James trained in stage combat with the Irish Dramatic Combat Academy (IDCA) where he went on to become an instructor with the group. Over the last 10 years he has worked on productions for theatre, film and TV. He most recently choreographed fights for ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ and ‘A View from the Bridge’ for the Gate Theatre,  ‘Silent Night’  for Wexford Opera House, ‘Plasticine’ for Corcadorca in Cork and ‘Meeting at Menin Gate’ for the Green Shoot Theatre Company in Belfast. He is currently working on ‘Vikings’.