My first music video set was a ‘day version’ of Duran Duran’s ‘Girls On Film’, directed by Russell Mulcahy and featuring skaters from the West End Show Starlight Express.
I was still at school. I was a fully committed teen ‘Duranie’. I was in heaven.
That day I was a wardrobe assistant for my stylist sister, Emma. I was on the Call Sheet and everything!

The frenetic atmosphere, excitement and drama hooked me in immediately.
My mother’s dreams of me becoming a sensible lawyer were dashed.
I can happily say that, since that day, I have never had a ‘proper' job!

After University, I started work as a receptionist at Harry Five working with industry legends, producer Frank Hilton and MD Tessa Watts. A few years of freelance production followed – working as a producer with directors

Mark Neale, Nick Egan, Spike Jonze (only once but hey!), Dom ‘n’ Nic, Grant Gee and photographer Kevin Westenberg.
I also worked on many live shows, including In Bed with Madonna and the legendary and historic Monsters of Rock in Moscow in 1991.
I was lucky enough to work with, amongst others, Pink Floyd, Supergrass, Adam Ant, Siouxsie and the Banshees (ticked a life goal with that one), Blur, Oasis, U2, EMF and George Michael on the game-changing video for ‘Freedom’ directed by David Fincher.

A change of direction came when a short stint in the Parlophone Records video department was followed by a move to Chrysalis Records as Head of Music Video.
Here I worked with Belinda Carlisle, Simple Minds, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, The Power Station, Mike Scott, World Party, Black Box Recorder, White Town, Catherine Wheel and Robbie Williams. I was introduced to Sinead O’Connor. That’s as close as I got to working with her. But it was a moment, anyway….

As a Freelance Commissioner, I have worked with Tina Turner, Beth Orton, Blur, Pet Shop Boys, Goldfrapp, Travis, Kaiser Chiefs, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Maccabees, Lemar, Jack Savoretti , Take That (co-commissioner), The Amazons, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Rick Astley and (loveliest people on the planet) Snow Patrol.

Another career swerve occurred when temporary maternity cover turned into an unexpected decade at HSI London repping directors for music video.
I also spent 6 years repping directors for Kode.
Now, I have a wonderful roster of companies and independent directors and I continue to develop the careers of film-makers in music video and visual content.
I also take on freelance commissions selectively.

In 2018, the very generous and possibly deluded people at the UKMVAs gifted me an Outstanding Achievement Award.
I’m guessing this was down to the fact that, in the immortal words of Elton John, ‘I’m Still Standing’.

I still get the same tingles when I walk on set as I did for ‘Girls on Film’ all those years ago.
Working in music video continues to be the best ‘not proper’ job in the world.
 

UKMVAs 2018