---
name: "James Takata"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/james-takata"
fi1m_id: "james-takata"
imdb_id: "nm1026856"
tmdb_id: 1198497
roles: ["Director"]
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 68
average_as: "director"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-23T13:15:07.479832+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 Takata

## Identity

James Takata

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/james-takata
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** james-takata
- **IMDb ID:** nm1026856
- **TMDB ID:** 1198497
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1026856/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1198497

Director. Born in Los Angeles, California.

## Details

- **Work:** Director
- **Active:** 2005–2016
- **Average Fi1m score:** 68, as director, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 60 (1), 2010s 76 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1026856/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1198497

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*This Is Us*](https://film.one/tv/this-is-us.md) (76)
- **Apple TV:** [*Criminal Minds*](https://film.one/tv/criminal-minds.md) (60)

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

## Biography

James Takata is an American cinematographer, director and writer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he received a scholarship to the Ryman Program for Young Artists in high school and earned a B.A. in Studio Art from the College of William and Mary, with studies at the Art Institute of Florence. He is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the International Cinematographers Guild Local 600.

Takata worked extensively as a camera operator and Steadicam operator on the series *This Is Us* (2016), also serving as director of photography on second unit and directing one episode. He has directed episodes of *Criminal Minds* (2005) and *The Company You Keep* (2023). His cinematography credits include eight episodes of *The Horror of Dolores Roach* (2023).

He directed and co-wrote the feature *California Scenario*, which premiered at the 2026 Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Takata has also directed documentaries and short films, and was selected for the Directors Guild of America's Director Development Mentorship Program in 2024.

*Sources: imdb.com, filmfreeway.com, j-sei.org.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *This Is Us* (2016), Fi1m 76, Director, Cinematography — [page](https://film.one/tv/this-is-us.md)
- *Criminal Minds* (2005), Fi1m 60, Director — [page](https://film.one/tv/criminal-minds.md)

## Complete filmography (7)

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

- *The Horror of Dolores Roach* (2023), series, Director of Photography
- *This Is Us* (2016), series, Camera Operator, Director of Photography, Director — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/this-is-us.md)
- *We the Parents* (2013), Director, Writer
- *Entity: Nine* (2006), First Assistant "A" Camera
- *Criminal Minds* (2005), series, Director — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/tv/criminal-minds.md)
- *The Failures* (2004), Additional Second Assistant Camera
- *Dead End* (2003), Camera Loader

---
© 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-takata