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James R. Bagdonas

James R. Bagdonas

Cinematographer, also actor · Born January 1, 1951 (75) · USA

Primetime Emmy nominee · 1 other major award body

James R. Bagdonas was born on 13 May 1951 in the USA. He is a cinematographer and director, known for Modern Family (2009), Chicago Hope (1994) and Hunter (1984).

Biography from IMDb.

Born
January 1, 1951 (75)
From
USA
Works as
Cinematographer, also actor
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 35 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

What are James R. Bagdonas' films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 35th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove 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
Self
26%
Morality
26%
Bonds
24%
Survival
11%
Power
7%
Society
4%
Ideas
2%
Purpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 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 5 · Serious 2 · Dark 4

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

Grounded 7 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 2 · Charged 6 · Intense 3

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

Steady 3 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

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 7 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 2

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 6 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

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 5 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 3

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Absurd
4
Melancholic
4
Warm
4
Hopeful
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Unsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteInfuriating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous3

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 R. Bagdonas' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (12).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James R. Bagdonas' titles on MovieCove; 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

35 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page.

  • Matlock(2024)

    Show 23 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Maggie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 12 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23(2012)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Modern Family(2009)

    Show 250 episodes · Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Boston Legal(2004)

    Show 78 episodes · Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Scenes of the Crime(2001)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Van Wilder(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Slackers(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • The Guardian(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Cruel Intentions 2(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Deadly Look of Love(2000)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Brotherhood of Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Cinematographer

  • Love Songs(1999)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Hidden in America(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Dare to Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Cinematographer

  • In the Name of Love: A Texas Tragedy(1995)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Come Die with Me: A Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Mystery (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Cinematographer

  • Chicago Hope (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman(1993)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • American Heart(1992)

    Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Silk Stalkings(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Conagher(1991)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Tomcat Angels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Cinematographer

  • Desert Bloom(1986)

    First Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Hunter(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Mike's Murder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Assistant Camera

  • Nice Dreams(1981)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Charli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • Insatiable (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Racquet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    First Assistant Camera

  • Summer School (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Cinematographer

  • Teeny Buns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Cinematographer

  • Jokes My Folks Never Told Me (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Assistant Camera

  • Meatcleaver Massacre(1976)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Drive in Massacre(1976)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 35 titles from 1976 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Van Wilder (2002)

$38M worldwide

Highest rated

Conagher (1991)

Midcredits 85th

Most popular right now

Matlock (2024)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 35: 1 only acting, 0 with another roleDirecting6 of 35: 4 only directing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndProducing1 of 35: 0 only producing, 1 with another roleCinematography24 of 35: 21 only cinematography, 3 with another role · typical Midcredits score60thOther crew6 of 35: 6 only other crew, 0 with another role

35 titles, 3 with more than one role — cinematography and directing overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1970s6 · 1 acting · 5 crew1980s6 · crew1990s12 · crew2000s8 · crew2010s1 · crew2020s2 · 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 MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

5 major nominations and no wins, 1994–1999.

  1. 1999
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Cinematography for a Series
  2. 1998
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Cinematography for a Series
  3. 1997
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Cinematography for a Series
  4. 1994
    • Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Cinematography

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 R. Bagdonas' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 39th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 22 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned2
  • Crowd Pleaser9
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · cinematographer

The Deadly Look of Love (2000)

75th percentile spread · 34% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director, cinematographer

Modern Family (2009)

Midcredits 96th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 54/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 64, detractors 28. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; 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 MovieCove 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 R. Bagdonas' work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 54 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does James R. Bagdonas work with?

People who share at least 2 of James R. Bagdonas' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jeff Bridges shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers