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James A. Contner

Director and cinematographer, also producer · Born June 12, 1974 (52)

Born
June 12, 1974 (52)
Works as
Director and cinematographer, also producer
Titles
60 on MovieCove · 87 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 37 days to Oct 26Up 7% in 30 days

What are James A. Contner's films like?

Across their 28 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 51st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 53rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Mystery2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Mystery movies
Thriller2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 13th percentile
: browse their Thriller 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
Morality
26%
Bonds
24%
Self
24%
Survival
13%
Power
7%
Society
5%
Ideas
1%
Justice10 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 26 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 13 · Serious 6 · Dark 7

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

Grounded 17 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 17 · Intense 4

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

Steady 16 · Shifting 9 · 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 18 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 17 · 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 14 · Engaged 11 · 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 12 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 4

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

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
18
Warm
10
Melancholic
9
Hopeful
7
Thrilling
7
Other
22

How their films linger

Fun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy17
  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous5
  • Cyclical1

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 A. Contner's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 60 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (19).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for James A. Contner's 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

87 credits, 60 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Rockshow(1980)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Dollhouse(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Ladies of the House(2008)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Shark Swarm(2008)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • You've Got a Friend(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Jane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Jane Doe: Ties That Bind(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • The Dresden Files(2007)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • In Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Killer Instinct (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty?(2005)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Jane Doe: Vanishing Act(2005)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Point Pleasant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Las Vegas(2003)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all shows

  • Firefly(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Dead Zone(2002)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Smallville(2001)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Star Trek: Enterprise(2001)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Dark Angel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Invisible Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Roswell(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Angel(1999)

    Show 13 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Charmed(1998)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • V.I.P. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Push (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • One Hot Summer Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director

  • Playing to Win: A Moment of Truth Movie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Director · Co-Executive Producer

  • Prey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie(1998)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Pensacola: Wings of Gold(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all shows

  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer(1997)

    Show 20 episodes · Director · Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Touched By Evil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Director

  • Abduction of Innocence(1996)

    Director · Supervising Producer

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Dark Skies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • She Woke Up Pregnant(1996)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • When Friendship Kills (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • American Gothic(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Hercules: The Legendary Journeys(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Hawkeye(1994)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • The Cover Girl Murders(1993)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all shows

  • SeaQuest 2032(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • The X-Files(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Key West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Raven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Mann & Machine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Return of Eliot Ness(1991)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • I'll Fly Away (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Reasonable Doubts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Sisters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 5 episodes · Director

  • The Ten Million Dollar Getaway(1991)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Hitler's Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Director

  • The Flash(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Gabriel's Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Island Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Hard Time on Planet Earth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Unsub (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Midnight Caller (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • Monkey Shines(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Wiseguy(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • 21 Jump Street(1987)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Let's Get Harry(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Heat(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Crime Story(1986)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Crime Story: Pilot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • The Equalizer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • The Last Dragon(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Flamingo Kid(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Miami Vice(1984)

    Show 8 episodes · Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Where the Boys Are(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • Jaws 3-D(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Tough Enough(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Eddie Macon's Run(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • On Golden Pond(1981)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • So Fine(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Nighthawks(1981)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • It's My Turn(1980)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Times Square(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • Gilda Live(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Cruising(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Just Tell Me What You Want(1980)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Superman(1978)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Brink's Job(1978)

    Additional Photography

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • The Wiz(1978)

    Camera Operator

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Jaws(1975)

    Assistant Camera

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Crazy Joe(1974)

    Camera Intern

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 87 titles from 1974 to 2013.

Biggest box office

Jaws 3-D (1983)

$88M worldwide

Highest rated

The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993)

Midcredits 90th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing63 of 87: 58 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thProducing3 of 87: 0 only producing, 3 with another roleCinematography17 of 87: 15 only cinematography, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score52ndOther crew9 of 87: 9 only other crew, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score61st

87 titles, 5 with more than one role — directing and cinematography overlap on 2 of them.

By decade

1970s5 · crew1980s27 · crew1990s35 · crew2000s19 · crew2010s1 · 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.

How do James A. Contner's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 52nd percentile, the median of all 36; across their 26 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 48th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Reach · how many have seen their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 26

Midcredits score across 60 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

25 of their 60 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved9
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser25
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed20

Most divisive · director

You've Got a Friend (2007)

86th percentile spread · 26% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Firefly (2002)

Midcredits 98th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 56/100 and the pacing 44/100 in their films, across 21 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 A. Contner's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles68–94 · median 88 · severeheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles14–62 · median 26 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity5 titles43–86 · median 73 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 32 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 71 · intenseMedian 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 A. Contner work with?

People who share at least 2 of James A. Contner's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Larry Levinson shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers