Ice Cube, Barry White, and other artists; directed music video for Gerald Alston, 1994.