Playlist: Favourite Colour: Black

What’s the best promo you’ve seen recently and why?

Difficult to pin this down, but I really loved the video Sam Tudor - Joseph in the Bathroom, directed by Lucas Hrubizna, because it’s so haunting. It’s the kind of video I’d always be making if I had my way - cinematic, abstract, disturbing, beautiful. Also one of my faves is Sevdaliza - Shahmaran, directed by Emmanuel Adjei, because of its truly epic visuals. 

What’s the first promo you remember being impressed by?

I think - like many people of my generation - I started to become aware of music videos as an art form because of artists like Madonna, but the first time I saw a video that made me think they could be something totally different was almost certainly Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy, directed by Chris Cunningham. I bought it on VHS and watched it on repeat. 

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

Wow, even more difficult. Can I have a few? If so, Radiohead - No Surprises, directed by Grant Gee, Queens Of The Stone Age - Go With the Flow directed by Shynola, and Madonna - Frozen directed Chris Cunningham.

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspiration?

It’s difficult to come up with something that hasn’t already been done in so many ways. I love watching work by other directors but I’m paranoid I’ll log the idea somewhere in my brain and it’ll resurface years later and I’ll forget seeing it before and think it was my idea. So I tend to turn more to photography and film for inspiration. 

A few of my present favourite contemporary creatives would probably be Alex Prager, Juno Calypso & Taryn Simon, but I still often revisit the work of classic fashion photographers such as Erwin Blumenfeld and Helmut Newton. 

What are you listening to at the moment?

I think my most listened to albums recently are by Du Blonde, Sevdaliza, JK Flesh, and I’ve been revisiting the first couple of Burial albums a lot too.

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?

I really love my beaten up old Alan Gordon director's viewfinder. Way quicker than messing around with apps. I bought it years ago and it was definitely a worthwhile investment. And I have a Pentax 67ii 120 stills camera that I love taking portraits with. 

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?

Du Blonde because I love the music and Beth Jean Houghton’s approach to imagery. Sevdaliza because she’s got such a strong artistic identity. And let's also throw in Slayer because I’ve been a fan for twenty odd years. 

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it?

I think I started making videos just as the budgets started to plummet. There was a time when music videos had funds similar to TV commercials, but a few things - social media, digital cameras (chiefly the 5D) - helped increase the demand for content whilst simultaneously driving the money down. Of course the industry is still thriving with great talent creating great work, but I’m old enough to remember promos being an event - something you’d seek out on MTV or stay up late to watch a premiere of on Channel 4.