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
Occupation
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

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

Awards, nominations, medals

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

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 USA, 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

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

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

YearFilmRole
1994M.A.N.T.I.S.Stunt performer
1995SlidersStunt performer;
Stunt double for Jerry O'Connell
The Outer LimitsStunt performer
1996Poltergeist: The LegacyStunt coordinator (cover days)
TwoStunt double for Lochlyn Munro
1997Dead Man's Gun: My Brother's KeeperStunt performer
NightmanStunt double
Agent Aldrich
1998Cold SquadStunt performer
Welcome to ParadoxStunt double for Ice-T
Shattered ImageStunt double for William Baldwin
First WaveStunt performer
1999So WeirdStunt performer
Behind The MaskStunt double for Matthew Fox
Harsh RealmStunt double for D. B. Sweeney
The SentinelNick Ray
2000Final DestinationStunt performer
Dark AngelStunt double for Michael Weatherly;
Stunt double for William Gregory Lee
Call of the WildStunt double
Chain of FoolsER doctor
Stunt performer
2001SmallvilleStunt double
UC: UndercoverStunt double for William Forsythe
2002Reign of FireStunt coordinator
John DoeStunt performer
The Twilight ZoneStunt double
JeremiahStunt coordinator (2002–2004 – 34 episodes)
X2Stunt performer for
Hugh Jackman;
Remy LeBeau / Gambit
(deleted scene)[21]
2003Scary Movie 3Stunt performer
2004Stargate AtlantisStunt coordinator (2004–2009 – 99 episodes)
Male Wraith
orderly
Stunt double for Joe Flanigan
The Butterfly EffectStunt coordinator
Security Guard
Scooby Doo 2: Monsters UnleashedMartial arts coordinator
Stunt actor: Captain Cutler's Ghost
The Chronicles of RiddickStunt performer
Blade: TrinityStunt performer
Stargate SG-1Eighth
Scary Movie 4Stunt actor: soldier
X-Men: The Last StandStunt performer
2005Stargate SG-1Fight coordinator (2005–2007 – 5 episodes)
Stunt performer
Stunt double for Ben Browder
2006FallenPowers Angel
2007In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege TaleStunt actor: Legionnaire
Aliens vs. Predator: RequiemStunt performer
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferStunt performer
Stunt driver
SanctuaryStunt coordinator (8 episodes)
WarStunt performer
Things We Lost in the FireStunt performer
A Dog's BreakfastStunt coordinator
2008Flash GordonStunt coordinator
Stunt performer
2009WatchmenStunt performer
RampageStunt coordinator
Stargate UniverseStunt coordinator (2009–2011 – 39 episodes)
2010ShatteredStunt performer/double
2011Mortal Kombat: LegacyThug No. 2
Once Upon a TimeThe Black Knight
Apollo 18Stunt coordinator
2012Ek Tha TigerStunt coordinator
True JusticeStunt performer
Darko Thug No. 8
Halo 4: Forward Unto DawnStunt coordinator
FringeAgent Murphy
AlcatrazWhite inmate
True JusticeStunt performer
Darko Thug No. 8
ArrowFight 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)
2016SupergirlDirector ("Survivors")
2020BatwomanDirector ("If You Believe In Me, I Believe In You")

References
  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. https://stuntscanada.com/james-bamford/
  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. 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". 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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