James Bamford (stunt coordinator)

James Bamford, also known by the nickname "BamBam", is a Canadian film & television director, who was the sole "directing producer" of the series Arrow and directed 17 episodes of the series including multiple premieres, season finales, crossovers and the series finale.[1] He started his career in the film and television industry as a stuntman and fight choreographer with his martial arts experience as his entry skill set. He continued on in his career to become a stunt coordinator, 2nd unit director, then director, and directing producer/executive producer.

James Bamford
Promotional photo of James Bamford
NationalityCanadian
Other namesBamBam, Bam
Occupations
Years active1990–present

James Bamford was president and on the executive board of Stunts Canada, an invitation-only organisation for stunt professionals, for three consecutive two-year terms.[2] Stunts Canada is the oldest and largest stunt association in Canada.

Biography

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Bamford was born in Victoria, British Columbia, and presently lives and works out of Vancouver, Canada.[3]

Awards, nominations, medals

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James Bamford has won two Leo Awards for Stunt Coordination, as well as a nomination in 2010 for Best Stunt Coordination in a Dramatic Series for the Stargate Universe episode "Air".[4] The Leo Awards celebrate excellence in film and television in British Columbia. In 2013, Bamford won the Leo Award for Best Stunt Coordination in a Television Movie for Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.[5] In 2016 he, along with colleagues JJ Makaro, Eli Zagoudakis, and Curtis Braconnier, won the Leo Award for Best Stunt Coordination in a Dramatic Series for the Arrow episode, Brotherhood, in which Bamford made his directorial debut. His directing efforts on the Brotherhood episode were also rewarded with a Leo Award nomination for Best Director in a Dramatic Series.[6]

Bamford was a stunt coordinator on the movie Ek Tha Tiger which won Best Action at the Times of India Film Awards in 2013.[7]

While working as a Juvenile Corrections Officer in Victoria, Bamford won a bronze medal for Team Canada for the Karate-Kumite division in the 1991 World Police and Fire Games, in Memphis, USA.[8]

Career

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Bamford has been a stunt double for many actors, including Benicio Del Toro, Mickey Rourke and David Duchovny, and worked as a stunt performer and stunt coordinator on TV shows from The X-Files to Arrow, and films including Final Destination, The Chronicles of Riddick and X-Men 2. He is best known for his work on Arrow, and has appeared at many fan conventions in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia including San Diego Comic-Con.

James Bamford appeared as a subject in the 2014 Vancouver Creatives exhibition by Vancouver Biennale (VnB), comprising portraits of 22 creative Vancouverites [9] and sponsored by the magazine Vancouver is Awesome.[10] The photographs were an example of collaborative Calotype photography and James Bamford was selected as a result of a public vote.

Interviews

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In 2020, James Bamford was a guest on the Positive Solace podcast with BBC journalist Attika Choudhary [11]

In 2018, Canada's The Globe and Mail profiled James Bamford.[12]

Joseph Mallozzi, producer of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, hosted a Q&A to Bamford on his Wordpress blog in 2008, and called him "the fearless one".[13]

Premiere Scene interviewed Bamford about stunt coordination at the London Film and Comic Con.[14]

Bamford was a presenter at the Leo Awards in 2012.[15]

Next Level Radio[16] interviewed James Bamford, where he says that "a stunt performer has a 100% likelihood of being injured."[17]

DC Entertainment's DC All Access went behind the scenes on the TV show Arrow in April 2014, where James Bamford demonstrates some stunt action.[18]

Bamford was the fight coordinator on the Arrow stunt team, which was hailed by Entertainment Weekly as the Most Likely to Earn Someone an Emmy in their 5th Annual Season Finale Awards, 2014.[19]

Filmography

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This is only a small selection of James Bamford's roles, as in June 2014 he had 424 entries at IMDB.[20]

Year Film Role
1994 M.A.N.T.I.S. Stunt performer
1995 Sliders Stunt performer;
Stunt double for Jerry O'Connell
The Outer Limits Stunt performer
1996 Poltergeist: The Legacy Stunt coordinator (cover days)
Two Stunt double for Lochlyn Munro
1997 Dead Man's Gun: My Brother's Keeper Stunt performer
Nightman Stunt double
Agent Aldrich
1998 Cold Squad Stunt performer
Welcome to Paradox Stunt double for Ice-T
Shattered Image Stunt double for William Baldwin
First Wave Stunt performer
1999 So Weird Stunt performer
Behind The Mask Stunt double for Matthew Fox
Harsh Realm Stunt double for D. B. Sweeney
The Sentinel Nick Ray
2000 Final Destination Stunt performer
Dark Angel Stunt double for Michael Weatherly;
Stunt double for William Gregory Lee
Call of the Wild Stunt double
Chain of Fools ER doctor
Stunt performer
2001 Smallville Stunt double
UC: Undercover Stunt double for William Forsythe
2002 Reign of Fire Stunt coordinator
John Doe Stunt performer
The Twilight Zone Stunt double
Jeremiah Stunt coordinator (2002–2004 – 34 episodes)
X2 Stunt performer for
Hugh Jackman;
Remy LeBeau / Gambit
(deleted scene)[21]
2003 Scary Movie 3 Stunt performer
2004 Stargate Atlantis Stunt coordinator (2004–2009 – 99 episodes)
Male Wraith
orderly
Stunt double for Joe Flanigan
The Butterfly Effect Stunt coordinator
Security Guard
Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed Martial arts coordinator
Stunt actor: Captain Cutler's Ghost
The Chronicles of Riddick Stunt performer
Blade: Trinity Stunt performer
Stargate SG-1 Eighth
Scary Movie 4 Stunt actor: soldier
2005 Stargate SG-1 Fight coordinator (2005–2007 – 5 episodes)
Stunt performer
Stunt double for Ben Browder
2006 X-Men: The Last Stand Stunt performer
Fallen Powers Angel
2007 In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale Stunt actor: Legionnaire
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem Stunt performer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Stunt performer
Stunt driver
Sanctuary Stunt coordinator (8 episodes)
War Stunt performer
Things We Lost in the Fire Stunt performer
A Dog's Breakfast Stunt coordinator
2008 Flash Gordon Stunt coordinator
Stunt performer
2009 Watchmen Stunt performer
Rampage Stunt coordinator
Stargate Universe Stunt coordinator (2009–2011 – 39 episodes)
2010 Shattered Stunt performer/double
2011 Mortal Kombat: Legacy Thug No. 2
Once Upon a Time The Black Knight
Apollo 18 Stunt coordinator
2012 Ek Tha Tiger Stunt coordinator
True Justice Stunt performer
Darko Thug No. 8
Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Stunt coordinator
Fringe Agent Murphy
Alcatraz White inmate
True Justice Stunt performer
Darko Thug No. 8
Arrow Fight choreographer (2012 – 7 episodes)
Stunt coordinator (2012–2013 – 23 episodes)
Fight coordinator (2012–2016 – 38 episodes)
Gunman #2 (Pilot episode)
Director (2015–2020 – 17 episodes)
Supervising stunt coordinator (2016–2017 – 21 episodes)
Producer (2017–2020)
2016 Supergirl Director ("Survivors")
2020 Batwoman Director ("If You Believe In Me, I Believe In You")
2021 NCIS: Hawaii Director ("Rescuers")
2024 Air Force One Down Director

References

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  1. ^ "James Bamford IMDB". www.imdb.com/name/nm0051466/. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  2. ^ "James Bamford STUNTS CANADA". www.stuntscanada.com. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. ^ "James Bamford | Stunts Canada".
  4. ^ "Leo Awards, 2010 Nominees by Name" (PDF). www.leoawards.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Leo Awards, 2013 Leo Awards Winners" (PDF). leoawards.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Leo Awards, 2016 Leo Awards Winners and Nominees" (PDF). leoawards.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  7. ^ "TOIFA 2013 Winners: Barfi! Wins Top Honors". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  8. ^ "Ask "BAMBAM" – Spoilers ALL seasons, all SG Shows/Movies [Archive] – GateWorld Forum". forum.gateworld.net. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  9. ^ "VNB " Vancouver Creatives". vnbphoto.com. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  10. ^ Photo, VNB (5 March 2014). "Vancouver Creatives: James Bamford". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  11. ^ "In Conversation with Filmmaker James Bamford". stitcher.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  12. ^ "James Bamford combines stunt performing, directing skills to be a go-to helmer for TV series Arrow". www.theglobeandmail.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  13. ^ "October 15, 2008: Stargate Atlantis Stunt Coordinator James "Bam Bam" Bamford Takes Your Best Shots". Josephmallozzi's Weblog. 15 October 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  14. ^ "James 'Bam Bam' Bamford - Stunt Coordinator Interview". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Leo Awards, 2012 Presenters". www.leoawards.com. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Next Level Radio". www.nextlevelradioonline.com. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  17. ^ "Next Level Radio Interview – 2 March 2014". YouTube. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  18. ^ "DC All Access: Taking Aim at Arrow". DC. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Season Finale Awards: 'Arrow' stunt team vows to do it even better". EW.com. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  20. ^ "James Bamford". IMDb. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  21. ^ Bamford filmed a scene as Gambit during the Dark Cerebro scene where he would blow up a table. This was later cut from the film, and was not included on the DVD release.
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