"When I was a kid, I always dreamt of becoming a filmmaker to tell stories. Now every time I pick up my camera, that dream becomes a reality."
Born in Rhode Island and raised in South Carolina, James has been a professional photographer and graphic designer since 2018. At fourteen (in 2014), he taught himself to use Photoshop and has since become an expert in photo editing and all things digital design. What drives James is the passion he has for cinema, pop culture, and Jesus.
He said "I never been more passionate about anything in my life. In my opinion, there is no better feeling than having a vision and seeing it come to life through photography or filmmaking. My favorite aspect of this job is meeting new people and sharing my experience and excitement with others who are also passionate".
I hope to do what I love for the rest of my life. If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.
James Maynard Jr
Carolina Forest High, Myrtle Beach, SC
Discovering Purpose
In 2020, James began learning the art of filmmaking. He always had a love for cinema, but it wasn't until a high school English project, did he realize he was born to be a filmmaker. In 2017, for James' English class, an assignment required students to film a video with a deep message and show it in front of the class.
James worked with two other people on the project. He can only recall one of their names. The one being, Kevin. James said "Man, Kevin really made the film. His comedic timing was crucial to making the project successful." Of course this wasn't a 'real' short film (James' words) , just a video project for class. James says without that project, he may have never discovered his true purpose. For that, he thanks his teacher Mrs. FD (FormyDuval).
She was one of his favorite teachers saying, "Mrs. FD was not only a great teacher but someone with a good heart. She was known all around for how she treated her students as equals. I believe the reason she was so respected was just that. She always gave respect and got it right back. From everyone, even the 'bad' kids treated her with respect." James said she was the nicest teacher he has ever had.
Her kindness was crucial for him to take school seriously, and find a love for English class. A subject he formerly hated.
DREAM BIG
In 2022, James decided to pursue his dream of becoming a filmmaker. He wanted to make sure he could learn everything there was about filmmaking. He chose a year long course from NYU Tisch. This worked out great for him. James learned everything he needed to get starting in the film industry. "I wanted to learn what college had to offer, but I didn't want to be in debt the rest of my life. So I found this online course that offered the subject I wanted to learn without all the unnecessary fluff of a traditional 4-year college.
James received a scholarship from NYU Tisch and YellowBrick Learn, by submitting an essay. His essay highlighted his passion and dedication for the art of film and cinema. James wore his heart on his sleeve with the essay, granting him the scholarship of his dreams. With his certificate he was able to land multiple film jobs. Now he working on a Christian film studio, 14:6 Films. He aims to create compelling stories rich with emotion, while spreading the gospel.
james' certificate circa 2023
HIS first film interview