Meet Our Team

Vision | Leadership | Expertise


JAMES HARDY

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

When James joined illuminate in 1998, he brought with him a wealth of experience in film restoration and conversion as well as several high-profile clients through the long-term relationships he developed at many of Hollywood’s major studios. With extensive experience at companies ranging from Global Vision Corporation (GVC) to International Video Conversions (IVC), James developed a singular focus in the technologies underlying high quality film restoration that led to work on classic box office successes including Armageddon, American Graffiti, BOUNCE, Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, Pulp Fiction, The English Patient, The Sound of Music, Star Wars; The Phantom Menace, and West Side Story as well as for many highly popular television series including Baywatch, Freaks and Geeks, Miami Vice, The Larry Sanders Show, Pee Wee’s Playhouse, Star Trek: The Next Generation and The X-Files. “There is nothing quite like recreating the original vision of a great director or cinematographer” notes James, “so our children can discover the work of a Frank Capra, a George Lucas or a Steven Spielberg.”

In his role as CEO, James is the most senior client-facing executive who interfaces daily with clients including such as 21st Century Fox, ABC, CBS, E! Entertainment Television, FOX, FX, Fremantle Media, Hallmark Channel, HBO, Lionsgate, LogoTV, MTV, Morgan Creek, NBC Universal, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Showtime, Shout Factory, SONY Pictures, The Jim Henson Company, Universal Studios, Walt Disney Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures. A robust advocate for illuminate’s role in helping their clients create new revenue streams from their existing library content through high quality restoration, James notes that “we continue to create new products and technologies that advance the industry and augment our clients’ revenue goals.”

Jim is the father of two grown children and is an avid tennis player. Representing the Los Angeles Tennis Club, he recently won the sectionals and competed in the United States Tennis Association (USTA) doubles in Orlando, Florida.