James "Jim" Yukich is a television and film director who has directed a vast array of projects, including variety and comedy specials, live concerts, music videos, talk shows, and movies. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Film/TV from Purdue University's Brian Lamb School of Communication in 1978, and began his career in the mail room at Capitol-EMI Records in Hollywood. Over time, he worked his way up to become a staff Director/Editor/Producer at the company.
After leaving EMI, Jim formed Split Screen Inc. and later FYI, an independent film and television production company. During his tenure at FYI, he directed over 500 music videos, concerts, commercials, and television shows.
Jim's film credits include A Fare to Remember, released theatrically in 1999, and Double Dragon, a Universal Pictures release, which came out in 1994. He has also directed comedy specials for numerous notable comedians, including Dennis Miller, Paul Reiser, Garry Shandling, Bill Maher, Katt Williams, Chelsea Handler, Martin Lawrence, Bruce Willis, Mo'Nique, Don Novello, and Bob Einstein.
In addition to his work in film and television, Jim co-created the Billboard Music Awards for FOX TV in 1990, directing and producing the show for its first four years. He has also directed over 1500 episodes of the late-night talk show Chelsea Lately, which aired for seven years, and over 60 episodes of Entertainment Tonight, which aired for six months.
Jim has continued to work on music specials, directing and editing projects for artists such as Jeff Beck, Shawn Mendes, Def Leppard, Fall Out Boy, and many others. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards and nominations, including three ACE Awards, 15 MTV Award nominations, five Grammy Award nominations, and two Grammy Awards.
