Meet James

I've been making things my whole life!

It started with flip books and comic strips in grade school—I even talked my way into getting them listed in the school library's card catalog. My first creative gig, at the age of 10!

Hanging out at my dad's architectural firm back in Toronto gave me an early appreciation for spaces, structure, and the way light moves through a room. Always looking for the frame, the angle, the story. It all shaped how I see the world—a relentless inspiration to sketch the beauty and form in the environment around me.

That eye for design became a career. I launched The Ship's Wake, built websites and brands, and learned that the work is always about people—every project a partnership, every deadline a promise kept.

That foundation led to a 16-year corporate career as an animator, video producer, and creative lead—hands-on in the work while managing design teams and producing executive-level video content for a Fortune 500 company.

That spirit took me west to Washington's Olympic Peninsula, where I put down roots and launched Ship's Wake Media on the rugged Pacific coast—the water, the wooden boats, and the light, or the lack of it at times. I built something real there, and I'm proud of it.

But the light kept calling. So my wife Denise and I packed up the three dogs, the three pianos (don't ask), and the cat, and followed it south to Scottsdale, Arizona—where the desert sun does things to a room, a landscape, a moment that a photographer waits a lifetime to chase. It's a new chapter and a new name: Falling Light Media. Backed by 24 years of creative leadership, a proven eye for visual storytelling, and the hard-earned title of Creative Director, this is where I'm building something that lasts.