Amy Vincent ASC on A Nice Indian Boy, Hustle & Flow, Eve’s Bayou #Amy Vincent ASC on A Nice Indian Boy, Hustle & Flow, Eve’s Bayou

The Cinematography Podcast Episode 259: Amy Vincent

Amy Vincent, ASC did not originally set out to become a cinematographer. While studying veterinary medicine at UC Santa Cruz, she got a work study job hanging lights for the theater department. She fell in love with the creative art of lighting, and soon transitioned to the theater arts department. Amy found her natural affinity for math and science matched the skill set needed for technical theater production. She began making short films at UCSC, moving to Los Angeles after college to pursue a career in film. Amy’s first job was as an assistant editor, but she really wanted to work in the camera department. So she began working her way up from camera intern to camera assistant, working with notable DPs such as Bill Pope on Clueless and Robert Richardson on Natural Born Killers.

A few years into her career as a camera assistant, Amy decided to go to grad school at AFI. She shot many student short films for free before meeting writer and director Kasi Lemmons. Amy could tell from page one that the script for Eve’s Bayou was something personal and special. They made the short film together, then over the course of three years, Lemmons raised enough money and interest to turn Eve’s Bayou into a feature. It was Amy’s first movie as a cinematographer and it became her first big breakout.

One of Amy’s frequent collaborators was director Craig Brewer. She was given a copy of his first film on VHS, then the two met to discuss making 2005’s Hustle & Flow. “I think the beauty of where my collaboration with Craig and the process of making the movie was what the movie was about. The two folded over on each other. I mean, it’s the idea of making music or making a movie by whatever means necessary. And there was something that became so apparent in the process. For example, we tried on a whole bunch of different formats, like, what are we going to shoot? At one point we were going to shoot Mini DV, because that’s what Craig knew and then we settled into Super 16.” She and Brewer went on to work together on Black Snake Moan and the 2011 Footloose remake.

Throughout her career, Amy has enjoyed collaborating with directors on smaller movies. Her most recent project, A Nice Indian Boy, had a very low budget and it had to be shot quickly before the actors strike. “It is so cool to have a really funny rom com that’s gay and Indian. It would have been great to have more time and more money to make that movie, but I love all of the things that came together to make this simple little movie. It’s really important to me to be able to make a movie that means something to a slightly different community.”

Amy recently received the ASC Presidents Award, which recognizes her long career as a cinematographer and a mentor to new cinematographers. She’s also an artist in residence at Loyola Marymount University, where she teaches film classes and mentors students making short films.

You can see Amy’s recent work on the show Parish with Giancarlo Esposito on AMC+.

A Nice Indian Boy premiered at the SXSW Film Festival to critical acclaim, and is seeking distribution.

Find Amy Vincent: Instagram: @amyvvincent

Close Focus: A remake or reboot of The Blair Witch Project has been announced by Blumhouse. Dan Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, the original filmmakers of The Blair Witch Project, have not been contacted or consulted yet. Ben Rock was the production designer and one of the key people involved in creating the original Blair Witch Project film. He has ideas and opinions about the proposed remake, which he expressed on X and to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ben’s short end: Ben has 2 short ends this week.

the rc fx guide podcast began in 2015 and was co-hosted by Jason Wingrove, The Cinematography Podcast’s first guest, and Michael Seymour. Their podcast ended several years ago, but Jason and Michael recently relaunched it for one last episode to talk about Nikon’s acquisition of RED.

Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff, a documentary available on Tubi, about Jack Cardiff who was a pioneer in shooting Technicolor.

Illya’s short end: Science Vs. podcast by Gimlet Media on Spotify.

Sponsored by Greentree Creative: If you enjoy The Cinematography Podcast and you’re interested in growing or starting your own podcast, contact Alana Kode at Greentree Creative. Greentree Creative can help you with social media marketing, strategy and planning, podcast production, and digital content creation.

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Host: Ben Rock