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James Schamus

James Schamus

Producer and writer, also director · Born September 7, 1959 (67) · Detroit, Michigan, USA

BAFTA Award winner · Oscar nominee · 6 other major award bodies

James Allan Schamus (born September 7, 1959) is an American screenwriter, producer, business executive, film historian, professor, and director. He is a frequent collaborator of Ang Lee, the co-founder of the production company Good Machine, and the co-founder and former CEO of motion picture production, financing, and worldwide distribution company Focus Features, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal. He is currently president of the New York–based production company Symbolic Exchange and is Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University, where he has taught film history and theory since 1989. Schamus was born in Detroit, Michigan, to a Jewish family.He is the son of Clarita (Gershowitz) Karlin and Julian John Schamus and was raised in Los Angeles. He is married to writer Nancy Kricorian, with whom he has two children. His output includes writing or co-writing The Ice Storm, Eat, Drink, Man, Woman, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Hulk (all directed by Ang Lee) and producing Brokeback Mountain and Alone in Berlin. At Focus he oversaw the production and distribution of Lost in Translation, Milk, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Coraline, and The Kids Are All Right. In addition to his tenure at Columbia University, he has also taught at Yale University and at Rutgers University. He is the author of Carl Theodor Dreyer's Gertrud: The Moving Word, published by the University of Washington Press. He earned his BA, MA, and Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Berkeley. Schamus made his feature directorial debut with Indignation, an adaptation of Philip Roth's novel of the same name. Schamus also wrote the script for the film, which stars Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, and Tracy Letts, and is the story of a Jewish student at an Ohio college in 1951. The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was theatrically released by Roadside Attractions on July 29, 2016. He was president of the jury for the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. He has also been on the jury of the New York International Children's Film Festival and has served on the editorial boards of Film Quarterly and Cinema Journal, as well as on the board of Creative Capital and the Heyman Centre for the Humanities. Description above from the Wikipedia article Stephen Rosenbaum, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 7, 1959 (67)
From
Detroit, Michigan, USA
Works as
Producer and writer, also director
Titles
45 on Motif · 65 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 20% in 30 days

What are James Schamus' films like?

Across their 43 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy17 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama13 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 75th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 33rd percentile
: browse their Documentary movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
30%
Self
23%
Society
15%
Survival
13%
Power
11%
Morality
6%
Ideas
2%
Family bonds15 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation11 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCorruption3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 41 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 17 · Serious 6 · Dark 18

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 25 · Stylized 14 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 14 · Charged 16 · Intense 11

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 23 · Shifting 16 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 19 · Some laughs 18 · Funny 4

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 26 · Even-paced 14 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 16 · Engaged 22 · Full focus 3

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 13 · Affecting 12 · Heavy 16

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 20 · Open-ended 12 · Ambiguous 9

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
24
Melancholic
17
Contemplative
14
Warm
12
Bittersweet
9
Other
47

How their films linger

Thought-provoking14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet18
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous9
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch James Schamus' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 28 of their 45 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (14).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James Schamus' titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

65 credits, 45 with a Motif page; 11 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Boroughs(2026)

    Show 8 episodes · Consulting Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Son-in-Law(2026)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • The Wedding Banquet(2025)

    Original Film Writer · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • McVeigh(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • We Grown Now(2023)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms(2023)

    Script Consultant

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The King's Daughter(2022)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Somos.(2021)

    Show 6 episodes · Creator · Executive Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Driveways(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Assistant(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • 30/30 Vision: 3 Decades of Strand Releasing(2019)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Frames (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · as Narrator (voice)

  • Adam(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Tomorrow Man(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Furlough(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Benji(2018)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Dayveon(2017)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Casting JonBenet(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • A Prayer Before Dawn(2017)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A Retrospective (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Indignation(2016)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Junction 48 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2016)

    Executive Producer

  • Alone in Berlin(2016)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Suffragette(2015)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • That Film About Money (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2014)

    Director · Producer · Writer · Actor

  • We the Economy: 20 Short Films You Can't Afford to Miss(2014)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Taking Woodstock(2009)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Lust, Caution(2007)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Brokeback Mountain(2005)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Hulk(2003)

    Producer · Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Buffalo Soldiers(2001)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Auto Focus(2002)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Tortilla Soup(2001)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon(2000)

    Executive Producer · Lyricist · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Love God (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Executive Producer

  • Ride with the Devil(1999)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Lola and Billy the Kid (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1999)

    Executive Producer

  • Happiness(1998)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Office Killer(1997)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Wonderland (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    Executive Producer

  • The Ice Storm(1997)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Myth of Fingerprints(1997)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Arresting Gena (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    Executive Producer

  • She's the One(1996)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Walking and Talking(1996)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Sense and Sensibility(1995)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Brothers McMullen(1995)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Roy Cohn/Jack Smith (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1995)

    Producer

  • Safe(1995)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • What Happened Was...(1994)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Eat Drink Man Woman(1994)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • A Psychic Mom (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    Coordinating Producer

  • The Wedding Banquet(1993)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • MOTV (My Own TV) (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)

    Coordinating Producer

  • In the Soup(1992)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Ambition (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Producer

  • Thank You and Good Night (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Producer

  • Surviving Desire (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    Associate Producer

  • Pushing Hands (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Executive Producer · Writer

  • Warrior: The Life of Leonard Peltier (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Executive Producer

  • I Was on Mars (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Line Producer

  • Poison(1991)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Keep It for Yourself (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1991)

    Actor

  • Fatale (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

  • The Spacesuit (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Producer

Career shape

A full career of 62 titles, 60 of them dated from 1991 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Hulk (2003)

$245M worldwide

Highest rated

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 62: 2 only acting, 2 with another roleDirecting4 of 62: 1 only directing, 3 with another roleWriting18 of 62: 3 only writing, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thProducing55 of 62: 40 only producing, 15 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thOther crew1 of 62: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

62 titles, 16 with more than one role — producing and writing overlap on 15 of them.

By decade

1990s29 · 1 acting · 28 crew2000s8 · crew2010s13 · 3 acting · 12 crew2020s10 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

a BAFTA Award and 4 other major awards from 19 major nominations, 1994–2016.

WinNomination
  1. 2016
    • Berlinale award, nominated
  2. 2008
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Film Not in the English Language
  3. 2006
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Motion Picture of the Year
    • BAFTA Award, won · Best Film
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Producers Guild Award, won · Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Feature
  4. 2003
    • Writers Guild Award, won
  5. 2002
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
  6. 2001
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Music, Original Song
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Screenplay - Adapted
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
  7. 1998
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Screenplay - Adapted
    • +1 other major body · 1 nomination
      • Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
  8. 1997
    • Cannes award, won
Show 2 earlier years
  1. 1995
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Feature
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
  2. 1994
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Feature
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do James Schamus' films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 65th percentile, the median of all 43; across their 41 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 63rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Approval · how many liked their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Reach · how many have seen their films

87thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 41

Midcredits score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th17
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

21 of their 45 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Crowd Pleaser21
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · producer

Adam (2019)

89th percentile spread · 62% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer, producer

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 58/100 and the plot and story 47/100 in their films, across 39 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is James Schamus' work okay for kids?

Across up to 24 Motif titles with content scores, sex & nudity, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore18 titles3–82 · median 52 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity24 titles17–77 · median 44 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity19 titles18–74 · median 54 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs17 titles8–63 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense15 titles15–83 · median 55 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does James Schamus work with?

People who share at least 2 of James Schamus' Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ted Hope shares the most, 12.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles