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
2020 Sweat Tooth Season 1 - Directors : Jim Mickle, Toa Fraser, Robin Grace
2019 What We Do In The Shadows Season 2 - Directors : Jermine Clement, Kyle Newacheck, Yana Gorskaya,
2018 What We Do In The shadows Season 1 - Directors : Jermaine Clement, Tiaka Waititi, Jason Woliner, Jackie van Beek
2017 Wellington Paranormal Unit ( Shadows Spin Off ) – Director : Jemaine Clement
2017 Adrift – Director : 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 - Directors : Taika Waititi & Jemaine Clement
2012 Top of the Lake - (associate designer) - Directors : 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 – Director : 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) - Directors : 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
2021 CDGA Nomination for Excellence in Sci -Fi / Fantasy Television - What We Do In the Shadows “Nouveau Theatre Des Vampires"
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