Jim Kramer

James Kramer has been working as a writer, director, producer, and executive in television, film, and theatre for almost 30 years. A graduate of Yale University, Mr. Kramer began his professional career in the theatre, writing and directing plays in New York City and at some of America's leading regional theatres including the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., The Actors Theatre of Louisville, and The Williamstown Theatre Festival. For five years he was the General Producer and Artistic Director of the award winning Chelsea Encore Theatre in New York City, where he staged over 70 original productions of new plays, comedies, and musical revues. He began his career in television as a writer and director of the daytime drama "Search For Tomorrow," which at the time was the longest running series on television, reaching almost 9000 episodes. In 1985 Mr. Kramer moved to Los Angeles, where he worked steadily in prime time television, serving as writer, director, and producer for series including "St. Elsewhere," "Moonlighting," "Due South," "Once & Again," "Judging Amy," and "Diagnosis Murder," for which he also wrote the pilot episode. His work has been recognized with nominations and prizes including the Emmy, Prism, Angel, Gemini, and Hollywood Reporter awards. In the late 1990's Mr. Kramer also began to work as a production and writing consultant, teaching writing for professionals, offering workshops in Los Angeles and around the USA, and serving as a private writing coach for authors of feature films and series pilots. In 2005, Sony Pictures Television International invited Mr. Kramer to teach a workshop for writers in Moscow, in partnership with Amedia Productions. He returned to Moscow shortly afterwards as the creative consultant to supervise the adaptation of the romantic comedy telenovela "Betty La Fea" for Sony, Amedia and CTC Channel, which became extremely popular as "Ne Rodis Krasivoi." Enjoying his experience in Russia tremendously, Mr. Kramer then accepted Sony's invitation to stay in Moscow as Vice President of their Russian office. Mr. Kramer continues to supervise the business and creative aspects of Sony's Russian productions, as well as the adaptations of series formats from Sony's international library. Most satisfying of all is his continuing work discovering and nurturing talented Russian authors, directors, and producers, and working with them on the development of original projects for sale and production. Kramer's contract with SONY Russia as Vice President, Russia, ended in 2011. He has since worked as a freelance creative consultant for Sony and currently works for Fremantle Media as a consultant for scripted adaptations in Russia and Ukraine.