Prof. Jim Wareck’s Faculty Bio

Jim Wareck is an LA-based Producer and Writer. His most recent film released, When I Am Done Dying, has exhibited at film festivals in Tallinn, Santa Barbara, Seattle and Ankara, garnering awards for its writer/director Nisan Dag. The film is being sold by Magnolia International. Previously Jim produced Newlyweeds, the debut film of writer/director Shaka King (Judas and the Black Messiah), which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, had its theatrical release in select theaters in September of 2013 and won a 2014 Independent Spirit Award.

Jim’s first film, Below the Beltway, which he wrote (with Brad Weir) and produced, premiered at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best US Feature. Subsequently, it was purchased by Showtime Networks, where it aired from 2010-2013, and Fox International distributed it worldwide. Other films include Brand New Old Love, an anti-romantic-comedy starring Aya Cash and Arturo Castro and featuring Josh Brener, Mindy Sterling and Brian Doyle-Murray.

Jim has served as a Producing mentor for the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) Latino Lens program and lectures on independent filmmaking at the university level.

Previous to his work in film, Jim spent over two decades in government and politics at the Federal, State and Municipal levels, in addition to working as a lobbyist and in non-profit advocacy. He holds a Masters’s in Public Administration from Columbia University and a BA from Vanderbilt University.