Sanaa Hamri on Sisterhood of Traveling Pants 3 and Lord of the Rings

Sanaa Hamri, executive producer and director of the Prime Video fantasy series “The Wheel of Time,” feels like she’s just getting started.

The Moroccan-born filmmaker began her career in the late 1990s directing music videos for artists such as Prince, Mariah Carey, Sting and Nicki Minaj. She transitioned to television in the mid-2000s, directing episodes of “Desperate Housewives,” “Glee” and “Nashville.” Hamri made her feature film debut in 2006 with the romantic comedy ‘Something New’ for Focus Features. She has since directed the successful 2008 sequel “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2” for Warner Bros. and the romantic comedy “Just Wright” for Searchlight in 2010.

With an overall deal with Amazon Prime Video, she is on the Primetime Emmy Awards ballot for directing the “What Was Meant to Be” episode of “The Wheel of Time.” The second season finale follows Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski) and others into an inevitable confrontation with their most formidable foes yet. The cast includes Rosamund Pike, Daniel Henney, Zoë Robins and Madeleine Madden.

In an interview with VarietyDiscusses the challenges and experiences of working on the drama series, Hamri spent nine months living in London directing two episodes of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and whether she is open to directing another sequel on “The Sisterhood of the Reisbroek.”

Read: All Primetime Emmy predictions in every category at Variety Awards circuit.

How do you reflect on your experience filming “The Wheel of Time?”

‘The Wheel of Time’ was a great job, with extensive world building involving the Aes Sedai and various creatures. In the second season, our characters are separated and must each find their own path, creating a coming-of-age journey into adulthood. They reunite towards the end of the season.

As a filmmaker, it was exciting to explore these different worlds and films in my home country of Morocco. A highlight was taking the crew to the Sahara. The beauty and scenery, although remote, provided a beautiful backdrop for scenes such as Moiraine’s beach scene in which she performs the weaving.

Working with a talented Moroccan crew allowed me to combine my American and European work experience with my African roots, creating something special. The positive reception from fans, especially around the theme of female empowerment, where women hold the power, was gratifying.

Directing the season finale, with its intricate choreography and action sequences, was a major achievement. Seeing clips on Instagram reminded me of the incredible effort and collaboration it took to make the show visually appealing and cohesive. It was a remarkable experience.

Even though people love this show, it hasn’t reached critical mass. Has that been frustrating for you?

With streaming it is very difficult to determine who is watching what. It could be that an entire household uses one service, and friends or family come to visit and click around. Measuring impact is difficult outside of online chatter. Personally, I’m someone who posts and then disconnects. I only use Instagram and try not to focus on numbers, which can be a dangerous approach for an artist. As a filmmaker, I strive to create work that resonates emotionally, trusting that people will rediscover shows over time, just as I often do.

You directed two episodes of the upcoming season of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” – how does this experience compare to others you’ve had in the past?

“Rings of Power” is already special because of its Tolkien lore and strong sense of community. Everyone was immersed in that world, from showrunners to producers, actors and artisans. I was based in London for about nine months, it was my first time living there, and I was completely absorbed by the project.

The secrecy was intriguing, with pseudonyms for everything and only the right people having access to the scripts. From a film perspective, building on those big fantasy worlds was fascinating. I enjoyed making sure everything fit into Tolkien’s world, especially when working with different creatures, although I can’t reveal details until the show airs.

It was great to see actors performing for nothing, relying heavily on visual effects. The collaboration between production design and visual effects was crucial to create a cohesive frame. Overall it was quite an experience.

Preparation is crucial in filmmaking, especially on a large-scale project like Rings of Power. The art of preparation is the key to creative success. I had countless meetings for each sequence, storyboarding and re-storyboarding, discussing every moment in detail with the cinematographer to ensure we were thoroughly prepared. Once on set, everything moves quickly, so a careful approach is essential. Although I am an emotional director, I am also extremely technical, which suits my filmmaking style, especially for a project like Rings of Power.

How much time do you spend with actors on something like ‘The Lord of the Rings’ versus visual effects and post-production?

For me, the filmmaking process is about 60% working with actors and 40% everything else. My process involves rehearsals with the actors to discuss the scenes, walking them through the sets and then blocking the scenes before we start filming. This preparation can be intense, combining costumes and set preparations.

In the evenings I often work with actors on half-built sets, which is crucial to identify any missing elements. This allows me to work with production design to make necessary adjustments, such as widening a walkway if necessary. I love bringing actors to partially or fully completed sets to get them into their roles. At the end of these walkthroughs, we have essentially completed a full rehearsal without them feeling trapped in anything.

Once we start filming, the actors are familiar with the set and their movements. My technique involves letting them go in gently while the DP is already lighting up in his head. The luxury of a well-run show like Rings of Power is the time we have for such meticulous planning.

This detailed preparation is not about money, but about careful planning. Whether it’s a big budget show or a smaller budget show, the main difference is the luxury of time. Effective time management and prioritizing what’s important are crucial. I bring this meticulous approach to every project, including Rings of Power.

You directed the 2008 sequel to “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” Would you be interested in guiding a third party?

I would say yes, just to support those ladies. I also explore different genres and tell new, unique stories. I don’t like to repeat myself and prefer to move on to other things. For example, ‘The Bondsman’ is a very different show than ‘Rings of Power’, and even Rings and Wheel of Time, although both in the fantasy genre, are very different.

For my next project I want it to contain new elements, worlds and challenges. I am passionate about creating content that unites people around the world, provides food for thought and expands the mind, especially during these difficult times. These are the things I look for in my future work.

Maybe a genre switch of the franchise?

That is a great idea. The pants are possessed [laughs]. All those girls are fantastic. I would work with them again.

How proud were you when you saw America Ferrera get an Oscar nomination for ‘Barbie’?

It was the greatest moment. I loved her in Barbie; she was fantastic. Barbie was a remarkable achievement. Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel – all girls – have become real powerhouses in their own right.

This interview has been edited and condensed. “The Wheel of Time” is now streaming on Prime Video.