James Riley, Co-Founder and Producer
James Riley has been working in key creative and leadership positions in the Hollywood and European film industries since 2012. He received his M.Litt in International Relations from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, UK and his MFA in Writing for Screen and Television from Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA.
James has taken notes on all his scripts from seasoned Hollywood screenwriters, including Simpsons’ writers, Emmy Winners, and Steven Spielberg-produced writers.
He has also worked as Press and Book Producer, Music and Soundtrack, Assistant Director, and Production Manager on a variety of award-winning film projects in Hollywood and Europe. For his work, he has won two Golden Remis, among other awards.
James has also taught a variety of film and cinema courses at various universities across the United States, teaching all aspects of writing, screenwriting, directing, and producing. He is currently a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University.
He hopes to create a meaningful stories that impact — and thrill — audiences globally in a positive way. He believes in the healing and transformative power of cinema and visual storytelling.
PEYOTE will be his directorial debut.
Our Team
Chris Hirschhäuser, Co-Founder and Producer
Chris Hirschhäuser is an award-winning German cinematographer. He has been working as a DP (after a career as a still photographer) and has worked on a variety of award-winning feature-length films, music videos, and commercials since 2011. He shot his first feature in 2013 and -- since then -- has built over 28 film credits as DP. His last feature TOPRAK has been presented at over 100 international film festivals. Chris has received 5 awards for his DP work in TOPRAK, including at Woods Hole Film Festival, Ischia Film Festival, Oceanside Film Festival, Sherman Oaks Film Festival, etc. He currently has three films in post-production.
Chris' vision is a calm, precise image composition which supports the mood and story of the film. He loves working on projects with great stories and visionary teams. He's excited to work on PEYOTE — displaying the beauty and cruelty of the Arizona deserts — as DP.
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2408878/