James Knight – Virtual Production Director for AMD

James Knight is the virtual production director for AMD, bringing a wealth of experience as a motion capture specialist and performance capture supervisor while working on films that include Avatar, The Amazing Spiderman, Prince Caspian, and I Am Legend, along with countless other projects. A resident of Los Angeles, California, James Knight is one of the most sought after professionals in his industry, specializing in motion capture, computer animation, post production, Maya, and Final Cut Pro, just to name a few.

1. What do you do in your spare time?

My line of work often involves a commitment to putting in 16 hours or more per day, so it’s quite rare that I have the kind of time needed to pursue a lot of different recreational activities. Fortunately, Los Angeles offers plenty of options for relaxing and unwinding, and I’m always interested in watching a new film or re-watching one of the many classics that have held up so well despite the passage of time.

2. What’s your favorite film?

There are so many films that have inspired me over the years, so I couldn’t possibly choose just one. I’ve always been particularly fond of “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad,” and “Jason and the Argonauts,” but there are just too many films I consider to be among my favorites to list them all here.

3. What’s the best advice you ever received?

There has been one piece of advice that has proven to be most valuable to me over the years, and it is something I have heard many times over from a number of different sources. Long before I ever began working in the film industry, I was advised to be mindful of the knowledge and expertise that I would have access to on a daily basis while working on any given film. As a result, I’ve always tried to take advantage of a potential educational opportunity, and I’ve always been more than willing to share my own insight and expertise with others as well.

4. What’s your favorite thing about working in your industry?

I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the most creative and innovative individuals in the film industry, and I’ll always deeply value the opportunity to collaborate with some of the great visionaries of our time.

5. What are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the contributions I’ve been able to make to the film industry over the years, and I believe that all of the films I have been a part of will continue to have a sizable impact on the manner in which future films are produced.