By Robert Goldrich

Director Amanda Marsalis, who recently signed with Marina del Rey, Calif.-based production studio Backyard, is a young talent whose sharp eye for visuals has organically transitioned her from an award-winning photographer to a director of films, commercials and promo content.   Less than two years into her directing career, she already has an indie feature under her belt: Echo Park, starring Mamie Gummer, which premiered in 2014 at the Los Angeles Film Festival and is slated to roll out theatrically in early 2016. Marsalis was also selected to be a part of the prestigious inaugural class of Fox Studio’s Female Director Initiative.

Marsalis is bringing an indie-style entertainment value to branded content that engages youth audiences. With an affinity for travel and a penchant for exploration, Marsalis’ work captures the essence of youthful excitement through carefully curated visuals. Her recent work for AT&T features Snapchat famer and skateboarder Shonduras and takes a docu-style approach to capture the organic rise to social media stardom of one of today’s ‘new age’ celebrities.

Marsalis also has to her credit handbag design brand Clare Vivier’s fall 2013 fashion film featuring actress Gummer who is seen returning to her NYC brownstone in a taxi filled to the brim with stylish luggage. After navigating the haul up to her stoop and into her apartment, Gummer emerges in a  casually chic new ensemble with a functional clutch in tow.

Clare Vivier Fall '13 from Amanda Marsalis on Vimeo.

Marsalis started out as a still photographer at a young age, shooting punk bands as a teenager and then studying at California College of Arts and Crafts. She went on to garner various honors, including being named a Surface Avant Guardian and earning inclusion into The PDN (Photo District News) 30. Her photo ran on the cover of PDN in September 2012.

Extending her reach to the director’s chair, she took on a mix of work from short-form fare to the aforementioned indie feature. She now embarks on a new career chapter through Backyard.

SHOOT: Share with us your experience as part of the inaugural class of Fox Studio’s Global Director Initiative. Of what value was the program to you, what lessons were learned from the experience?

Marsalis: It may sound a bit melodramatic, but that program changed my life. The group ended up being 20 impressive and amazing directors, all of whom I am proud to call my friends now. Having all of these other directors, who have all kinds of experiences to call upon and ask advice from, created this support that has been invaluable. My continuing relationship with Fox and all the Fox directors, writers, showrunners, is something I quickly came to depend on and has made me a better director.  

SHOOT: You started our as a still photographer and have made the transition to feature filmmaking and commercials/branded content. Take us through your career path. How did you successfully diversify into filmmaking, bringing the feature Echo Park to reality. And prior to that, how did the Clare Vivier film come to pass? (As a sidelight, both projects starred Mamie Gummer; how did you connect with her.)

Marsalis: Echo Park came to me as I sat in a friend’s apartment in New York.  An email arrived out of the blue asking if I would like to direct a movie. The script was about my neighborhood: Echo Park. Where I live. I could not believe it. It was so serendipitous. It was a gift. It was a story of my neighborhood with a woman my age making a change in her life. The story was not my own, but I set out to make it so. I wanted to look into a moment in someone’s life. Transition. Intimacy. Hope. This spoke to me when I read the script. I was lucky to find Jason McCormick my DP, and then Mamie Gummer who became my muse.  It was extraordinary all the help and support that followed. I am used to the much more solitary act of taking a photo. I was surprised at what a pleasure it was to collaborate. My crew and colleagues were so excited to make this film even through all the challenges. I learned so much.

I put myself into the film. My furniture, my photos, my friends, my neighborhood. I used everything I had. I gave it everything. I’m very excited to share this film with everyone.

The Clare Vivier film happened after we wrapped Echo Park. Clare is a friend of mine and had not yet done a video for her brand.  We began talking about making one to announce her first store in New York.  I pitched my idea and suggested we use Mamie. Clare and Mamie were fans of each other. They have continued to collaborate on other projects as well. 

SHOOT: What attracts you to commercials and branded content?

Marsalis: I love to work.  And this kind of work is fun.  Telling stories is a great way to spend the day. 

SHOOT: And what drew you to Backyard as your roost for getting more deeply involved in commercials and branded content.

Marsalis: The team at Backyard is enthusiastic, supportive, hard working, easy to be around, and just great people. I am beyond lucky they took a chance on me. 

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