Meet Amanda Niqole | Director & Producer

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

Hi Amanda, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Being an artist is a risk in itself. Risking putting your thoughts and emotions down on paper, on screen or on stage is scary because your whole soul is exposed and it could go horribly wrong OR amazingly right. Risking the world to look at you through art is incredibly brave and authentic, and that’s why I believe it works for me. Choosing not to have a comfortable full-time job so I have time to pour into my art is also a risk, ESPECIALLY in this economy. It has had it’s ups and downs for sure, but the payoff keeps rolling in and I am grateful for making the decision to form Outside Studios.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I consider myself an artist. I don’t do just ONE thing. Yes, I’m a director/producer, but I also video edit, I write, I bake (yes, I consider that art), I taught myself how to DJ over the pandemic, I’m learning guitar and I’m dabbling in learning how to make beats.

Professionally, I worked my way through post production and became a post producer before leaning into filmmaking full time. I helped others producer short films and decided it was time to start directing. The transition was pretty easy because I’ve always felt that good editors would make wonderful directors. I don’t ever want to box myself in as a creator because there are plenty of stories to tell. My directorial debut was an action film called Till Death Do Us Part! Now I’m directing, Colorblind, that was Off-Broadway last year and this year at the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival. Though I want to explore all genres and mediums of art, at it’s core it has heart. Outside Studios was created to tell stories of the outsiders, the ones who don’t particularly fit into the mold. It’s the outsiders who will never give up and are change makers and that’s what and who we are.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m actually still new here so I don’t really knooooow! I will say my most favorite place thus far is the Aquarium. It’s so magical!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Of all the people in all the world, the person who forever deserves recognition for me being right here is Wallace Demarriá. Through his endless encouragement, he has pushed me to push through and grow to the artist that I am today. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have worked Off-Broadway in NY and we wouldn’t have a show in the Atlanta Black Theatre Festival!

Website: www.theoutsidestudios.com

Instagram: @theoutsidestudios

Image Credits
Film Set Photos by John Eckenrode Pink Shirt Photos by Camile O’Briant Theatre Photos by Kamal X Amanda Niqole & Wallace Demarriá by Kamal X