James A. Contner
DirectorBorn 1947Active 2005–2008
View on IMDb
View on TMDBCareer at a glance
7Hallmark films
Audience rating5.8 / 10
across 7 rated films
Weirdness3.4 / 10
Mostly standard issue
Best reviewed
Most recent
James A. Contner worked the camera side of Hallmark, a director and cinematographer rather than a face on the poster, and he packed seven films into a short, busy window between 2005 and 2008. His instincts run conventional. The weirdness is low, the settings lean toward the big city rather than the snowy small town, and there is not a Christmas title in the bunch, which makes him a bit of an outsider in a catalog built on December. The ratings sit in the middle, around 5.8 on average, but two of his pictures tie for the high mark at 6.6: "You've Got a Friend" from 2007 and the 2005 mystery "McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty?", with the "Jane Doe" entry "How to Fire Your Boss" close behind at 6.2. If you like your Hallmark grounded and a touch procedural, his run is worth a look.
Follow & about James
- From
- United States
James Atwater Contner is an American film, television director and cinematographer. His work includes episodes of such television series as Miami Vice, Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, The X-Files and Star Trek: Enterprise. He has also directed several films, including One Hot Summer Night (1998), and Shark Swarm (2008).
3 films
James has shared more Hallmark sets with Jessy Schram than with anyone else.
3 films, one enduring on-screen pairing.
Known for
Shark Swarm3.4
Director · 2008
Weirdness 2/10
You've Got a Friend6.6
Director · 2007
Weirdness 3/10
Jane Doe: Vanishing Act6.1
Director · 2005
Weirdness 3/10
Jane Doe: How to Fire Your Boss6.2
Director · 2007
Weirdness 7/10
Jane Doe: Ties That Bind6.0
Director · 2007
Weirdness 3/10
McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty?6.6
Director · 2005
Weirdness 3/10
On-screen partners
Frequent co-star
James’s most frequent on-screen partner is Jessy Schram, with 3 films together.
Recurring roles
James is a recurring face in Jane Doe.
Where James fits in
The corners of the Hallmark universe James keeps turning up in. Each one is a full ranked guide.
All 7 movies
Newest first2000s
7 films- 2008
Ladies of the HouseDirector · Suburb5.9Weird 3/10 - 2008Shark SwarmDirector · Beach Town3.4Weird 2/10
- 2007Jane Doe: How to Fire Your BossDirector · Big City6.2Weird 7/10
- 2007Jane Doe: Ties That BindDirector · Big City6.0Weird 3/10
- 2007You've Got a FriendDirector · Small Town6.6Weird 3/10
- 2005Jane Doe: Vanishing ActDirector · Suburb6.1Weird 3/10
- 2005McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty?Director · Big City6.6Weird 3/10
James’s standouts
In pictures
A quick look at James’s Hallmark run — headshot and the posters fans know best.
- James A. Contner
James’s creative circle
Go-to cast
- Jessy Schram3 films
- Joe Penny3 films
- Lea Thompson3 films
- William R. Moses3 films
- Zack Shada3 films
Who James works with
The cast and crew James keeps ending up on set with — the regular faces you’ll recognise from one film to the next. Bigger circle, more films together.
Movies by year
Ratings profile
Average 5.8 across 7 rated movies — each dot is one film.
People also ask
- How many Hallmark movies has James A. Contner been in?
- We have 7 Hallmark movies on file for James A. Contner, spanning 2005–2008.
- What is James A. Contner's highest-rated Hallmark movie?
- You've Got a Friend (2007) is James's best-reviewed Hallmark film, with a 6.6/10 audience rating.
- What is James A. Contner's most popular Hallmark movie?
- Shark Swarm (2008) has more audience votes than any other James A. Contner Hallmark film, so it's the one most people have actually seen.
- Who does James A. Contner usually star with?
- James has shared 3 films with Jessy Schram, their most frequent Hallmark co-star.
- Is James A. Contner still making Hallmark movies?
- The newest James Hallmark credit we have is from 2008; nothing later has turned up yet.
- What was James A. Contner's first Hallmark movie?
- The earliest James Hallmark title we have is McBride: Anybody Here Murder Marty? (2005).
- Where is James A. Contner from?
- James is from United States.
- What does James A. Contner do in Hallmark movies?
- James A. Contner works on Hallmark films as director.
Data & sources
James’s filmography, credits and ratings are compiled from IMDb, TMDB and Wikipedia, then checked and tidied by the Talking Hallmark team. Last updated August 2026.
Catalogue curated by Alanna of Talking Hallmark. About the project
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