Editor’s Note: Five years ago we had an idea. Being a woman-owned publication, it made sense to us to celebrate women who were making a difference in the industries we cover. So, we started a “little” feature for Women’s History Month called “Reel Women.” To say it blossomed into something special would be a vast understatement. It exploded. Over the last four years, we have gotten to know leaders, mentors and visionaries from a variety of creative industries. We have learned about their ups. And how they get back up after being down. This is our 5th Annual REEL WOMEN. For the month of March, let us introduce you to some very special women like Hometeam’s Executive Producer/Director of Production Amanda Riley .
Amanda Riley is the Executive Producer/Director of Production at Hometeam, a global remote production company that was recently named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023.
Let’s meet Amanda!
What’s your origin story?
My career path has been serendipitous, to say the least. I started out in journalism school and worked my way through college as a typesetter. When an opportunity came up through a friend to work at an ad agency, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do, but as soon as I met the producers and learned what they do, I set my sights to move into producing. My typesetting background gave me enough of an understanding of HTML to allow me to transition into digital producing. From there, I started taking on producing video projects, usually for digital content, and I started learning everything I could about film production. I eventually transitioned over into more of a content producer role.
How did you get into film production?
Like a lot of folks, I was laid off at the beginning of the pandemic and used the skills I’d developed while line-producing smaller shoots inside agencies to freelance. At that point, I had definitely decided that I wanted to work more on the production company side. A big part of that was driven by recognizing that some traditional production methods weren’t working so well anymore and I wanted to find better ways to produce work. While working with a friend, I ended up freelancing with Hometeam and eventually came to work with them full-time, entirely because the three founders are also on a mission to make production better for everyone involved.
Who were your mentors?
Way too many to call out individually. I’ve been very lucky.
While there will be others, what do you consider your biggest achievement to date?
There are definitely a lot of groundbreaking projects I’ve worked on over the years, both at agencies and at Hometeam, and I’m definitely proud of them. But lately, I’m the most fulfilled and proudest when our clients and crews tell me that they felt supported, valued and cared for, and had a great experience working with our team.
What drives you to create?
It’s something innate, I think. I’ve had times in my life when I wasn’t involved in a “creative” field and I just found other outlets in my personal life.
Award you crave, but haven’t won.
I didn’t realize how badly I wanted Hometeam to be named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies until it happened this year.
What shows/movies/songs are doing the best job of portraying strong women on TV?
My most recent favorite is Hacks on HBO. Jean Smart is a national treasure, and I love the dynamic between the two main characters. I’m also a huge fan of the female friendships portrayed in Ted Lasso – particularly how supportive and real they are.
REELated:
Is there still a boys club?
Yes, of course, but not nearly as much as it used to be when I started out in the business. The past few years I’ve seen so much more diversity than ever before, I feel like the industry is really opening up. I think a lot of that has to do with the tools of filmmaking becoming more accessible, and it’s a very good thing for our business.
Coffee, Lunch or Happy Hour. Name a famous woman (living or dead) you would like to attend each function with.
Coffee with Es Devlin, Lunch with bell hooks, and Happy Hour with Dolly Parton
Last year, the Supreme Court ruled against Roe v Wade. What can women in your industry do to defend a woman’s rights?
I absolutely 100% support everyone’s right to choose and I financially support Planned Parenthood, but I think the legal loss of bodily autonomy is a symptom of much bigger issues in our society. We can start by really owning our experiences and using that as a means to shift power. We need to truly value diversity and authentic voices by hiring female and BIPOC filmmakers and crews to tell their own stories. That’s just table stakes but it can yield huge results.
And I don’t think this is something that can be solved by only women, no more than racism can be solved by only Black people. We need men in this fight too. The biggest thing that I think will help defend women’s rights is a power shift in our society and culture, and that goes deep. But every time we as filmmakers and producers make the choice to stand firm in our beliefs that women should tell women’s stories, we take a step in the right direction.
What keeps you up at night?
Trying to leave this world at least a little better than I found it.
What’s up with Beyoncé being nominated for 4 Best Albums of the year but never winning?
I think the cultural impact she’s making will be around longer than any award.
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