Stories by James Boo

Audio Documentaries & Reported Stories

 

Track Change

(Show Runner, Sound Designer)

Track Change is an audio documentary series that follows four men behind the walls of a Virginia jail, as they record an album and chronicle their efforts to break free from a cycle of addiction and incarceration.

As Development Producer, Show Runner, and Sound Designer for this first season of the podcast, I crafted the format and potential budgets, built and led a remote production team of 6, supported Senior Producer Liz Mak while she crafted the narrative and wrote each script, provided additional reporting, completed the DAW work for each episode (including scoring and the first pass on audio mix), supervised final sound mix, and led day-to-day work with our host and producing partners at VPM over the course of 3 years.

Track Change has won these awards in 2024:

  • Public Media Award for Best Podcast


What was it like to work with me on Track Change?

James was my managing producer, and I’ve learned so much from working with him. He’s one of the best organizational minds I’ve worked with when it comes to project management, and as an astute story editor, skilled producer and audio engineer, he really can do it all. As a coworker, he’s a joy to collaborate with. I hope to work with him again soon.
— Liz, Senior Producer
Track Change was made possible thanks to the creativity and dedication of James. Not only is he an incredibly skilled and organized producer, he is also a remarkable person. I’m lucky to have learned from James, and it would be an honor to work with him again.
— Nidhi, Associate Producer
I know that any project he oversees will be handled with the utmost professionalism, integrity and care, and that the entire process, from development to production and distribution, will be smooth, any inevitable fires will be quickly and strategical snuffed out, and the resulting work will deliver on its promise in a highly creative, meaningful and memorable way.
— Noah, Executive Producer and CEO of Narratively
 
 

Before Me: A Refugee’s Story, Told From Mother to Daughter

(Executive Producer, Sound Designer)

Before Me is a 5-part audio documentary series that follows one woman’s life, from Cambodia to America, over the course of decades. It’s also a long overdue conversation between mother and daughter, about their family’s history — through war and violence, separation and loss, endings and beginnings.

As Executive Producer, I worked with creator Lisa Phu and led a team of 9 over the course of 6 months to restructure, edit, re-track, score, and mix the series she had spent several years reporting and producing. Then I spearheaded and implemented a release strategy that reached millions of listeners via public radio and podcast programming.

Before Me won these awards in 2023:

  • Public Media Journalism Award for Best Independent Narrative Podcast

  • Signal Silver Award for Best Indie Podcast (Limited Series & Specials)

  • AAJA Audio Awards Runner-up for Best Long-form Audio Story

What was it like to work with me on Before Me?

In all his roles on the project, James was deeply talented, motivating, and professional. The tight timeline moved along seamlessly under his leadership.

More than care, he brought an inherent belief that the story I wanted to tell was important. And his faith translated into a finished product more beautiful than I ever imagined. Because of his partnership building and outreach planning, Before Me reached a large audience and continues to make an impact.
— Lisa, Host and Producer
James is an excellent manager, producer and editor. He’s extremely organized and direct in communication, and always makes sure to include everyone in gathering feedback and questions. He truly values the well-being of each team member, guest, and source involved. I’ve learned so much from working with him and really value his expertise and perspective as a storyteller.
— Julia, Story Editor
 
 

“Say Goodbye to Yesterday”

(Producer, Head Ska Guy)

After two years of COVID isolation and reporting on anti-Asian violence, I produced this story to celebrate my personal source of restoration: ska music.

Asking, “Why do I know so many Asian American ska fans?” I started recording conversations that peeled away the layers of nostalgia and history surrounding this subculture. And the deeper I dug, the more I realized that ska still has something real to offer in a world that can feel like it’s crumbling beneath our feet.

I produced, wrote, sound designed, and guest hosted this story for the podcast Self Evident: Asian America’s Stories (which I co-founded and ran for 3 seasons).


What was it like to work with me on Self Evident?

James produces amazing audio projects and his passion for storytelling is infectious, but what he’s also really great at is listening to people. Working in a team with James, you know that everyone will be heard and that his communication will be thoughtful and considerate, making him an excellent leader.
— Cathy, Host and Co-Founder
James and I worked together as co-editors on a podcast episode about domestic violence. He was extremely thoughtful, supportive of the reporter and the reporting process, and thorough in his edits. I appreciated the consideration he brought to a sensitive topic, and how easy it was to collaborate with him.
— Mia, former Host and Editor of the Podcast "A Better Life?"
James is the best kind of editor: someone who patiently guides you, mentors you, and helps you discover the story you want to tell (rather than imposing his own vision onto the story). I feel lucky to have worked with him.
— Boen, contributor and award-winning audio producer
 
 

Torched, Season 2

(Story Editor)

Torched is an episodic sports history podcast, where host Molly Boom takes listeners into the heat of competition and explores the cost of greatness.

I was the Story Editor for season 2 of the podcast, providing script edits for 14 episodes. I also mentored less experienced audio producers on how to build narrative scenes from raw tape and pace episodes from scene to scene.


What was it like to work with me on Torched?

James elucidates and solves issues in the time it takes most people just to notice them. He’s a brilliant story editor and a pleasure to collaborate with.
— Stephen, Producer
James is a gifted producer and collaborator. He’s supremely good at managing fast-moving, complex productions; he’s a talented writer and audio editor; and he’s thoughtful and creative in all things. Plus, he sends good memes.
— Whitney, Executive Producer and The Boss at Gilded Audio
 
 

The Story Seeds Podcast

(Field Recordist)

The Story Seeds Podcast is a family learning podcast where young readers meet their favorite authors, talk about the creative process behind writing, and collaborate with them to create an entirely new story.

As field recordist, I accompanied the Producer and Executive Producer to a wide range of public and private locations in New York City, and recorded a series of conversations between children and adult authors. This required me to plan our “shot list” with the Producer, manage the sound setting on the fly, and run a three-track recording with two lav mics and one shotgun mic.

 
 

“Hate Goes Viral”

(Producer)

This was the first of a 3-part series I produced in 2020, to clarify the impact of anti-Asian sentiment on Asian Americans and document community-based responses to the rapid rise of anti-Asian violence.

I produced and guest hosted this story for the podcast Self Evident: Asian America’s Stories. The episode was part of a National Geographic Society campaign for independent reporting projects during the pandemic, and was aired and shared by other programs to spread awareness of the spike in anti-Asian violence and discrimination that had arrived with the pandemic.

 

Brand Podcasts

 

Next Bite // Chobani

(Lead Producer)

Next Bite is a branded series by Chobani, which presents first-person audio stories from a leader in South Carolina's Black urban farming community, an indigenous chef and food systems organizer, and a startup founder on a mission to eliminate hunger and food waste.

As Lead Producer I received a creative and format brief, a list of potential guests, and access to a composer. Then I produced and sound designed the series, as well as an audio promo, in collaboration with the creative team at Chobani.

 
 

Travel by Design // Marriott Bonvoy

(Managing Producer)

Travel by Design is a branded podcast from Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, where travel influencer Hamish Kilburn chats with hospitality designers to reveal how their designs tap into once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences.

As Managing Producer for three seasons of the podcast, I received creative direction and a list of potential guests from the client, collaborated with the client and host on format and show tone, and then built a team of 5 and led them through the completion of all episodes.

Travel by Design won the 2022 Signal Silver Award for Best Lifestyle Podcast (Branded Shows & Advertising).

 
 

Networked: The 5G Future // Verizon

(Lead Producer)

Networked is branded podcast by Verizon, where host Christina Warren explores how rapidly evolving wireless technology is reshaping health care, live music, sports, and other cornerstones of daily life.

As Lead Producer I received a creative and format brief; a list of guests; and access to the host, an original score, and a mix engineer. Then I produced 18 two-way remote (COVID-safe) interviews, scripted those interviews into 6 episodes, and delivered every draft until final mix.

 

Documentary Film and Video Projects

 

Nothing With Something: Death of a Diner

(Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor, Composer)

Nothing With Something is a feature-length documentary that brings viewers face to face with the final years of Jodie’s Restaurant — a 6-seat, hole-in-the-wall diner in Albany, California.

The diner was a dream come true for owner Jodie Royston, a lifelong cook who moved from Arkansas to California in 1959 and overcame every barrier in his path to build a life in the shadow of Jim Crow. Jodie’s, run by the pure-hearted, gregarious Jodie and his gruff but sensitive grandson Charles, became a cult destination thanks to their inventive cooking and "principle of radical inclusion."

These values collide with the realities of running a business. When mounting repair costs, disputes with the landlord, and a case of illegal fried chicken push Jodie’s over the brink, the realities of ownership are exposed for Royston, his customers, and the viewer to reconsider.

The film is not available for public screening. To arrange a private or film festival screening, please e-mail a description of your event.

 
 

1 Minute Meal

(Producer, Director, Cinematographer, Editor)

1 Minute Meal was an award-winning, critically acclaimed documentary series that used food to reveal the communities, legacies, dreams, realities, and unseen forces that shape life in New York City.

Over the course of 5 years I produced, directed, filmed, edited, exhibited, and established paid distribution partnerships for a gallery of 60 one-minute documentaries, including a 2017 exhibit at the Museum of Food and Drink.

The purpose of this micro-doc series — conceived before "reels" existed on Instagram and before Tiktok was invented — was to create an inclusive, enduring portrayal of American identity beyond the confines of celebrity- and industry-driven journalism.

1 Minute Meal was the recipient of a Made in NY Fellowship, was screened at festivals across the world, and won these awards:

  • 2018 Miami Web Fest, “Best Documentary Series” and “Best Editing”

  • 2017 Brooklyn Web Fest, "Best Documentary or Reality Series"

  • 2017 Big Mini Media Awards, "Best Web Series"

  • 2017 Food Film Festival, "Bloomberg Made in NYC Award"

  • 2016 Eddy Awards, "Critics' Choice - Best Use of Video"

  • 2016 Nashville Film Festival Honorable Mention, "Best Web Series"

  • 2015 Taste Awards, "Best City or Regional Program"

  • 2014 NYC Food Film Festival, "Best Super Short"

  • 2014 Best Shorts Online Competition, "Award of Merit"

 
 

“Karaoke Kills in Brooklyn”

(Producer, Editor)

For 12 years, every Friday at midnight, two Brooklyn DJs known as Karaoke Killed the Cat would unleash a show of dance, song, and the occasional pants-less exhibition.

I produced this video story for Narratively in 2013, about the community they created and the ethos that held this group of local karaoke fans together.

 
 

Sugar Shack

(Producer, Co-Director, Editor)

The "Sugar Shack" is a Quebecois institution. This indie documentary short explores the business, culture, history, heritage and food of Sucrerie de la Montagne, a Canadian maple farm, at the peak of maple season.

I filmed “Sugar Shack” on a weekend road trip to Quebec with 3 friends, and it marked the start of my professional life in video and audio.

 
 

“Refuge of Hope”

(Producer)

Syracuse, New York is home to over 10,000 former refugees. In this indie documentary short produced shortly after the 2016 U.S. Elections, two women at the forefront of this community reflected on what their presidential vote meant to those whose only true home is the American town that took them in.

I produced this short doc as part of the America Heard project, which commissioned 1 short story from every Congressional District in the U.S. I joined director Yasmin Mistry, who grew up near Syracuse, and supported her vision by casting for the story and managing the project.

 

Reported Features

 

"The Bocce Boys of Corona" (for Narratively)

A long-form history of one bocce court in Queens, New York — and the inevitability of change that it’s come to represent.

“Towards the end of the night, Nicky has gone home. A small group of middle-aged men enter the park, apparently from dinner at the Park Side. Dressed in tucked-in dress shirts and khakis, they stroll toward the court with a slight air of nostalgia. Men like these are a common sight in Spaghetti Park, Italian-Americans of the old guard visiting from other parts of Queens and Long Island, where families of the old Corona have made their new homes.

Claudio, a popular player who lives just off the park, lets the men know that a game is about to start. The soft-spoken Dominican immigrant, who’s been playing bocce for the better part of a decade, has a seasoned face that somewhat resembles the president’s. At Spaghetti Park he’s been called “Obama” so nonchalantly that some players have never learned his real name.”

 
 

On the Hook” (for Bklynr)

A long-form story on a fight for the soul of street food in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

“Because every day brings with it higher costs and a potentially new spin on the law, the state of street food in New York is beyond inertia. The city’s fractured part in this saga plays out like a crude attempt to go by the book — except there are many different books, each in a different language, and all of them are being thrown at vendors more often than they are actually read.”