Director’s show on Paris attacks is shortlisted for Emmy award

Director’s show on Paris attacks is shortlisted for Emmy award

14 September 2016

A SAUL man has been shortlisted for one of the television industry’s most prestigious honours.

James McGrath, who now lives in New York, has been nominated for an Emmy for a programme about the Paris terror attacks.

A one hour special he produced for America’s CBS after the Paris terrorism attacks, in which 130 people were killed by extremists, has caught the eye of the shortlisting panel. The overall winners are due to be announced in Los Angeles later this month.

Normally a weekend director, James oversaw the special 48 Hours — Paris Under Attack  because the usual director for the week night programme was in Cleveland preparing for a special presidential debate.

The programme looks at French society and the place of young unemployed Muslim men. It also investigates encrypted apps, which helped the attackers stay below the radar of the authorities, relayed survivors’ dramatic stories of escaping the chaos and considered whether it was time for a new strategy to fight terror.

James said he was delighted to reach the shortlist and said Emmy awards were prized possessions in several offices of his CBS colleagues.

James developed a taste for television during his childhood on a farm in Saul when he recalls playing celebrity spotting games or pretending Wendy Austin was sitting beside him in the car.

A mechanical engineering graduate, he admits he had already become disillusioned with his degree subject before he left university and although he took his first job as an assistant engineer in Ardglass, he soon successfully applied for a media training course with the BBC in Belfast.

Starting out in production in Belfast before getting a job with Disney in London, he then decided, while on holiday in New York in 1996, to make the city his home.

“I had the correct paperwork to allow me to stay and work. I went back to London and cleared out my flat,” he said.

“I was always interested in television and film. But I thought that getting a job in that field was as likely as being a spaceman. 

“When I got to New York I found it very difficult to find television work. I was sending out CVs all over the place, to no avail.”

A contact made in an Irish bar proved fateful for the new emigrant.

“A friend of a friend was a barman in Kennedy’s on 57th Street and he offered to hand my CV to a regular drinker at his bar,” he said.

“I got a call the next day to go to CBS and I did an editing test. This is my 20th year with them.

“Many people wanted to direct at CBS and I was lucky to get a directing spot after three years. 

“Directing is very challenging. You have to juggle many different things such as timing, aesthetics, accuracy and managing a crew. That challenge is what I enjoy.”

Realising that he faces stiff competition at the Emmys, James said he is not particularly optimistic about being named overall winner.

“Just being nominated is a big thing. In my category is some strong competition and I would definitely not be the favourite in the betting,” he said.

“As it stands I am an Emmy nominated director regardless of what happens.”