PROFESSOR

James E. Balls

Film Professor / Film Director & Editor

View My Teaching Philosophy
Professor James E. Balls

Teaching Philosophy

My core objectives in teaching are to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills in students and to spark their enthusiasm for life-long learning. My objective for my students is to emphasize the importance of approaching the discipline of Film Studies within a framework that is consistent with the highest critical approaches to history, criticism, theory, and production.

My philosophical approach to teaching is grounded in the theoretical and empirical knowledge that I have gained as a film practitioner and educator. My experience as a practitioner spans over 25 years as a director and editor in independent film and television. Due to this, I possess insight that comes with knowing the fundamentals, trends, and concerns of the craft of filmmaking.

My successes and experiences facilitate my ability to provide our Hampton University students with a high-quality film education that will enable them to succeed in transitioning to employment or graduate film school.

Courses Taught

Introduction to Motion Pictures

Introduction to Filmmaking

Television Writing, Writing and Producing for New Media

Professional Internship

Written Communication II

Independent Study

Film Production & Editing Experiences

Freelance Editor 1996-1998
Discovery Communications, Bethesda

Formatted and reversioned shows for Animal Planet and The Travel Channel using Avid Media Composer.

Associate Editor 2003-2004
WNET Thirteen New York, NY

Assisted in the offline editing of the Emmy Award winning, four-part PBS series, “Slavery and Making of America”. Worked closely with Series Producer and Producers to organize workflow systems.

Producer and Editor 2011-2013
Duke University, Durham, NC

Produced and edited the nonfiction short, “Can We Talk?: Bridges the Humanities and the Social Sciences”.

Assistant Producer 2012
National Black Programming Consortium, New York, NY,

Shot and assisted with nonlinear editing of five short web segments for the PBS series “DC Met: Life Inside School Reform”.

Producer/Editor 2014
National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc. Washington, DC

Produced and edited the four-nonfiction segments to highlight the plight of caregiving from an African American perspective.

Assistant Director 2021
“Woman Beyond Influence”, Washington, DC, Post Production

Served as Assistant Director of a narrative short suspense detailing the experience of an African American woman and her troubled marriage.

Student Evaluations

“I think that he has done very well for his first year. He knows a lot of history film and made me think more on film outside of class. He is also very passionate about his work as well.”

Intro to Motion Pictures

Fall 2019

“I’m unsure how this course operated in person, but having it online allowed for a lot of discussion about our assignments. It also allowed the class to connect more because we were sharing and understanding one another’s opinions. Phenomenal professor!”

Intro to Motion Pictures

Fall 2020

“Best professor I’ve taken”

Intro to Film Criticism

Fall 2019

“I have enjoyed what I have learned and what Professor Balls has been able to do in this course. Although it did take a while for the course to get rolling, I have still been able to learn from the discussions, videos, and written assignments that we had to do. I will say that in order to succeed in this course, you have to know the exact answers that Professor Balls says when you take his tests. That might be hard for some students that might take him in the future. Otherwise, he has been a great help and has done a great job as an instructor in this course.”

Film Direction and Editing

Spring 2021

“As an elective class, I’ve throughly enjoyed the process of writing a television show. The creative process was the most interesting because it has really forced me to be more creative and think outside the box for the show I’m working on in the class. Also with me being a journalism student this class has helped me with learning more writing skills which I’ve been able to use to bring stories more to life in my other courses.“

Television Writing

Spring 2021

Grant Support

Art Voices, DC, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, 2013

Amount: $4200
Role: Principal Investigator

Contact

Phone

(646) 924-8849

Email

james.balls@hamptonu.edu