Cinematographer James Kniest thrives on the collaborative nature of filmmaking and shoots all manner of projects from feature films and television to commercials, promos, and music videos.

His recent work in features includes Warner Brothers’ Annabelle for director John R. Leonetti, which grossed $250MM worldwide; the Netflix hit Hush for director Mike Flanagan and Blumhouse Pictures; and The Bye Bye Man for director Stacy Title.  He also recently completed shooting two series for Netflix: The Haunting of Bly Manor and The Midnight Club.

Kniest has shot commercials for clients such as Microsoft, Chevy, Levi’s and Honda, and worked with high-end directors including Angus Wall, Zach Merck, Jessica Yu, and Geordie Stephens.

In addition to his work as a director of photography, he also has extensive credits as a camera operator on shows like The Good Place, Scorpion, and Maron.

While he currently resides in the South Bay of Los Angeles, he feels most at home on an imaginative set.