James Shepherd was born and raised in Woodside, Queens, New York. Oldest of four kids. Growing up in Queens meant constant noise, constant movement, constant stories happening around him. He watched everything.

Movies grabbed his attention early, especially ones based on real events. True stories turned into films fascinated him more than pure fiction. He wanted to make those kinds of movies himself. James enrolled at St. John’s University, majoring in communications with filmmaker dreams pushing him forward. While studying, he worked at a local movie studio, learning the business from inside.

But music kept calling. Specifically percussion. The rhythm, the beats, the way drums could drive entire pieces forward. James made a big decision. He moved from Queens to a tiny town upstate where he could study percussion seriously. Money was tight. He worked local odd jobs to pay rent while practicing his craft.

The writer in him stayed active through it all. James wrote down different ideas in small paragraphs whenever they hit. He visualized the cinematics of each story from a filmmaker’s point of view. Dialogue, camera angles, scene composition. Old film school habits stuck with him.

Early 2000s brought an interesting turn. James created a cartoon called BatRat. The story followed a bat with a secret weapon and a serious inferiority complex. Strong enough concept to land him a meeting with Sony Pictures. Not many independent creators get that opportunity.

These days, James teaches percussion at various music schools across Long Island. He lives there with his wife Lisa and runs RimRiserUSA, his own percussion brand. Music became his career, but the storyteller never left. Writing, teaching, creating. All parts of who he is.