Founder & Executive Producer, Fire Horse Films
Jean-Paul Damé (JP) has made presidents, professors, and public education leaders look good on camera since 1982.

I’m a career TV producer and director who’s spent over four decades behind the lens—shaping stories that move people. From campaign war rooms to classrooms, culinary and travel shows to corporate boardrooms, I’ve told stories that stick.

I founded Fire Horse Films in 2006 with one goal: do the work right and work with people I respect. Nearly 20 years later, that same fire still burns—but it’s the people around me who’ve made this company what it is. Producers, directors, writers, editors and animators, shooters, designers, grips, clients, and friends—this business was built shoulder to shoulder, and that’s something I’m proud of.

But this journey didn’t start in a boardroom—it started back in Los Angeles, working on regional TV shows and popular MTV music videos. That early experience taught me how to engage an audience, how to build a moment, and how to stay sharp behind the camera. Then came my time with the U.S. Army Recruiting Command during the Be All You Can Be campaigns, where I learned how to communicate clearly, concisely, and with purpose. Those lessons—discipline, adaptability, message clarity—became the foundation of how I approach every piece of content I touch, especially in training, education, and public information.

Since then, I’ve led national live broadcast productions, major sporting events, travel and lifestyle TV shows, science documentaries, and public health and higher education campaigns. I’ve helped corporations speak human and taught academics how to shine on screen. I know what plays in a 30-second ad—and what holds in a 30-minute doc (which is really 21 minutes).

For over 25 years, I also worked in political media—creating ads, campaign videos, and voter outreach for elections right here in North Carolina. During each election cycle, I typically produced content for six to twelve candidates at a time, each with their own goals, timelines, messaging strategies, and creative direction. Planning a campaign is a lot like producing a weekly TV series—you have to reverse-engineer the outcome, think ten steps ahead, and stay flexible when the road shifts. That structure and foresight is what I taught my crews, and what we bring to every project we touch—before the camera ever rolls.

Through it all, one thing has never changed: this is a service business. I’m not the story—the client is. My job has always been to make sure they look good, sound sharp, and walk away with something they’re proud of. For decades, I stayed behind the camera, behind the curtain, behind the curtain puller. But after 40 years in the game, I’ve realized there’s value in telling the story behind the storyteller. Because what I’ve built isn’t just a production company—it’s a way of working. One built on trust, preparation, and a deep respect for the people we serve. And every member of my crew—my professional family—knows that. They live it too.

If you’d like to follow my thoughts on media, storytelling, and leadership in this ever-evolving industry, check out The Damé Dispatch—my weekly reflections and updates over on LinkedIn. It’s part journal, part behind-the-scenes, and all heart.