Playlist: Geej Ower

London-based Geej Ower is swiftly making a name for herself as an up-and-coming director and editor, whose reel spans documentaries, promos and commercial content.

As well as shooting for numerous global brands, she's picked up a fair few gongs for her music video work including the Music Video Award at Encounters Film Festival 2016 for her promo for Jono McCleery's This Idea Of Us and Best Music Video at the London Independent Film Festival 2015 for Honne’s All In The Value.  Her promo for Punctual What I Love has also been nominated at this year's UK Music Video Awards.  

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

The Blaze Virile. It's so simple but there's something so warm and evocative about it. It's a brilliant, small study of a relationship. And the performances are excellent. 

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

I wish I had a cool answer to this but I really don't... I do remember being impressed by the Spice Girls' Wannabe as an eight year old. To be fair, watching that back now, I still think it's a great video.

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

I don't think I have one all-time favourite. But Radiohead's Karma Police is, I think, pretty close to perfect. 

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

No one person or director but I love films and always have so they definitely give me a lot of inspiration whether they directly influence what I make or not, they must lodge themselves in my brain somewhere. I try and go to the theatre a lot too I find that really helpful to think about story in a different way.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Tom Misch has been on repeat for me for the last year. Also an Icelandic band called Samaris. And a duo called Smerz.

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

My camera. I just got an old Nikon FE2, so I'm having fun messing about with that at the moment re-learning how to shoot film.

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

James Blake, there's so much story in his music. It's really emotionally charged and I think it marries really brilliantly with film.

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

- I've only been in it a couple of years and I still feel like I'm just getting going, so it's difficult to say. I suppose it's getting more competitive and budgets are getting tougher? But maybe that's always been the case and I'm only just realising...

Music videos have had a resurgence of late; where do you see the industry being in five years’ time?

More and more film festivals seem to be introducing music video categories into their programmes, so I hope promos continue to be recognised as respectable films in their own right, because in my mind that's what they are.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know…

I overshare so there isn't a lot people don't know. Princess Diana held me when I was a baby. There you go.