Testimonials

I’ve been on television for over a decade on two hit reality tv series.  I’ve worked with the top production companies in reality tv.  Jim Russell and his team are the best I’ve ever worked with.

Jim Russell of Mountain Air Productions is a joy to work with.  He interacts with people so easily, he’s fun to talk to, he’s insightful and he’s passionate about what he does so I’ve enjoyed every moment that I’ve gotten to work with him.

Jim Russell is an accomplished pro. His writing is superb, his direction masterful and enlightening, his talents as a producer are awesome. Having worked with directors from NY to LA and everywhere in between, I can honestly rank Jim right up there with the best in the industry. His ability to communicate with both cast and crew is wonderful. Every day I get to work with Jim Russell is a joy. He brings out the best in everyone around him, while maintaining the open, friendly atmosphere so vital to the creative process. I’d recommend him only to those who want things done as professionally as possible

I appreciate the positive and collaborative environment Jim creates, while working with him on set. His dedication and work ethic is inspirational. I respect and admire Jim's professionalism and would not hesitate to work with him again. What a great experience!

What's it like to work for Jim Russell? First, you don't work for Jim. You work with him. He creates a relaxed sense of urgency. He is patient with his actors. To that I can personally attest. Because he writes the scripts, he knows what he wants in the finished product. At the same time, he is open to a suggestion now and then. There is a lot of laughter on the set with Jim. For me, that's a definite plus. As an actor, when you see the finished product, you look much better than you thought you would. In a way, you see on video what Jim saw through the lens. The group of actors that Jim brings together, work well together. I think it's because after working with someone a couple of times you become friends. You may not have seen each other for a while, but once you're all together that gap doesn't exist. Anyone new to the cast or crew is made to feel welcome from the start. As I said, we work with Jim. I would guess that, like me, other actors wait for and are extremely glad to get that call from Jim that says, "Say, I've got a character that I think would fit you really well." The next word you want to hear is "Action!".

My name is Frank Oakley III and I'm a professional actor in the Kansas City area. I've had the privilege to work with Jim Russell for two projects: “The Brutal 9” and “Child” both in the year of 2016.

One of the things I've loved and admired about Jim is his attention to detail. He is always extremely intentional and direct when it comes to making sure every element of the film making process is at its best, without stepping on other's toes.

I also admire his commitment to overall production professionalism. He clearly knows what he's doing and what it takes to make an excellent film as well as stepping up and take charge when it's needed. Having that kind of energy in the work space is great and brings out the professionalism in everyone on the team. All while still having a good time and learning.

I am very much new to acting, but I had the privilege of working alongside Jim Russell on two of his movies –Normandy Is My Name and Rh Negative – The Emergence.  And there were three things that struck me immediately about Jim and Mountain Air Productions – the incredible attention to detail; Jim’s passion for movie-making; and, most importantly, the wonderful culture that Jim cultivated before, during and after filming.

When we were working on set, I was amazed at Jim’s command over every detail, no matter how insignificant the detail might be. Sure there are the obvious things that need to get done: things like scheduling actors, coordinating crews for makeup, cameras, sound and lighting, but there were also hundreds of other details that had to occur before filming even started and then hundreds more once filming concluded. But Jim and his team had total command of the controllable – and this allowed everyone to do what they did best. The actors could act, the camera folks could film, and the editors could edit. All because Jim and Mountain Air Productions handled the details.

Besides attending to all the details, I was truly inspired when I listened to Jim speak about his dream, because he has a passion for movie-making that is very hard for most people to comprehend, unless they are equally passionate about something. Jim just doesn’t want to make movies for the sake of making movies. He wants to make great movies that stir emotions and gets people talking to each other. And he wants to change the way movie-making happens.My only hope for Jim is that more people tell him no or present obstacles to what he’s trying to create, because that only fuels his desire to be great.

Finally, and most important to me, was the fact that Jim made everyone feel special during filming. He treated me – a new actor with only a small part – as a Hollywood star. But he also treated the camera crews, the makeup artists, and everyone that played any role in his movies the same way. That in turn made everyone else go the extra step to ensure they delivered the best possible performance – no matter what role they played. And to this day, the friendships I formed while filming with Jim are among my most genuine and strongest.

So to anyone considering being a part of anything produced by Jim Russell and Mountain Air Productions, I promise it will be one of the best decisions you can ever make.

My favorite parts of working with Jim Russell are the level of professionalism, creativity, and the positive environment that he creates.  Jim sets the tone for all actors and challenges us to rise above our “best” while being ourselves.  There have been scenes that I thought were shot just right, but Jim wasn’t satisfied…and he was spot on.  The next take was far superior.  These insights lead to a more robust product.  Yes, at time this makes the day a bit longer, but Jim knows that it will make us all, and the product, that much better in the end.

Jim took a chance on me early on and I have learned so much in a short period of time.   I have learned that this is very hard work, and you need someone that is inspirational to others around him in order to bring out the best and keep people motivated.  That is Jim Russell.

Award winning movies like those of Mountain Air Productions need award winning music. Soundscape Media is proud to be a repeat supplier of great music for their award winning films. It has been a pleasure working with Jim Russell and his team. They are consummate professionals who understand all the components needed to make great films. Music is one of the most important components of film that enhance and draw emotion from the beautiful cinematic moments captured by Director Jim Russell and Mountain Air Productions. We look forward to a long-term partnership as they set the bar for independent film and production service.

Jim Russell is committed to providing professional production services to the Kansas City area. His positive attitude opens a project up to a collaborative atmosphere. Jim listens to everyone's needs and is interested in what his team has to say. He knows how to drive a vision to the finish line.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jim Russell at the Universal Film Festival in Kansas City, where his film screened. He's a great guy, and an excellent filmmaker. I was impressed with the cinematic quality and writing of his film NORMANDY IS MY NAME. I'm glad to support this talented writer-director.

I worked with Jim on The Brutal 9 and found his professionalism and knowledge as a filmmaker to be top notch. As a producer he helped make sure that the cast and crew were well taken care of. I look forward to working with him on future projects.

Let me tell you about Jim Russell:

1. He’s always there, Ready to get things done.


2. He gets results with any budget.


3. His checks are always on time, and they never bounce.

For those reasons alone, I will always answer his calls.

Working with Jim Russell and his film company Mt. Air Productions was one of the best experiences I could have ever asked for, his attention to detail and the flow of his years of experience in the movie making business was a big factor. I worked with Jim on set as the grip and actor for a local independent film the Summer of 2016 and knowing that he could keep all actors and team on point was great. I totally encourage all who are interested in movie making, producing, and directing to reach out to Jim for all and any advice

Worked with Jim and his company on a few films as his director of photography, very fun and collaborative environment on set. Encourages his team, makes an effort to always be attentive to his teams needs and suggestions. Still working on a few projects with Jim and don't see it stopping any time soon.

This summer, I had the pleasure of working with Mountain Air Productions providing makeup fx on set for a film that Jim Russell was producing.  I was very impressed with the professionalism that I was surrounded by.  He kept me up to time frames for makeup and very organized.  I felt very comfortable on set.  I'm looking forward to working with Mountain Air Productions and Jim Russell in future films and projects.

It's exciting to watch Jim Russell's company grow! You can tell that Jim loves what he does, he's easy to collaborate with and has a drive to develop the best product he can with each film he creates. There is a high energy and determination on set and his professionalism definitely sets him apart.

It was an absolute pleasure to co-produce our indie magical realism romantic comedy CHILD alongside Jim and his company. While scheduling conflicts prevented Jim from working with us on-set daily, whenever he showed up he willingly and energetically pitched in. His help in crucial business matters was indispensible in the completion of this movie shoot as well. I absolutely look forward to the possibility of working with Jim on future productions.

Jim is a joy to work with. He has a vision and does a great job of communicating that vision to those on the team. He brings a positive energy and is considerate of the crew, their time and anticipating what's needed. Planning ahead means minimal downtime and Jim takes care of his team.