Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Riess and Amy Hill
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?
Chris and I met in the film program at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, but our journey as filmmakers—and as partners—truly began when we were thrown onto a project about Generation X. What started as a road trip across the country, interviewing our peers, quickly became something bigger: a deep dive into storytelling, a discovery of our filmmaking voices, and ultimately, the beginning of our directing duo. Somewhere along the way, we also fell in love.
A trailer we created for the Sundance Film Festival caught the attention of the right people, and before we knew it, we were signed for commercial representation—marking the start of a whirlwind career in advertising. We became the first directing duo, and I was the first female director, to be nominated for the DGA “Commercial Director of the Year” award, an honor that still feels surreal. Over the years, we’ve shot campaigns for major brands and nonprofits, working with actors but always gravitating toward real people and documentary-style storytelling. Chris thrives behind the camera as a cinematographer, while I find my passion in working with talent.
Our work has taken us everywhere, from corporate boardrooms to grassroots movements, collaborating with organizations like the American Heart Association, Human Rights Coalition, American Cancer Society, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, and the DCCC. But perhaps our most important project has been raising our two daughters in Santa Monica—an adventure made possible by an incredible village of family and friends. With two filmmaker parents constantly on the move, our daughters grew up calling themselves “highly adaptable.” Now that they’ve graduated from college, we see just how true that is.
In 2018, a simple conversation overheard by my mother in a San Diego restaurant led us to make Hula Girl, a short documentary that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and took us on the festival circuit for a year. It was a full-circle moment—bringing us back to our documentary roots and reinforcing why we do what we do.
For most of our careers, we were signed with production companies like Tony Kaye Films, Anonymous Content, and Wondros. But a few years ago, as the industry shifted, we made the bold decision to go fully independent. It was terrifying. And yet, it worked. Decades of cultivating relationships with agencies and creatives laid the foundation for a thriving freelance business. Today, we continue to do what we love—telling human stories that matter. And after all these years, we’re still having a blast.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has been anything but smooth—but that’s what has made the journey so rewarding.
When we met at Art Center, the gender disparity in the film department was striking—about six women to ninety men. That imbalance carried over into the commercial production world, where female directors were few and far between. The first decade of our career was especially challenging, constantly pushing against an industry that wasn’t used to trusting women behind the camera—let alone a husband-and-wife directing duo. But we were lucky to have fierce advocates along the way: executive producers and reps who believed in us, took risks, and fought to open doors that weren’t always open to women. Over the years, we’ve seen real progress, and while there’s still work to do, the landscape has changed in ways we could only have hoped for when we started.
Another challenge? Raising two kids while working as a directing team. When a two-week job took us out of the country, it meant both mom and dad were gone—not exactly a conventional parenting setup. For the first six years of their lives, we brought our daughters with us whenever we could. They took their first steps on the carpeted floors of hotels across the country and had babysitters in places most kids never dream of. But once they started school, we had to lean heavily on our parents. Looking back, we see how much they all gained from that time together—our daughters from their grandparents’ love and wisdom, and our parents from the deep connection that comes from being so involved in their grandkids’ lives. It truly took a village.
And then, of course, there’s the unpredictable nature of freelance life. There’s a saying in this business: If you can’t enjoy the “free” in “freelance,” this might not be the career for you. Directing commercials isn’t just about creativity—it’s also about competition. Every job starts with a pitch. We get a call from an ad agency (or at least we used to—now it’s all Zoom), then we pour ourselves into crafting a 45-page treatment, detailing exactly how we’d bring their vision to life. Then, we wait. Days, sometimes weeks later, we get the news—either we landed the job, or we didn’t. It’s a roller coaster, and no matter how long we’ve been in the game, every win feels like a triumph, and every loss stings. The one constant is that the industry moves fast. A disappointment today is often followed by a new opportunity tomorrow.
Through it all—the barriers, the balancing act of parenthood, the unpredictable nature of our work—we’ve learned to embrace the chaos. Because at the end of the day, we wouldn’t trade this career, or this life, for anything.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At our core, we are storytellers. We direct and shoot commercials and short-form content, crafting narratives that balance pathos and comedy, blending actors with real people. Our work has broken records for viewership and, in some cases, has even been banned from networks for being too raw, too real. But that’s exactly what drives us—telling stories that cut through the noise, stories that make people feel something in just sixty seconds.
While we work with major corporations, our focus is always on the human element. There’s a profound responsibility in stepping into someone’s home, in asking them to open up on camera about their struggles, their joys, their truth. It’s an intimate exchange—lights, microphones, a small crew, and a leap of trust. When someone allows us to tell their story, it’s never lost on us what a privilege that is.
One project that will always hold a special place in our hearts is a PSA we call Catch. We originally created and shot it as a love letter to my father when he became ill. When the Ad Council saw it, they connected us with the National Fatherhood Initiative, and soon, the piece was airing nationwide. That was seven years ago, and it’s still running today. We get calls all the time from people saying, “Hey, I just saw that spot you did with your dad—it still makes me cry every time.” And honestly? Same.
What sets us apart isn’t just the work we do, but how we do it—together. The fact that we get to build these stories, move people, and make a living doing what we love, side by side as a couple? That’s the greatest privilege of all.
What’s next?
Great question. We’re continuing to build on everything we love doing with commercials while also expanding into new creative territory. Riess/Hill remains deeply engaged in commercial work – the heart of what we do – and we’re excited to keep evolving, finding fresh ways to connect with audiences in short-form storytelling.
At the same time, we’re venturing further into film and television. A few years ago, we optioned The Memory of Running, a beloved novel by Ron McLarty. After adapting the script, we’re now in active development, working to bring this deeply moving story to the screen as a feature film.
We also acquired the rights to Tales From A Traveling Couch, a fascinating true story about a psychoanalyst and his most extraordinary cases. We’re currently shaping it into a series, exploring the complexities of the human mind through a cinematic lens.
Balancing commercial work with long-form storytelling feels like a natural next step. After years of creating powerful narratives in just sixty seconds, we’re excited to stretch our creative muscles, take on new challenges, and bring these stories to life in a bigger way. The road ahead is full of so many exciting possibilities, and we can’t wait for what’s next!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.riesshill.com
- Instagram: @riess.hill
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-hill-90842198/
Image Credits
Chris Riess and Amy Hill
