AMIR DAMASCUS
BIO
Amir Damascus (formerly Joel Plue) — President & CEO, Amir Damascus Entertainment LLC
is a film producer, writer, and multimedia entrepreneur whose career spans performance, independent film production, and emerging media technologies. Beginning as a child performer in New York City, Amir’s early work in stand‑up — under the tutelage of his mother, director/writer Lori Kelly‑Bailey — established a foundation in storytelling and stagecraft that continues to inform his work behind the camera.
Early Career and Performance
Amir’s professional career began at age nine, performing his mother’s comedy routines for adult audiences and quickly moving into the New York comedy circuit with appearances at Carolines, Catch a Rising Star, and NY Comedy Club. Between ages nine and thirteen he toured with Comic Relief 8 and served as a national spokesman and youth ambassador for the Arthritis Foundation. In the wake of September 11, Amir and his mother launched the “Focus on Freedom” grassroots benefit tour — driving from New York to Florida in a single 2001 Ford Focus wagon to raise funds and visibility for the families of fallen first responders; the effort was featured on MTV’s TRL.
Film Production and Writing
Transitioning into feature film, Amir has collaborated extensively with Lori Kelly‑Bailey as a writer, producer, and actor. Their co‑written screenplay Silent But Deadly (2008; released 2011) featured Jason Mewes, William Sadler, and Jordan Prentice. In 2010 Amir secured his first six‑figure production investment for Mineville, a period drama exploring the rise and decline of iron ore mining in Upstate New York; the film starred Paul Sorvino and William Sadler and was co‑executive produced by Jason Mewes.
Amir’s production credits include a mix of independent shorts and features across genres. In 2018 he produced Garrow, a true‑crime feature about Robert Garrow that drew significant regional attention and sold out screenings across the North Country. More recent work includes the short The Red Death (an adaptation of Poe’s Masque of the Red Death), and the feature A Roadhouse Coup, a dramatic exploration of Prohibition‑era crime and the life of Eva Coo.
Amir Damascus Entertainment
As President and CEO of Amir Damascus Entertainment, Amir leads a boutique multimedia company producing commercial, film, and publishing projects. The company’s portfolio includes regional commercial work (Five Star Subaru, North Road Soap), independent features in development, and recent publishing (Jacob and the Gnome). Amir is actively developing multiple full‑length features slated for production in spring 2027, including I’m Sorry I Was Drunk (starring Bulent Gurcan) and Gilded, a contemporary dark romantic fable about power, desire, and consequence.
Industry & Technical Expertise
Amir combines creative storytelling with technical fluency. He is self‑taught in CGI/VFX and works as a Generative AI Engineer, applying AI and VFX workflows to streamline production, post, and creative development. This hybrid skill set drives the company’s approach to cost‑effective, tech‑forward storytelling and commercial production.
Healthcare Leadership & Community Work
During the COVID‑19 pandemic Amir temporarily stepped into healthcare operations, managing Woodside Hall, an adult care facility in Cooperstown. Under his leadership the facility completed its first pandemic year without a single resident COVID case — a result recognized in local coverage (Freeman’s Journal, March 2021). This period reinforced Amir’s operational and crisis‑management capabilities and informed his collaborative leadership style.
Education
Amir holds a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management from Ashworth College and a Graduate Certificate in the same discipline from Columbia Southern University. Presently, he is working towards his MSHA also through Columbia Southern University.
Approach & Vision
Amir Damascus brings a producer’s pragmatism and a storyteller’s appetite for daring ideas. His work is rooted in character, regional stories, and a willingness to blend practical production solutions with imaginative, genre‑bending narratives. He champions local crews and talent while pursuing festival visibility and commercial partnerships that expand audience reach.
