Ammolite Inc. Signs Director JIHYE

Hybrid creative and production studio Ammolite Inc. has signed director JIHYE to its roster of multi-hyphenate talent.

Born on a farm in South Korea and raised by her grandparents, JIHYE is here to make good stories with good people. Her grandparents' work ethic underpins the approach she takes in her work. “I have three rules on set: No assholes, no entitled divas, and no lazy people.” 

JIHYE has lived in New York for over 25 years, taking a brief hiatus in Virginia to attend UVA and gain some work experience. After returning to NYC,  JIHYE began interning before working as a producer. She began directing her own work in high school, and continued upon her move to NYC. An early breakthrough project for Equinox exposed her work to a wider audience, and she has since helmed spots for Ford, Bud Light, McDonald’s, HBO, and Air Jordan, among others.  

The camera has a voice of its own in JIHYE’s work, moving with fluidity and energy, drawing the viewer into the world, and creating a dynamic and instant familiarity with the characters who fully inhabit the moment as it is unfolding. These instincts serve JIHYE well across a variety of genres and projects, defined by action, sensitivity, and a documentarian’s appreciation for the revealing nature of detail. 

“JIHYE is a force of nature,” says Ammolite Inc.’s founder and CEO Emil Nava. “Her work is bold, vibrant, and has a life-force to it. She has something unique to say, which comes through in every frame of her films.” 

Says JIHYE: “I knew I wanted to direct since I was very young, but there wasn’t a manual for how to be a filmmaker,” she says. “Commercials have been a really good space for me. It’s been my film school. I’m lucky to say that. I put a lot of emphasis on working with good people, I surround myself with them. That’s what makes Ammolite such a great fit.”