Amanda Burrell of Workforce Downey and HBO’s ‘The Sympathizer’ wishes to get audiences speaking

There’s no issue that Hollywood is in the midst of a slowdown.

But even with the market upheaval, Amanda Burrell and the output corporation she operates, Team Downey, have by no means been much more hungry. As president of the Venice, Calif.-based mostly organization started by actor Robert Downey Jr. and his spouse, Susan Downey, Burrell is, by her individual admission, “voracious” for new projects.

The organization has experienced many key successes currently, with HBO’s Vietnam War-era miniseries “The Sympathizer” and Netflix’s fantasy drama “Sweet Tooth.”

Burrell is optimistic that the leisure sector will determine out where audiences are and what they want to see.

“The fact is the audience is there and they’re voracious,” she reported. “So we just have to determine out how to get to them and how to get them into it.”

What gets you enthusiastic about a undertaking?

We frequently request ourselves in excess of listed here at Crew Downey what marching orders must we give the industry in conditions of what to provide us, and it’s actually variety of challenging due to the fact we have “Sympathizer,” we have “Sweet Tooth” and we have “Perry Mason.” We operate the gamut. For us, it’s definitely about points that are bold, issues that are complicated, things that we know will be thematically demanding and get into a dialogue with an audience.

And then for me personally, it’s definitely about the men and women that we have interaction, individuals that we’re conversing to each individual working day. Usually, it’s just jamming with a writer on an idea that just lights me up.

You outlined issues that are formidable, also issues that are complicated. Why did you latch on to “The Sympathizer?”

We acquired the e book from A24 with Park Chan-wook [“Decision to Leave”] connected, and I have been a substantial lover of his.

But also, I consider it was actually recognizing the truth that, generally in the American knowledge of historical past, the People are centered. And the truth that this was centering a Vietnamese protagonist and a group, and it was really illuminating that it was just a bunch of individuals attempting to make decisions about their foreseeable future and what they’re intended to imagine and what they are meant to do, and they’re caught in all of these forces. It felt really human, and it felt genuinely well worth analyzing through that cinematic lens.

Why do you feel “Sweet Tooth” has resonated with viewers for three seasons?

It experienced this cinematic rigor to it. [Showrunner and director] Jim Mickle was formidable, and he preferred to experience this point of perspective of this kid and the way that children search at the earth with a degree of optimism and magnificence and hope. It was amazing understanding for me that to start with year. And then just ending it … it’s so bittersweet since of the chance for it to be a true catharsis for an viewers to entire a coming-of-age journey for this character.

What else does Staff Downey have in the pipeline?

So Robert [Downey Jr.] is going to do this Lincoln Heart engage in, which we are incredibly psyched about, “McNeal,” and we’re making that. We have “Play Dirty” at Amazon.

With the completion of “Sweet Tooth” and “Sympathizer,” we’re actually reassessing what it is that we want to be placing out there. A large amount of our initiatives are likely to be place into the element film area. We’ve been paying out a good deal of time in television, and that’s been remarkable, and we still want to continue to keep that incredibly considerably alive. But with “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie” past calendar year, I think we are observing a real possibility in the feature place that wasn’t there beforehand.

Immediate-hearth concerns

What are you listening to suitable now?

I’m listening to a large amount of hip-hop simply because my 9-year-previous is obsessed with 50 Cent. And then also the “Challengers” soundtrack when I need to buzz myself up. I set on that Atticus Ross, just pumping in my motor vehicle when I need to have to prep myself for a conference. It is quite high-octane in my auto.

How do you get focused?

I are likely to get targeted by multitasking. I do tell my kids to breathe a whole lot, and I force myself to do it. But if I’m truly honest, for me, I’m equipped to concentrate on a person detail if I’m multitasking and juggling a great deal of points.

What do you do to unwind?

For me, it is about remaining with my youngsters and listening to them talk about school. I love cooking. I appreciate gardening. Obtaining into nature and mountaineering and remaining with my family. That’s the most soothing issue to me.