James W. Scheuer on Founding Written & Directed By
The narrative-driven creative production agency aims to tell the stories of cultural shifters.
Photography by Casey Chen
When you create something as impactful as Written & Directed By, not only is your passion and career full of momentum, but also your community. That’s the reality for James W. Scheuer. In late April, he founded the narrative-driven creative production agency to empower and tell the stories of cultural shifters in fashion, film, and cultural atmospheres.
As a filmmaker, Scheuer approaches brands and artists with a cinematic depth at Written & Directed By. He brings his profound lens (literally and figuratively) to curate imagery, campaigns, films, and authentic experiences with his collaborators. He acquired this veracity from his lineage. As the grandson of New York’s Congressman James H. Scheuer, he always understood the responsibility to support those who are making a difference.
Scheuer isn’t new to this. Prior to debuting Written & Directed By, the agency had already co-produced an Art Basel Miami event with Nufdam. Here, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Anycia, and Jozzy performed, with appearances from notable artists like Chance the Rapper, Roy Woods, Trinidad James, Leomi Anderson, and Odalys.
Launched at Original Story with culinary curation by GabsGoods and sounds by Miss Lilly and STILLMECCA, Written & Directed By is now Scheuer’s visionary universe to preserve New York City’s bustling artistic energy. He spoke with 1202 MAGAZINE on the reasons he started Written & Directed By, what the agency represents, and the continuous process of building a narrative-driven community.
Photography by Casey Chen
What inspired you to start Written & Directed By?
After years of working across the fashion and music industries in nearly every capacity behind the camera and beyond, I kept returning to the same realization: my heart lies in storytelling. I wanted to capture more than moments—I wanted to shape narratives. W&DB was born from everything I'd built over the course of my career—the skills, the network, the experiences—funneled into one source: a full-service production agency that helps others bring their stories and visions to life.
What did, and does, the process of having your own production agency look like?
Years of building quietly, refining taste, learning production end to end, and figuring out how to execute at a high level without losing the heartbeat. I’ve had my hand in more than just photography—I’ve done styling, editing, retouching, casting, production—the list goes on. Throughout all of that, I’ve also prioritized safety and comfort on any set I’ve been on. Maintaining and watering connections, as well as strengthening the community, has always been at the forefront of what I do, which has brought me to this very moment.
What does Written & Directed By represent in terms of artists and storytelling?
W&DB represents integrity—in the work and in the people behind it. That integrity is what has built longstanding relationships that now lay the foundation for future collaborations. It means curating a safe and welcoming space where creatives come together around an initial vision and leave with something lasting—be it a new partnership or a body of work that outlives the brief. At its core, it always starts with intention. If the story were the womb, intention is the seed— and what starts as a vision becomes something you can feel.
What do you hope to achieve, and who are some artists you want to work with in the near future?
Ultimately, I want W&DB to be known for work that feels like it couldn't have come from anywhere else—the agency that fashion houses trust for cinematic campaigns, that emerging brands turn to for finding their visual identity, and that artists bring in when the vision is too big to execute alone. Long term, I'd love to expand into larger-scale productions, such as music festivals. But just as important as the projects are the people. I want to build with the creatives I came up with, as well as the brands that have kept me inspired.
