James Andrews Dahl

1978 - 2019

DAHL
James Andrews Dahl – a gifted filmmaker and patron of the arts, loving fiancé, son, brother, uncle, and friend – passed away Wednesday, February 13th, 2019, in West Hollywood, California. He was 40 years old.
James is survived by his parents, Jim and Kathy; his mother, Georgia; his adoring fiancée, Colleen; his sister, Kate (husband, George), and nephews, James and George; his brothers Chad (wife, Laura) and Chase (fiancée, Emily); his sister, Rainey; his grandmother, Nannette ("NoNo"), as well as a multitude of aunts, uncles, and cousins who all loved him dearly.
James was born October 6th, 1978, in New York City, where he lived before moving to Los Angeles, California. After spending a decade in LA, James and his family moved to Jacksonville, FL, where he attended and graduated from The Bolles School. After his high school graduation, James moved to London to study literature for one year. He then moved to New York City to continue his studies at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU, with a focus on creative writing and literature. Following NYU, James headed to Nashville – where he began his journey into the entertainment industry – studying and working in music and earning a degree from Belmont University.
His experiences in the arts in both New York and Nashville led him to set permanent roots in Los Angeles, California, where he realized his main passion was film. He founded Modern Man Films, an LA-based film, television, podcast, and VR development and production company. James' Modern Man Films produced the critically acclaimed film, The End of the Tour, in 2015 – which premiered at Sundance Film Festival. The film captured the story and essence of David Foster Wallace, a novelist James adored greatly – with his favorite book being Infinite Jest.
James was a passionate, well-read, and humorous man who always saw the world through a creative and unique lens, and whose spirit was infectious. He was a loyal and devoted friend to many throughout his life. He was at his happiest with his fiancée and soulmate, Colleen, and their Golden Retriever, Fallon, exploring the outdoors and traveling to Park City, Utah. James also loved playing tennis and biking, watching FSU and Duke basketball games, attending concerts with his closest friends (over 40 Dave Matthews Band and Phish concerts, to be exact), and conducting pranks with his siblings over the holidays. While growing up, some of James' fondest memories included many father-son trips spanning the globe – Alaska, Europe, South America, and hiking, camping, and fishing in the Rocky Mountains.
To honor his life, family and friends will gather on Monday, February 18th, at 1pm at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary; 1218 Glendon Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in James' honor to the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas – a renowned research library and museum in which James served many years on the Advisory Council – aiming to collect and preserve the works of David Foster Wallace and other great novelists.
https://www.hrc.utexas.edu/contribute/how/
"I do things like get in a taxi and say, "The library, and step on it." – David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest
"Try to learn to let what is unfair teach you." – David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest
"…That no single, individual moment is in and of itself unendurable." – David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest

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