Amirose Eisenbach is a writer and producer, with an unwavering passion for the arts. She has over a decade of entertainment experience, having worked at Warner Bros., Fox Interactive Media, and most recently, AMC Theatres editorial. While at AMC, she helped launch their independent film division, including a Women in Film segment.
In early 2016, to help champion independent cinema even further, she founded Radiant J. Productions. Focusing on elevating more female creatives in front of and behind the lens, spreading mindfulness and helping aspiring artists shine, Radiant J. is committed to bringing people together in the name of art, truth and community. Amirose deeply believes that art can make a positive difference in the world to unite, educate, inspire and break down barriers. She’s traveled to 38 countries, and the way she views and creates art is greatly influenced by her respect for various cultures.
Tell us what your greatest personal challenge is, and how you’ve achieved success in spite of it.
The greatest personal challenge of my life was losing my beautiful mother Jayne to cancer, two and a half years ago. I was running the independent film division for AMC Theatres at the time. The beyond heartbreaking experience pushed me to no longer ignore the burning desire that was already inside of me that wanted to create, inspire and touch lives. For my life to truly mean something. I wanted to help combat some of the hatred in the world by spreading more love, positivity and content that really matters.
I started my own company, Radiant J. Productions, to honor my courageous mother. Film and music have always been the great loves of my life and I got my deep appreciation for cinema from my mom when I was a little girl. She was the true movie queen. With Radiant J., I’m determined to help elevate female creatives in front of and behind the camera, to spread mindfulness and to bring people together in the name of art, truth and community.
Name something that guides both your personal and professional development and helps you to regain focus during challenging times.
I believe that when you shift the conversation and intention from “I” to “We”, that’s when the magic happens. My pursuit is no longer about my personal gain but how I can be a vehicle for positive, social change. My passion and that desire to make an impact are what drive me. I’m unable to take on anything that doesn’t feel 100% authentic to me at this point in my career. I believe that my unwillingness to compromise my artistic and moral integrity is what’s going to help Radiant J. succeed.
What do you believe is at the core of why women hesitate to “lean in” and pursue leadership roles where they are?
Our society has been conditioned for centuries to view men as the breadwinners and the decision-makers. Even the voices of our beloved news anchors, talk show hosts, navigation systems, etc growing up were mostly all men. In high school, if you heard about a guy hooking up with a woman, he was praised as a stud. The woman, on the other hand, would be labeled as being promiscuous.
This mentality we were all ingrained with at an early age, bleeds into current culture. If women “lean in” and ask for equal pay and opportunities, they’re often viewed as being bossy, bitchy or difficult. If men do it, they’re looked at as being business savvy and good negotiators. It’s quite a double standard that has always existed.
The difference now is that women are fighting back, alongside some amazing men that also want equality. This is much more visible now because of media. We are better together and need to learn to elevate and not silence each other. Our differences only make us stronger. We still have a long way to go but the shift is definitely happening, slowly but steadily, and it’s an incredible thing to witness and be a part of.
Tell us one of your greatest professional accomplishments, and why it meant so much to you?
The first event I produced under my new company in May was called “Cinefemales”. It was a huge turning point for me. I produced it completely alone and sold out a 420 person theatre. It featured a keynote conversation with Ava DuVernay and the winning films of a short film contest I held, exclusively for female filmmakers.
I left my great gig with security and “glamour” for the unknown because of my desire to help people through art and community. Feeling the love, support and inspiration from an event I poured my entire heart and soul into, was truly a beautiful and life-changing experience for me. It affirmed that I’m on my right path and fulfilling my true purpose. I haven’t looked back since.
How do you manage fear in both your work and personal life?
Fear can be one hell of a motivator. All artists are overly critical of themselves, fearing self-sabotage and feeling like a fraud. That fear that you may never get the piece of art out that your heart desperately craves to tell. The creative process can be incredibly isolating and fickle. I’ve learned to use it all. The fear, the pain, the loneliness, the light, the love and everything in between.
I’m an incredibly private person. I never once told the public or posted on social media about my mom when it was happening. But I’ve learned that the way to really reach people is to be vulnerable, which can be absolutely terrifying. I’ve started to tell my story because we’ve all been through terrible times and speaking that truth in its rawest and purest form is the human experience that connects us all. That’s when true change and connection really happens. When you see, accept and love people for their entire story.
What do you believe will be the greatest global benefit to having more women in leadership roles?
Having different perspectives represented equally is incredibly important in politics, tech, entertainment and across the board. Women possess this special intuition and compassion that just come naturally to most of us. We are literally the givers of life. There’s something sacred about that which helps shape the way we view the world and the people in it. We are chameleons, we juggle a thousand things at once and that grace, strength and uniqueness make us natural leaders.
I’m very passionate about diversity and equality for not only women but for minorities and people of all sexual orientations as well. All stories and backgrounds are important and our culture should be more representative of that in all divisions.
What have you found to be the most effective way to motivate and energize your team?
Being passionate about the subject matter of whatever you’re trying to create is key. If your intention is pure and authentic, I believe you attract incredible people on a similar mission. Finding your tribe is one of the most important things for creators. If I truly believe in something, I’m willing to stand alone on top of a mountain to fight for it. I think that conviction resonates with people. Much like chemistry, it cannot be faked. It’s there or it’s not. I’m convinced my passion will be the death of me.
What is at the “core” of your drive and motivation to succeed?
I deeply believe that art, and specifically film, can change the world. It educates, activates, inspires. It can break down cultural divides and help people feel less alone. Art is my religion. Being inside a theatre and on a dance floor is my church. It’s a magical and transformative experience for me, making me feel alive and like I’m a part of something special. I want to help create that feeling for others. I’m fully committed to using my voice and platform to helping people through art and shared experiences, to hopefully inspire them to find their courage to lead the lives they’ve always dreamed of living. After all, we’re on this journey together. Tension is incredibly high right now in our country and we need to find our way back to love. Through example, I want to remind people of that.
