James Hamilton is a multi award winning (and multi award losing) comedy and animation writer from London, now living the dream* in Los Angeles.
(*like most of his dreams, it’s frequently a nightmare and the more he thinks about it, the less sense it makes)
Yes, that’s him in the background. It’s a promotional photo for a solo character comedy show he took to the Edinburgh Fringe called “James Hamilton Is So Lonely”, about a pathetic little man who finds a pair of goggles that let him see the future. He tries them on, and subsequently ruins his whole life.
It was a masterpiece, and he’s sorry you missed it.
James mainly works as a (very good, you should hire him) animation screenwriter.
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JENTRY CHAU VS THE UNDERWORLD
James is the head writer of upcoming YA supernatural action series Jentry Chau Vs The Underworld for Netflix Animation, starring Ali Wong, Bowen Yang, Lori Tan Chinn, and Lucy Liu.
It’s coming out in 2024 and it’s got romance and demons and action and teenage drama and it’s James’s favourite writing job he’s ever had.
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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’s first writing job for animation was on Cartoon Network’s BAFTA and Emmy winning series The Amazing World of Gumball.
James co-wrote more than fifty episodes across three seasons between 2015 and 2017. An episode James co-wrote, The Copycats, won two British Animation Awards.
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SHOW IN DEVELOPMENT
James is currently developing a new show for Netflix Animation, based on a beloved children’s book.
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SHOW IN DEVELOPMENT
James is developing an original show for DreamWorks Animation, telling a brand new story inspired by characters from a world famous public domain children’s classic.
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PREVIOUS WORK
James has also written for several other animated shows, including Unikitty, Monster Beach, Bravest Warriors, Space Chickens In Space, Love Monster, and Incredible Ant.
Murder for Dummies - an original live action horror-comedy series.
James created, wrote, and is independently co-producing 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 seemingly everyone she’s interviewing - including Keith’s ex-dummy double act partner - appears to have a motive for the murder. And what’s more: the killer seems to have returned, and soon begins bumping off the interviewees! Can Esther figure out who’s killing everyone before it’s too late?
The show is currently in post-production. You can watch the first trailer below.
The first trailer for Murder for Dummies, an original horror comedy whodunnit, created and written by James.
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.
An instructional comedy sketch written by James. It’s definitely not for anyone who’s squeamish about eyes… be warned!
A horror comedy short film written and co-produced by James. You’ll never look at Build-A-Bear Workshop the same way again…
A much less horrible sketch, all about keeping your promises… even the ones you made when you were little.
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
