James Mae (they/them) is a local filmmaker, multimedia creative and owner/executive director of the filmmaking company Starlight Productions. They focus on fostering human connection through visual storytelling and uplifting LGBTQA and minority creatives through art. James began in traditional journalism but shifted to photography and filmmaking in 2025, with an emphasis on documentary work. They recently completed their first short documentary, Hidden in the Spotlight, which explores how local theater actors navigate family, love, and sacrifice in pursuit of their dreams. HITS was screened at D.C. Trans Pride and is an official selection for the Signal Film Festival in Silver Spring, MD, and a pride film festival happening in New Mexico in June. Their narrative credits include Bare (director of photography), which is also an official selection of the Signal Film Festival, and Women In Film In Video’s 48hr film festival project, Con-Joined at the Hip (director of photography). James is a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists D.C. Dateline Awards for The Art of Resistance, a photojournalism project documenting protest art in D.C. They are currently a PA on the Off The Hill Comedy Web Series and a contributing arts journalist for The Washington City Paper and the 51st. James received a B.A. in media studies from Wright State University and is pursuing a master's in journalism with a graduate certificate in screenwriting at Georgetown University.
