---
name: "James A. Contner"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/james-a-contner"
fi1m_id: "james-a-contner"
imdb_id: "nm0176448"
tmdb_id: 104876
wikidata_id: "Q764497"
roles: ["Director"]
born: "12 June 1974"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 9
average_fi1m_score: 77
average_as: "director"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-10-04T18:11:04.773419+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# James A. Contner

## Identity

James A. Contner

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/james-a-contner
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** james-a-contner
- **IMDb ID:** nm0176448
- **TMDB ID:** 104876
- **Wikidata ID:** Q764497
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Contner, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q764497, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0176448/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/104876

Director. Born 12 June 1974 in United States.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Born:** 12 June 1974, United States
- **Active:** 1975–2009
- **Also known as:** Jim Contner
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 9: 6 directing, 3 crew
- **Frequently works with:** [Marita Grabiak](https://film.one/person/marita-grabiak.md), [David Solomon](https://film.one/person/david-solomon.md), [Drew Z. Greenberg](https://film.one/person/drew-z-greenberg.md), [Jane Espenson](https://film.one/person/jane-espenson.md), [Joss Whedon](https://film.one/person/joss-whedon.md), [Steven S. DeKnight](https://film.one/person/steven-s-deknight.md), [Terrence O'Hara](https://film.one/person/terrence-ohara.md), [Tim Minear](https://film.one/person/tim-minear.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 77, as director, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 93 (1), 1980s 63 (3), 1990s 82 (2), 2000s 72 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 72 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 4 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 5, Sci-Fi & Fantasy 5, Action & Adventure 3, Crime 2, Comedy 1, Mystery 1
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Contner, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q764497, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0176448/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/104876

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*The X-Files*](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md) (84), [*Firefly*](https://film.one/tv/firefly.md) (83), [*Buffy the Vampire Slayer*](https://film.one/tv/buffy-the-vampire-slayer.md) (80), [*Smallville*](https://film.one/tv/smallville.md) (66)
- **Tubi:** [*Miami Vice*](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md) (81)
- **Netflix:** [*Jaws 3-D*](https://film.one/film/jaws-3-d.md) (36)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## On Fi1m (9)

### Directed (6) — the average rests on these

- *Dollhouse* (2009), Fi1m 66, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/dollhouse.md)
- *Firefly* (2002), Fi1m 83, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/firefly.md)
- *Smallville* (2001), Fi1m 66, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/smallville.md)
- *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (1997), Fi1m 80, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/buffy-the-vampire-slayer.md)
- *The X-Files* (1993), Fi1m 84, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)
- *Miami Vice* (1984), Fi1m 81, Director, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)

### Crew (3)

- *Jaws 3-D* (1983), Fi1m 36, Cinematography, Director of Photography — [page](https://film.one/film/jaws-3-d.md)
- *On Golden Pond* (1981), Fi1m 72, Camera Operator — [page](https://film.one/film/on-golden-pond.md)
- *Jaws* (1975), Fi1m 93, Assistant Camera — [page](https://film.one/film/jaws.md)

## Complete filmography (87)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Rockshow* (2013), Camera Operator
- *Dollhouse* (2009), series, Director — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/dollhouse.md)
- *Ladies of the House* (2008), Director
- *Shark Swarm* (2008), Director
- *You've Got a Friend* (2007), Director
- *Jane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss* (2007), Director
- *Jane Doe: Ties That Bind* (2007), Director
- *The Dresden Files* (2007), series, Director
- *In Justice* (2006), series, Director
- *Killer Instinct* (2005), series, Director
- *McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty?* (2005), Director
- *Jane Doe: Vanishing Act* (2005), Director
- *Point Pleasant* (2005), series, Director
- *Las Vegas* (2003), series, Director
- *Firefly* (2002), series, Director — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/tv/firefly.md)
- *The Dead Zone* (2002), series, Director
- *Smallville* (2001), series, Director — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/smallville.md)
- *Star Trek: Enterprise* (2001), series, Director
- *Dark Angel* (2000), series, Director
- *The Invisible Man* (2000), series, Director
- *Roswell* (1999), series, Director
- *Angel* (1999), series, Director
- *Charmed* (1998), series, Director
- *V.I.P.* (1998), series, Director
- *Push* (1998), series, Director
- *One Hot Summer Night* (1998), Director
- *Playing to Win: A Moment of Truth Movie* (1998), Co-Executive Producer, Director
- *Prey* (1998), series, Director
- *A Champion's Fight* (1998), Director
- *Pensacola: Wings of Gold* (1997), series, Director
- *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (1997), series, Director, Co-Producer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/buffy-the-vampire-slayer.md)
- *Touched By Evil* (1997), Director
- *Abduction of Innocence* (1996), Director, Supervising Producer
- *Dark Skies* (1996), series, Director
- *She Woke Up Pregnant* (1996), Director
- *When Friendship Kills* (1996), Director
- *American Gothic* (1995), series, Director
- *Hercules: The Legendary Journeys* (1995), series, Director
- *Hawkeye (The First Frontier)* (1994), series, Director
- *The Cover Girl Murders* (1993), Director
- *Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman* (1993), series, Director
- *seaQuest DSV* (1993), series, Director
- *The X-Files* (1993), series, Director — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)
- *The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.* (1993), series, Director
- *Key West* (1993), series, Director
- *Raven* (1992), series, Director
- *Mann & Machine* (1992), series, Director
- *The Return of Eliot Ness* (1991), Director
- *I'll Fly Away* (1991), series, Director
- *Reasonable Doubts* (1991), series, Director
- *Sisters* (1991), series, Director
- *The 10 Million Dollar Getaway* (1991), Director
- *Hitler's Daughter* (1990), Director
- *The Flash* (1990), series, Director
- *Gabriel's Fire* (1990), series, Director
- *Island Son* (1989), series, Director
- *Hard Time on Planet Earth* (1989), series, Director
- *Unsub* (1989), series, Director
- *Midnight Caller* (1988), series, Director
- *Monkey Shines* (1988), Director of Photography
- *Wiseguy* (1987), series, Director
- *21 Jump Street* (1987), series, Director
- *Let's Get Harry* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Heat* (1986), Director of Photography
- *Crime Story* (1986), series, Director, Director of Photography
- *Crime Story: Pilot* (1986), Director of Photography
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, Director
- *The Last Dragon* (1985), Director of Photography
- *The Flamingo Kid* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Miami Vice* (1984), series, Director, Director of Photography — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/miami-vice.md)
- *Where the Boys Are* (1984), Director of Photography
- *Jaws 3-D* (1983), Director of Photography — Fi1m 36, [page](https://film.one/film/jaws-3-d.md)
- *Tough Enough* (1983), Director of Photography
- *Eddie Macon's Run* (1983), Director of Photography
- *On Golden Pond* (1981), Camera Operator — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/on-golden-pond.md)
- *So Fine* (1981), Director of Photography
- *Nighthawks* (1981), Director of Photography
- *It's My Turn* (1980), Camera Operator
- *Times Square* (1980), Director of Photography
- *Gilda Live* (1980), Cinematography
- *Cruising* (1980), Director of Photography
- *Just Tell Me What You Want* (1980), Camera Operator
- *Superman* (1978), Camera Operator
- *The Brink's Job* (1978), Additional Photography
- *The Wiz* (1978), Camera Operator
- *Jaws* (1975), Assistant Camera — Fi1m 93, [page](https://film.one/film/jaws.md)
- *Crazy Joe* (1974), Camera Intern

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/james-a-contner