Gaffer in Santa Rosa & the Bay Area

James Simmons has worked as a gaffer and lighting director for over 20 years, based right here in Santa Rosa and serving the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. He’s lit Netflix docuseries, national ad campaigns, and independent features, and he still takes on local work: Sonoma County wineries, nonprofits, and smaller productions that need someone who shows up ready to go.

He owns and drives his own grip trucks, a 1-ton and a 2-ton, stocked with a full Aputure lighting package, C-stands, and rigging. Book James and you get the gaffer and the gear in one call.

Recent gaffer credits

Film & television

Full Swing, Season 2 (Netflix golf docuseries)
Escaping Twin Flames (Netflix docuseries)
Billionaire Boys Club (true-crime docuseries)
NFL 360 (NFL Network)
Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project
Wedlock
Et Tu
12 Mill Road
2 Niner Diner
Stay at Home

Advertising & corporate

Pepsi: Dig In Campaign
Abbott Laboratories (recurring)
Intuit
NetApp

Also shoots as a director of photography

James splits his time between gaffing for other DPs and shooting as DP himself, on projects like The Bachelor, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, The NBA on TNT, and Mission Unstoppable with Miranda Cosgrove. He reads a lighting plan the way a DP does, because he is one.

Book James

Need a gaffer for a shoot in Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, or anywhere in the Bay Area? Get in touch and tell us about the project. Need lighting and grip gear to go with him? Take a look at our rental gear.