James Hamilton is a multi award winning screenwriter from London, now living the dream* in Los Angeles.
(*like most dreams, it’s frequently a nightmare and the more he thinks about it, the less sense it makes)
Yes, that’s him. Staring into a monitor just behind this text box, watching people say words he wrote for them. Filming them. God, what a creep. Being a writer is creepy. Why do we let people do this
James works as a (very good, you should hire him immediately) screenwriter for both animation and live-action.
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JENTRY CHAU VS THE UNDERWORLD
James is the head writer of YA supernatural action series Jentry Chau Vs The Underworld for Netflix Animation, starring and executive produced by Ali Wong (Beef).
It’s out from December 5th 2024, it’s got romance and demons and action and teenage drama, and it’s James’s favourite writing job he’s ever had. Please watch it - for him, but also for you.
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MURDER FOR DUMMIES
James is the writer, creator and EP of Murder for Dummies, a horror-comedy mockumentary miniseries. Made with his award winning UK comedy group Casual Violence, all six episodes are available on YouTube now.
Watch it to find out who killed the world’s best loved ventriloquist. If James says so himself (and he regularly does), it’s an excellent writing sample for both adult comedy and murder mysteries.
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DOGS IN SPACE
James co-developed and was head writer of Dogs In Space - a sci-fi comedy series described by the New York Times in 2022 as a critic’s pick for one of the Top Three Netflix Cartoons You Should Be Watching:
“Officially sanctioned for viewers 7 and up… but it’s a total blast for adults. Consistently smart and deft - just snarky enough, just silly enough and just sentimental enough”
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THE AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL
James co-wrote more than fifty episodes of Cartoon Network’s BAFTA and Emmy winning series, across three seasons between 2015 and 2017. An episode James co-wrote, The Copycats, won two British Animation Awards.
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SHOWS IN DEVELOPMENT
James has been developing animated shows for Netflix Animation, DreamWorks, and others.
He can’t talk about them right now because he has been legally sworn to secrecy, but trust him, they’re cool.
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PREVIOUS WORK
James has written for several other animated shows including Unikitty, Monster Beach, Bravest Warriors, Space Chickens In Space, Love Monster, and Incredible Ant.
He has also written for and starred in BBC Radio 4’s Sketchorama, and written for hit podcast sitcoms Wooden Overcoats and Hector Vs The Future.
Murder for Dummies - an original live action horror-comedy series.
James created, wrote, and produced his own six episode, live action horror-comedy series, Murder for Dummies, for his multi award winning UK comedy group, Casual Violence.
Murder for Dummies is an absurd Agatha Christie style whodunnit, disguised as a true crime documentary.
The victim is Keith Flapp - the man who “made ventriloquism more popular than the Spice Girls - and sexier than the Spice Girls!” back in the nineties, until he was murdered in his dressing room.
Today, documentary filmmaker Esther Farrago attempts to solve the case - but everyone she’s interviewing - including his widow, his manager, his former live-in butcher, and his ex double act partner (a dummy, obviously) - clearly has a motive for the murder. This is not going to be easy…
And what’s more: the killer seems to have returned, and soon begins bumping off the interviewees - knocking the documentary off the rails. Can Esther figure out who’s killing everyone before it’s too late… and the killer comes after her too?
All six episodes are out now. You can watch them on murderfordummies.com, or by looking them up on YouTube, or by scrolling on down to “Writing Samples” below, where the first two episodes are embedded. Up to you, really - depends how lazy you’re feeling.
Writing Samples
(ones you can watch instead of read, thanks to the miracles of technology)
The first episode of Dogs In Space. The full twenty episode series, which James co-developed and oversaw the writing for, is on Netflix.
The first episode of horror-comedy mock-doc Murder for Dummies. Who killed the world’s best loved ventriloquist? You probably won’t find out in Episode 01, but still: give it a go.
Episode 02 of Murder for Dummies. The suspects recall Keith’s tragic backstory and meteoric rise to fame, but the murder of an interviewee has set everyone on edge… is one of them willing to kill to protect their secrets?
A Christmas themed horror-comedy short film written and co-produced by James. A little girl takes looking after her new teddy a little too seriously. You’ll never look at Build-A-Bear Workshop the same way again… (unless you already thought it was creepy)
A much less horrible sketch, all about keeping your promises… even the ones you made when you were little.
An instructional comedy sketch written by James. It’s definitely not for anyone who’s squeamish about eyes… be warned!
Live Comedy & Indie Filmmaking
James cut his teeth as a comedy writer by founding CASUAL VIOLENCE - his critically acclaimed sketch comedy troupe. As the creator and primary writer of the team, James’s live comedy shows were regular Edinburgh Fringe sell-outs between 2010-2015, picked up multiple awards, and were programmed at high profile venues across the UK - most notably the Soho Theatre in London, the Pleasance Courtyard in Edinburgh, and the Lowry Theatre in Manchester.
With Casual Violence, as a solo act, and as a director/producer, James took twelve different shows to the Edinburgh Fringe between 2010-2015, and created four additional live shows between 2016 and 2019. The group also starred in a BBC Audio Drama Award nominated episode of BBC Radio 4’s Sketchorama.
Along with their live work, James wrote and co-produced more than thirty Casual Violence short films and sketches, working with director/co-producer J.W. Roberts.
Press reviews of James’s live comedy
“Google ‘Casual Violence’, watch their sketches and enjoy. This comedy troupe are dark, twisted and superb- ★★★★★” - The Skinny
“Leading the new wave of sketch comedy” - The Sunday Times
“Casual Violence cannot be commended highly enough for making sketch comedy great again... Ludicrously inventive... explosively original ★★★★★” — ThreeWeeks
“Google ‘Casual Violence’, watch their sketches and enjoy. This comedy troupe are dark, twisted and superb- ★★★★★” - The Skinny “Leading the new wave of sketch comedy” - The Sunday Times “Casual Violence cannot be commended highly enough for making sketch comedy great again... Ludicrously inventive... explosively original ★★★★★” — ThreeWeeks
“This generation’s answer to Monty Python... a fantastic lesson in how to write sketch comedy- ★★★★★” - Broadway Baby
“Creative, strange, brilliantly performed stuff” — The Scotsman
“This generation’s answer to Monty Python... a fantastic lesson in how to write sketch comedy- ★★★★★” - Broadway Baby “Creative, strange, brilliantly performed stuff” — The Scotsman
"Exquisitely imaginative... Stepping into a Casual Violence show is a lot like entering Arkham Asylum ★★★★” — Fest Magazine
"Fantastically well scripted and clever... James Hamilton and Casual Violence deserve massive success ★★★★★” — The Reviews Hub
“Warped skits with a dash of Python... If a sketch group can get you laughing before their show even begins, they are clearly doing something right” - The Evening Standard
"Exquisitely imaginative... Stepping into a Casual Violence show is a lot like entering Arkham Asylum ★★★★” — Fest Magazine "Fantastically well scripted and clever... James Hamilton and Casual Violence deserve massive success ★★★★★” — The Reviews Hub “Warped skits with a dash of Python... If a sketch group can get you laughing before their show even begins, they are clearly doing something right” - The Evening Standard
"Sharp-witted and clever, the performance showcased Hamilton’s skills as both writer and performer... [So Lonely] has cemented Hamilton’s position as one of the most exciting and talented comics on the circuit - ★★★★" - The Argus
"Massively enjoyable comedy - twisted, smart and unique - ★★★★" - British Comedy Guide
"This is superlative sketch comedy... a wickedly funny show (with some oddly touching moments) - ★★★★" - The List
"Sharp-witted and clever, the performance showcased Hamilton’s skills as both writer and performer... [So Lonely] has cemented Hamilton’s position as one of the most exciting and talented comics on the circuit - ★★★★" - The Argus "Massively enjoyable comedy - twisted, smart and unique - ★★★★" - British Comedy Guide "This is superlative sketch comedy... a wickedly funny show (with some oddly touching moments) - ★★★★" - The List
"Hamilton's debut solo show is akin to recent Richard Curtis film About Time, except if it were based in a universe where women acted like actual human beings... strange characters and twisted time-travel adventures which are as painful to watch as they are hilarious - ★★★★" - The Skinny
"Riotous... had to be seen to be believed - ★★★★★" - TheLatest
“A stand-out show from an exciting comedy group- ★★★★★" - FringeGuru
"Hamilton's debut solo show is akin to recent Richard Curtis film About Time, except if it were based in a universe where women acted like actual human beings... strange characters and twisted time-travel adventures which are as painful to watch as they are hilarious - ★★★★" - The Skinny "Riotous... had to be seen to be believed - ★★★★★" - TheLatest “A stand-out show from an exciting comedy group- ★★★★★" - FringeGuru
"Another outstanding show by Casual Violence... Masters of dark, suspenseful and witty comedy - ★★★★★ ” — Brighton Argus
"A truly talented comedian... surreal, absurd, and weird but ultimately just downright funny- ★★★★" - The Voice
"Another outstanding show by Casual Violence... Masters of dark, suspenseful and witty comedy - ★★★★★ ” — Brighton Argus "A truly talented comedian... surreal, absurd, and weird but ultimately just downright funny- ★★★★" - The Voice
