Meet Amanda Renee Knox | Film Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Renee Knox and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda Renee, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Making films and being in a part of any creative endeavor is all about taking risks. The more risk that is involved, in my opinion, the better the outcome. No one goes to the movies to see a nice safe film where no one makes any choices and there is no conflict. In fact, that film might never be made! From the first draft of the script to the final cut of the edit a filmmaker is constantly faced with the element of risk directly tied to their choices. I am usually drawn to the things that are more challenging because with a huge challenge you are forced to grow both as an individual and an artist. And, when working with a team, it is so much fun to have them figure out all of the challenges with you. I believe that if you are not really pushing yourself and pushing the boundaries of your own creativity, then there is no point in being an artist.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a filmmaker who tends to be drawn to character driven, high impact stories that carry a message. I love telling stories from the first person perspective where the audience gets to go along for the ride. Fast cuts, tension, suspense and great visual story telling makes me excited as a filmmaker. The most fun I have had making a film was my short Night Call. It was a very intense shoot and is about a Police Officer who makes a snap decision and shoots a kid from her neighborhood on a routine patrol. We had a lot of elements that were extremely challenging to execute and we shot the film in 6.5 of our 10 days. We used two cameras as all times and zoom lenses. It moved really fast without being frenetic or without direction and allowed the audience to take the ride with the main character. We won an Oscar Qualifying festival and were able to submit to the Academy in 2019, I received a DGA Jury Award and the film took home 42 awards screening in 85 top festivals.

I also recently wrote my first feature film that I will be directing in 2024! It’s a climate change film that is incredible suspenseful and addresses the heat that we have all been experiencing. I am so excited to shoot it!

I did not wake up and say that I wanted to be a director. I studied Opera and Ballet and moved to NYC to dance. Then I got injured and 9/11 happened and I stopped performing. It was a few years later that I missed the stage and decided to got acting school because honestly, actors always intimidated me. I went to Esper and fell in love with the craft! I started getting small roles and then I started to meet all of these amazing women who were directing. Laura Terruso, Deborah Kampmeier and a few others and I thought that perhaps I could try it and see what happened. So, I wrote my first short film, Kathleen Chalfant starred in it, Philip Glass allowed me to use his music and Larry Blake did sound for us! We screened in some top tier festivals and I was hooked. I then applied to graduate school and came to California!

It definitely has not been easy, in fact if I am being truthful, it is still pretty challenging. That said, I think that the life of an artist on any level is always challenging. There’s always another ball to get over the fence, always something more that you are wanting or going after. There are always bigger challenges and goals to meet. I think the key is to have something in your life that is not associated with the entertainment industry, stay close to your friends and family and be truly content with where you are at but not so content that you become complacent. Find the people that make you laugh and stick with those people!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The first thing I would do is take them to the barn for a trail ride! Probably Hanks for a good burger and there is also this incredible homemade ice cream on Malibu pier that I love. Then, we would head the Aero in Santa Monica to check out a film. If we had time I would drive them to Table Top Beach in Laguna to swim and float in the ocean!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It takes a village! I have had such incredible guidance over the years but the main person, besides my mother, that I would love to acknowledge is the incredible singer/songwriter Judy Collins. Judy has come to nearly every performance, even the ones in the old run down East Village theaters, and she has seen every cut of every film for the last 20 years! I could not do this without her guidance and mentorship. Her granddaughter Hollis Taylor is my ride or die- always there to listen, always there for a solid laugh about the insanity of this business and always always has my back. My friend Patricia Ingold has also been a huge supporter and champion of my work since the beginning and I could not do this  this without her.

I also would like to give a huge shout out to director, Donald Petrie. I met Donald in graduate school as his TA and he has been a great champion of my work! He always makes me feel seen and valued and as a director in this industry, that is gold.

Nicholas Meyer is another incredible creative mind that I am lucky enough to get to occasionally hang out with. He is so knowledgable about everything and makes me a better artist. His confidence in my work is enough to keep me going!

Also, all of the studios in NYC where I learned the craft of acting. William Esper Studios, Cay Michael Patten, The Actors Movement Studio, Per Brahe – the most magical mask teacher and The Barrow Group. And the community at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center! Horses are so special, I do not know where I would be without riding.

Website: www.amandareneeknox.com

Instagram: @amandareneeknox

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Image Credits
1-5 Elizabeth Keller 6, 7 Emily Petrie