Sarah James – Bio

I was born into this marvellous industry we love. My Dad, Gerry Arbeid was an editor, 1st AD and production manager when we immigrated from London, UK to Canada.

 

Gerry was a DGC and DGA Production Manager and Producer in Canada and the US. My father worked on: “Lawrence of Arabia”, and the first two James Bond films: “Dr. No” and “From Russia with Love”. He worked with the greats, David Lean, Otto Preminger, and Stanley Kubrick.

 

As a kid, I used to help my Dad make his complicated schedule boards with cardboard strips, as his handwriting was messy. Dad’s big claim to fame in Canada was producing the cult classic “Black Christmas”. My mother, Norma Rose is a DGC Art Director. My mum’s Art Dept. credits include “Fly Away Home”, “K-19 The Widowmaker” and “Blues Brothers 2000”. She is my hero.

I’ve risen through the ranks of the production department from PA to Production Manager / Line & Supervising Producer based in Los Angeles as a coordinator, then home to Toronto in 1996. I like to think of myself as a production fixer.

 

It’s my mission to deliver every production on time, under or on budget with cast and crew who feel seen and respected. Since becoming a production manager, I have endeavoured to create compassionate, diverse, collaborative, safe, respectful, and fun working environments on our sets and offices.

 

I am truly in debt to many mentors I’ve had the pleasure to learn from, and to those I’ve become a mentor.

 

I am grateful to be doing a job that I love. I go to bed on Sundays looking forward to work on Monday. What an ffffing gift.