Amanda has established herself as one of New Zealand’s most respected costume designers. She has been collaborating with New Zealand filmmakers Taika Waititi and Robert Sarkies since Scarfies in 1998 and most recently on Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows and Sarkies’ Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story.
Amanda has worked on movies for other New Zealand directors, mostly notably Jane Campion and Peter Jackson. She has assisted costume designer Ngila Dickson and Michael Wilkinson. Amanda began her career working as a set costumer on large studio movies such as Hercules, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Last Samurai. She moved into costume buying for films such as King Kong and Avatar.
Amanda also worked as a costume designer for Steven Spielberg’s 3D animated Tintin and co-designed costumes for Jane Campion’s award-winning television series Top Of The Lake. In late 2014 Amanda worked in Sydney on James Vanderbilt’s directorial debut Truth, starring Cate Blanchett and Robert Redford. After filming Truth, Amanda had the privilege of working on another film starring Robert Redford, Disney’s new adaptation of Pete’s Dragon, directed by David Lowery.
showreel
Filmography
Feature Film & Television
2017 Wellington Paranormal Unit ( Shadows Spin Off ) – directed by Jemaine Clement
2017 Adrift – Directed by Baltasar Kormakur
2016 The Meg - Director Jon Turteltaub
2015 Pete’s Dragon - Director David Lowery
2014 Truth - Director James-Vanderbilt
2014 Consent - Director Robert Sarkies
2012 What We do in Shadows - Director Taika Waititi & Jemaine Clement
2012 Top of the Lake - (associate designer) - Director Jane Campion & Garth Davis
2011 Two Little Boys - Director Robert Sarkies
2009 Tintin - VFX Costumier for Weta Digital. Directors Peter Jackson & Steven Spielberg
2009 Boy - Director Taika Waititi
2008 Somewhere We Know – Directed by Jamie Lawernce
2008 Separation City - Director Paul Middleditch
2007 Show of Hands - Director Anthony McCarten
2005 Eagle vs Shark - Director Taika Waititi
2003 For Good - Director Stuart McKenzie
2003 Fracture - Director Larry Parr
1999 Scarfies - Director Robert Sarkies
NZ Costume Supervisor
2017 Wrinkle In Time – (NZ Supervisor) - Directed by Ave DuVernay, Costume Designer, Paco Delgardo
Short Film
2013 Woodville (web series) - Director Georgiana Taylor
2012 Bee (working title) - Director Loren Taylor
2008 Choice Night - Director Christopher Dudman
2008 Handover - Director David Stubbs
2007 Mokapuna - Director Ainsley Gardiner
2006 Fog - Director Peter Salmon
2006 The Shadow of The Sun - Director Rachel Douglas
Feature Film and Television - as costume buyer
2007 Avatar - Costume Designer John Harding
2004 King Kong - Costume Designer Terry Ryan
2003 Without A Paddle - Costume Designer Ngila Dickson
2001 Shearers Breakfast - Costume Designer Michael Wilkinson
1997 Duggan - Television Series 1&3 Costume Designer Gillie Coxhill
Feature Film and Television - as standby costume
2008 The Lovely Bones - New Zealand Stylist Kate Hawley
2003 The Last Samurai - Costume Designer Ngila Dickson
1999-2002 The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy - Costume Designer Ngila Dickson
1998 Hercules, TV Series - Costume Designer Ngila Dickson
Television Commercials
2018 2 Degrees Brand - Finch - Director Fred Bobbsey
2014 Air NZ Inflight safety presentation - Epic Journey - Curious Film, Director Taika Waititi
2014 5 Seeds Cider - Not your ordinary Cider - Prodigy Films, Director Jim Hosking
2013 Interislander -Thick as Thieves, Director Zoe McItosh
2013 Westfield - Born to Give - Exit Films, Director Paola Morabito
2013 New World - Master Butcher - Prodigy Films, Director Steve Hudson
2013 Verizon - Sparklers - Exit Films, Director Garth Davis
2013 Trademe - Family Names - Capital City Films, Director Robert Sarkies
2013 Expedia - Bucket List - Revolver, Director Leo Woodhead
2012 Flooring Xtra - Hoverlion, Director Rollo Wenlock
Accolades
2014 What We do In The Shadows Screen Award nomination
2011 Two Little Boys Screen Award nomination
2009 Boy Screen Award nomination
2005 Fracture Screen Award accolade
1999 Scarfies Screen Award nomination