Check Out Amber Jones’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Jones.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Living in LA, everyone seems to be a “jack of all trades,” and I’m no exception. I’ve tried nearly every artistic avenue imaginable. I grew up obsessed with ballet but hated the discipline, because I always wanted to do my own thing. In high school, I joined competition theatre and quickly realized that I loved playing a character (really obnoxious), but not how narrowly I was cast. By senior year, I pivoted to oil painting and mixed media. I started to understand visual aesthetics, and everything I learned about classical art has stayed with me throughout my career. Despite eventually landing a scholarship to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I decided to take a year off to “find myself”. (Seeing a trend yet?) I started raising peacocks in my mom’s backyard. The story involves a circus clown, an egg incubator, and my unending curiosity for…. everything. In the midst of chasing birds, it finally dawned on me- I should probably start making money.

I enrolled at the University of Texas for Visual Communications, where I learned to design everything from magazine layouts to commercial packaging and websites. I loved it, but it was solitary work. I found solace in my growing photography business, shooting everything from weddings to “tasteful portraits” for working gals. Once I went full time with weddings, I wondered how I could expand my business. I took a film class to explore videography, which led me to change my major to Film and focus on directing and cinematography.

After I graduated, I worked as a production assistant in reality TV all over Dallas. As you can imagine by now, it wasn’t long before I wanted more out of the work I was doing. Living in Texas, the opportunities to grow in the film were far and few. I set my sights on Hollywood and was accepted into USC’s MFA film program with a George Lucas scholarship. I made sure to intern everywhere I could and network as much as possible. I even said yes to crazy gigs, like working for Kim and Kanye. I worked with so many great companies in such a short amount of time, including Rogue Atlas and Project X with James Vanderbilt.

I don’t want to mislead you into thinking all of this was a cakewalk for me. It’s Hollywood after all, and there were plenty of trials and setbacks. The hardest thing for me was navigating rejection. I took every negative on the chin and just applied myself that much harder- literally… I applied to one studio eight times before they hired me. I currently support an SVP of Physical Production, and continue to work as an award-winning wedding and set photographer. I’m still looking to the future and developing my own work for the big screen.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I’ve endured plenty of struggles to get where I am today, but I don’t like to dwell on that stuff too much. I had to overcome adversity and advocate for myself pretty early on in my film career. I spent years pushing past challenges in order to continue doing the work I love. Those experiences have shaped how I approach storytelling and collaboration, and they’ve reinforced my belief in persistence, adaptability, and forward motion. In spite of all of that, I’m still here.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As a writer-director, I love to look inward. My work has been described as “funny, sexy, and smart,” a bar I actively try to clear. Translating my weird experiences into narrative work has been deeply cathartic. I usually write protagonists who reflect who I am and what I struggle with, and I write about my friends and everything that makes them magnetic and interesting to me. If you don’t feel a little uncomfortable after watching my films, I’ll usually try harder the next time. My most recent project, Brunch, is a half-hour romantic comedy set in modern-day Los Angeles.

The most important part of filmmaking for me is to always have fun with it. I love to send people home after a long day still laughing and feeling good about the work we’ve accomplished.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Networking is the single most important part of working in entertainment. Show up as the best and most well-intentioned version of yourself, and connecting with the right people will be easy. If you’re surrounding yourself with people you genuinely vibe with, opportunities will find you. The most important piece of advice I give everyone is to just say ‘yes’ to new opportunities when they knock. You won’t always be offered your dream job or even a living wage, but you never know when your willingness to show up will lead to the next big thing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amberrosejones.com
• Instagram: @curiosphotography