The Producers Bolsters Roster with Three New Female Directors

From left to right, Aimée-Lee Xu Hsie, Olivia Altavilla, and Amber Mealing

Olivia Altavilla, Aimée-Lee Xu Hsien, and Amber Mealing are the latest female directors to sign with The Producers, each bringing their distinct lens and voice to the Australian film landscape.

“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Olivia, Aimée-Lee and Amber to The Producer's family,” says executive producer and partner Noelle Jones.

Add Jones: “As a female owned and led company, it’s important for us to nurture the next generation of female talent and create a more equitable set for all, in front of and behind the camera.”

Company owners Tanya Spencer, Victoria Conners andNoelle Jonesbegan their careers in the 90s. Turning 10 this year, The Producers, is a female producer-led production company that celebrates diverse creative perspectives.

“When we started our careers, there weren't a lot of female directors in the industry. It’s been incredibly reassuring to see this shift over the years.” Notes Executive Producer and Partner Tanya Spencer.

“It’s really important to us that we provide an opportunity for fresh new voices and support these young women to thrive.”

“Olivia, Aimée-Lee and Amber are all incredibly distinct in their tone, approach and craft, which really compliments our current family.”

Olivia Altavilla

Since graduating from VCA with a Masters in Film and TV Narrative in 2018, Olivia has gone from strength to strength, directing for the likes of Bose, Huggies, PetStock, Heinz and Harris Scarfe. A devotee to detail, Olivia loves to create work with a rich tapestry of character and heart.

"I feel incredibly lucky to work for a company led by three boss-ass women," Olivia says. "They’ve supported me in finding my voice and owning it, which is pretty special as a young female director. It’s like having three more mums in my corner."

Aimée-Lee Xu Hsien

Aimée-Lee is a Chinese-Irish-Australian Writer and Director working in offbeat comedies. She loves to explore character and elevate reality through richly detailed production design, bringing a lavish visual style to all her films. Her commercial work includes TVCs for Maltesers, CommBank, PayPal, H&M and TikTok. Aimée-Lee describes her work as exuberant, playful, irreverent, and full of heart. 

"I’m really thrilled to join The Producers family," says Aimée-Lee. "feel incredibly supported by Noelle, Tanya and Victoria in both my commercial work and my other film projects like my web-series. Not only are they absolute weapons on the work front but they’re also just super fun to be around. And being embraced so enthusiastically by the other directors on the roster has been really heartwarming.  I couldn’t be more pumped about the serious goals we’re going to kick this year and all the celebratory spritzes we’re going to have to share together!"

Amber Mealing 

Amber Mealing’s camp aesthetics, attention to detail and optimistic demeanour have seen her rise to the ranks as one of Melbourne’s most distinct, contemporary director’s. Having worked across Australia and New York, Amber’s work combines bold characters, lush art direction and punchy storytelling across TVC, films, music videos and events. Commercial credits include: Squealing Pig, the Virgin Australian Melbourne Fashion Festival (VAMFF), Vodka Cruiser and Inch Bikini.

"Joining TP feels like coming home," offers Amber. "From the first moment I spoke to producers at TP I felt recognised and supported. TP embraces diverse voices, talent and they are always striving for something fresh - you can see this in the calibre of work they produce and the amazing directors they work with. My visuals, style and even personality can be quite out there, so it means the world to me that savvy and talented producers like the team at TP have my back!"

For showreels, please contact Noelle Jones on: Noelle@theproducers.co