Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard James Cook.
Hi Richard James, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When it comes to my life and career, I often quote/paraphrase the one of my favorite musicians in Darrell Scott, “I walk a crooked road to get where I am going, and only when I’m looking back do I see the straight and narrow”. My story is anything but brief. But here is the “summarized version”.
I grew up in Wichita, Kansas. I always knew I wanted to work in video games, or some artistic medium like film or music. I spent my childhood drawing comics, playing music, making art, and dreaming about building games, even though I was often told it wasn’t a realistic career path. That dream led me to Florida, where I attended Full Sail University. My first attempt at that didn’t work out so well – as I like to sum it up, I was “young and stupid”. I spread myself too thin, and I eventually I was forced to go back home feeling like I had failed.
Rather than give up, I kept creating. I spent a lot of time soul searching, and later moved back to Florida for a few years just out of enjoyment of the locale. While working everyday jobs to support myself, I became fascinated by the rise of independent game developers and began documenting my own journey there with nothing more than a cellphone and a webcam. I published my first documentary in 2013, and it unexpectedly found an audience, and in the process I discovered that storytelling through film was just as meaningful to me as making games.
Through many winding roads, more failures, and more getting up and dusting myself off – that journey eventually led me to move to Austin. While filming my second documentary, I interviewed legendary game designer Warren Spector, who encouraged me to apply his new post-graduate program at the University of Texas at Austin. I was told only 20 people would be accepted into that program – it was a huge gamble for me to even apply. I was broke at the time, and my mother, always being someone who believed in me, gave me the money for the application fee.
That gamble paid off. I was accepted into the program in 2014, and it changed the course of my life entirely. Austin immediately felt like home—a city that genuinely celebrated creativity, individuality, and ambitious ideas. I felt liberated here. The skyline has of course changed a lot over those 12 years, but I do believe that spirit is still here if you’re willing to look for it.
That said, even with the support of my environment, the years has their ups and downs. I’ve experienced multiple projects falling apart, a lot of financial hardship, periods of self-doubt, and more than a few moments where I wondered if I should walk away entirely. There were times I relied on the generosity of friends lending me a couch to sleep on, just to keep from ending up under an overpass. But every setback pushed me to adapt.
Every little project I pushed myself on, every video I did for a client, every event I attended – it was inevitable that it would snowball into something greater. I felt that truely. That unwaivering ambition eventually opened some doors, and walking through those doors led to others opening. Because of the friends I made, I eventually got to work as a producer on several successful indie titles, before moving back into video production roles with other Austin studios including Kabam (Mobile Games), Rooster Teeth, and Wargaming. Along the way, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside many of the people whose games inspired me growing up.
Today, after more than a decade of navigating the constant change of both the videogame and film industries, I still approach every project with the same curiosity that started this journey. Whether it’s filmmaking, game development, or producing art of any kind, I’ve learned that success isn’t about following a straight path. It’s about continuing to create, learning from every setback, and trusting that each twist in the road is preparing you for the next opportunity. That’s exactly what Austin has come to represent for me—a place where creativity and perseverance can truly intersect.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
To begin this answer with a quote from my former professor, Mr. Warren Spector – “Prediction is a fools game, and lucky for you I’m a fool”.
My first go-around in Austin lasted until 2018. I had finished my program at UT Austin in 2015, and thought things would surely turn around now that I had that experience – but I was in for a very rude awakening. It was very tough at times. I didn’t have enough to afford an apartment, or a room in one even. I didn’t have a job despite numerous attempts to get one, and things felt dire.
I turned all of my attention to video production, because even though I loved games and wanted to stay in them, I could never find solid ground in that work. But I had done a few trailers for game devs in the area, and word got around quick that I was good at what I do. So more people started asking me to make their trailers. I had contacts. I had clients. I had started turning my video production into a living of sorts. But I was still a shy, insecure, timid kid at times – charging way too little for the work, thinking that if I asked for anymore than the bare minimum, that I’d lose that work to someone else willing to do it for cheaper. Imposter syndrome at it’s worst.
So I continued to struggle – as mentioned, I’d sleep on couches of friends who would have me. I spent a good amount of time in my friends office off Anderson Rd. on the south side, and took showers at the gym using his membership. Every day was a slog – I’d work on projects from sun up to sun down, look for jobs, and try to make ends meet. I was stubborn, I had a supportive circle, and I refused to cave. But that breakdown did come for me eventually. The night guard at his office caught wind of me sleeping there, which was against policy. The property threatened to revoke my friend’s office space unless I ceased staying overnight there. So my friend had no choice but to kick me out. And that’s when I felt like I ran out of chances. My only options left were to sleep under a bridge, or go home… again.
So I moved back to Wichita, Kansas in 2018 for a third time. I felt so defeated. I felt like nothing was going to work, no matter what I tried. But I always kept it in my mind to keep going. Why? Because what else am I going to do? Quit? Get a 9-5, work 65 years, and die full of regret? No. It wasn’t an option for me. It never was.
There are so many more instances like this that happened throughout my life and career. I could write a book honestly. But I have been hardened, and awakened by all of them collectively over time. I have gotten used to the ups and downs. I know these times come no matter how good things are, and I prepare for them the best I can now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Most of my work is in the video game industry, as a video production specialist and editor, but I’ve also spent time as a producer, cinematographer, and director on many projects.
My work can really be seen all over – I’ve done trailers for indie games like Dusk and Slay the Spire, videos for major licenses like Disney and Marvel, and even VR commercials for Google and Meta. I’ve been on movie sets for productions by Shudder and Hulu, and published games for Playstation and Xbox. I’ve directed music videos for well-known composers like Andrew Hulshult (Doom, Iron Lung), and had my work played in the Alamo Drafthouse during Fantastic Fest, and on big stages in L.A. for the Game Awards. It really is all over the place.
I’d say I’m most proud of the physical titles I produced for Nintendo, Playstation, and Xbox. In a “digital everything age”, it is a huge point of pride to say that I can hold something I worked on in my own hands. This rings even more true with the recent news from Sony declaring an end to all physical titles come 2028. I will be holding the games I made in my own hands past 2028. That still feels like a very big thing to me.
What sets me apart is my adaptability. I am inherently a problem solver under any set of coditions. I understand that scenarios change, and there is no set of instructions that stays the same. But I don’t need them anyway, because I will always have a solution in mind.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Even though I lived in Austin for 8-9 years total, I never had Franklin’s until 2 weeks ago. It was worth the 1.5 hour line wait in my opinion. But go on a Wednesday. Don’t be dumb and go on a Saturday.
Also, the best Italian spot is Sapori in downtown.
Ok, I’ll stop contributing to the “who has the best food” narrative. It always results in long-winded discourse. Just go eat!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.RichardJamesCook.com
- Instagram: @RichardJamesCook
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjamescook
- Youtube: https://Youtube.com/GameStarrArts
