Jim Cummings (born October 31, 1986) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer.[1][2][3] He is known for writing, directing and starring in the 2016 short film Thunder Road,[4] which he extended into a 2018 feature film of the same name.[5] He also wrote, directed and starred The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020), and The Beta Test (2021).[6][7][8][9] He also starred in The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023).[10]
Jim Cummings | |
|---|---|
 Cummings in 2020. | |
| Born | October 31, 1986 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Emerson College (BFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Awards | See below |
Early life and education
editCummings is from New Orleans.[11][12] He graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 2009.[13] He relocated to Los Angeles following a divorce and worked as a producer for CollegeHumor.[14]
Career
editFor his work in Thunder Road (2018), Cummings won the South by Southwest Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature.[15] He was also nominated for the 2018 Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award for his work in Thunder Road.[16][17]
In March 2024, it was announced that Cummings, along with PJ McCabe and Thomas Cross, launched an independent production studio named Cool & Happy Limited.[18]
Filmography
editFeature films
edit| Year | Film | Director | Writer | Producer | Editor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | No Floodwall Here | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Feature directorial debut |
| 2014 | Confusion Through Sand | No | No | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | The Grief of Others | No | No | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | Krisha | No | No | Associate | No | |
| 2015 | 13 Cameras | No | No | Yes | No | |
| 2018 | Thunder Road | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Also composer |
| 2020 | Beast Beast | No | No | Yes | No | |
| The Wolf of Snow Hollow | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||
| 2021 | The Beta Test | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Co-written / directed with PJ McCabe |
| 2023 | The Last Stop in Yuma County | No | No | Executive | No |
Short films
editAs a director
- Brothers (2009)
- The Flamingo (2012)
- Us Funny (2016)
- Call Your Father (2016)
- Thunder Road (2016)
- The Mountains of Mourne (2017)
- Hydrangea (2017)
- The Robbery (2017)
- It's All Right, It's Ok (2017)
- Is Now A Good Time? (2024)
As a producer
- The Last Brunch (2024)
Acting roles
edit| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | This is Jay Calvin | Jay Calvin | Short film |
| 2015 | 13 Cameras | Paul | |
| 2016 | Thunder Road | Jim Arnaud | Short film |
| 2017 | The Mountains of Mourne | Jim | Short film |
| 2017 | The Show About the Show | YouTube Commentator | |
| 2018 | Thunder Road | Jim Arnaud | |
| 2019 | Greener Grass | Rob | |
| 2020 | The Wolf of Snow Hollow | John Marshall | |
| 2020 | The Block Island Sound | Dale | |
| 2021 | The Beta Test | Jordan Hines | |
| 2021 | Halloween Kills | Pete McCabe | |
| 2023 | Barry | Barry Berkman | Episode: "wow" |
| 2023 | The Last Stop in Yuma County | The Knife Salesman |
Awards and nominations
editThis section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (August 2022) |
Film festival awards
edit| Year | Festival | Film | Award | Result | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | USA Film Festival | Confusion Through Sand | Animation | 1st Place | |
| Indianapolis International Film Festival | American Spectrum Prize - Best Short | Won | |||
| 2016 | Sundance Film Festival | Thunder Road | Grand Jury Prize - Short Film | Won | |
| SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Award for Narrative Short | Nominated | |||
| Special Jury Award for Acting | Won | ||||
| Provincetown International Film Festival | Jury Award - Best Narrative Short | Won | |||
| Philadelphia Film Festival | Jury Award - Best Short Film | Nominated | |||
| Palm Springs International ShortFest | Special Jury Award | Won | |||
| Los Angeles Film Festival | Jury Prize - Outstanding Performance | Won | |||
| HollyShorts Film Festival | Best Short Narrative | Won | |||
| ÉCU Film Festival | Festival Award - Non-European Shorts | Won | |||
| Chicago International Film Festival | Audience Choice Award - Best Short Film | Won | |||
| Champs-Élysées Film Festival | Best American Short Film | Won | |||
| Audience Award | Won | ||||
| Atlanta Film Festival | Jury Award - Best Short Film | Won | |||
| Anchorage International Film Festival | Best Short Film | Won | |||
| ShortList Film Festival | Creators League Prize | Won | |||
| 2017 | Sundance Film Festival | The Robbery | Grand Jury Prize - Short Film | Nominated | |
| SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Award - Narrative Short | Nominated | |||
| Champs-Élysées Film Festival | Best American Short | Won | |||
| Anchorage International Film Festival | Best Super Short Film | Won | |||
| 2018 | SXSW Film Festival | Thunder Road | Grand Jury Prize - Narrative Feature | Won | |
| Sidewalk Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Won | |||
| Seattle International Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize - New American Cinema Competition | Won | |||
| Golden Space Needle Award- Best Actor | Nominated | ||||
| Deauville American Film Festival | Grand Prix | Won | |||
| Nashville Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize - New Director | Won | |||
| Fayetteville Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Won | |||
| Philadelphia Film Festival | Archie Award- Best First Feature | Nominated | |||
| Munich Film Festival | Best Film by an Emerging Director | Nominated | |||
| Buffalo International Film Festival | Best Feature Narrative | Nominated | |||
| Athens Film Festival | Best Picture | Nominated | |||
| Heartland Film Festival | Grand Prize - Narrative Feature | Nominated |
Independent Spirit Awards
| Year | Film | Award | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Thunder Road | John Cassavetes Award | Nominated | Shared with Natalie Metzger, Zack Parker and Benjamin Weissner |
References
edit- ^ Horton, H. Perry (28 June 2017). "Short(s) of the Day: A New Triptych of Films from Jim Cummings". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (24 June 2020). "Vanishing Angle Sets Jim Cummings Thriller 'The Beta Test' as Next Film (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Winfrey, Graham (14 July 2017). "How One Sundance Short Led to a $150,000 Production Deal (and Much More)". IndieWire. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ gayne, Zach (21 July 2016). "Interview: Jim Cummings Takes Hold on Thunder Road". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Sarachan, Risa (3 January 2019). "Independent Filmmaker Jim Cummings On How Filmmakers Can Create And Distribute Without Help". Forbes. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Swope, Michelle (8 October 2020). "Interview – Director Jim Cummings on the Hair-Raising Creature Effects in The Wolf of Snow Hollow and Working With the Legendary Robert Forster". Dread Central. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Means, Sean P. (9 October 2020). "For director of 'Wolf of Snow Hollow,' filming a werewolf movie in Utah was like 'winter summer camp'". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Thompson, Simon (7 October 2020). "Jim Cummings Talks 'The Wolf Of Snow Hollow' And Making Movie Magic On A Budget". Forbes. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Hermanns, Grant (9 October 2020). "CS Interview: Writer/Director/Star Jim Cummings on The Wolf of Snow Hollow". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Cavanaugh, Patrick (May 6, 2024). "The Last Stop in Yuma County Star Jim Cummings Talks Finding the Right Tone for the Neo-Noir". Comicbook.com. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
- ^ Richards, Olly (28 May 2019). "'Thunder Road' director Jim Cummings: 'I failed for so many years'". Time Out. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Nicholson, Tom (28 May 2019). "How To Make The Year's Funniest, Saddest And Cheapest Indie Film". Esquire. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Award-winning Thunder Road Plays at Emerson LA". Emerson Today. 27 April 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ "Interview: Jim Cummings Takes Hold on THUNDER ROAD". ScreenAnarchy. 2016-07-21. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
- ^ Haring, Bruce (13 March 2018). "SXSW Film Festival Jury Awards: 'Thunder Road' By Jim Cummings Wins Narrative". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Lewis, Hilary (16 November 2018). "Independent Spirit Awards: 'Eighth Grade,' 'First Reformed' Among Best Feature Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Goldberg, Matt (16 November 2018). "'We the Animals', 'Eighth Grade', and 'You Were Never Really Here' Lead Independent Spirit Awards". Collider. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ Stephan, Katcy (March 28, 2024). "Jim Cummings, PJ McCabe and Thomas Cross Launch Cool & Happy Production Studio (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 6, 2024.