James "J.D." Taylor

JD started his film career early with a hopeless addiction to the movie theater: the darkness, the smell of popcorn (fresh or stale) and the many lives invented on that big screen.

He spent his college days in the first class of the brand new film school at Florida State University, "sharing" the basement of the Diffenbaugh Building with the Communications Department, and claiming (along with the rest of the film students) that they were members of the guinea pig class. His senior year, JD was chosen by his professors and peers to direct Breaking Ground, one of four thesis films.

After graduation, JD spent time working in San Francisco and New York before establishing himself in Atlanta; cutting his teeth on numerous independent features and freebee shorts. With the days adding up, he scrounged together as much paperwork as possible and applied to the Director's Guild for membership, hoping for a little respect and larger paychecks. In the fall of 1999, JD received his guild card and continued building a successful reputation as an assistant director in Atlanta.

Commercials became his bread and butter, but he was always a sucker for a good script and when he came across the screenplay for The Accountant, he jumped on the opportunity as the films assistant director. In fact, after reading it, he told everyone, "This is going to win an Academy Award."... and it did!!

Award Winning Features - Beat Daddies Award Winning Short Film - The Accountant (Academy Award), Blush with Death, PETUNIA, and…the fan

Distributed Features - Night at the Golden Eagle, Tara, In The Flesh, Mutant Species

Series Television - The Movie Bowl (TBS), Movie and a Make-Over (TBS)

Pilots - Fridays (Cartoon Network), Sweet Auburn (UPN)

Commercial and Music Video Clients - Ben Gay, Chevy Monte Carlo, Cox Communications, CNN, e.Tour, Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, GTE Wireless, Hooters, Krystal, Miller Lite, TNT, Whirlpool, Zocor, 112, Mariah Carey, Da Howg & Lil’ Zane, Drama, Shawn Mullins, Freak Nasty, Calvin Richardson, Sole with JT Money, Sniper Unit, Candi Statton

Panels - Panelist, Atlanta Film Festival, What It Takes To Get The Job Done, 2003; Panelist, WIF/A, Set Etiquette: What You Should Know Before Going on a Set to Ensure You Get the Next Job, 2003