Surprisingly, music video director Kinga Burza, 28, didn't grow up on a diet of MTV. 'We didn't have it in Australia, but I watched Aussie shows Rage and Video Hits obsessively, recording VHS mix tapes of 1980s hits for my friends.'

She also performed 'videoke' of Salt N Pepa and Belinda Carlisle, filmed by her British parents, a hobby that later came in useful while studying for a BA in theatre and film at the University of New South Wales.

'I wanted to work in film, so in my last year at uni I taught myself how to work a camera and edit by videoing myself lip-synching to music.'

Kinga emigrated from Sydney to London in 2005 'with a little ambition in my pocket and confidence in my step', and four months later was signed to production company Partizan. 'But it wasn't all roses from then on. I spent two years doing temp work by day and writing music video pitches by night, approaching unsigned musicians and offering to work for free. Discovering Kate Nash gave me my break.'

Now a name to watch, Kinga has directed music videos for Nash, La Roux, Katy Perry, Ladyhawke, Calvin Harris, James Blunt, The Teenagers, The Thrills, Will Young and The Noisettes. She lives in Hackney.

Which video are you most proud of?
Kate Nash's 'Foundations' as it won a Young Gun award as well as Best Pop Video at the 2008 UK Video Music Awards.

What's your directing style?
I always work with a strict colour palette and, though I tailor things to each artist, I love embracing femininity, fun, nostalgia and fantasy. There aren't many female directors out there, so I guess my work stands out.

What's the strangest shoot you've done?
We couldn't find a location in LA for Katy Perry's 'I Kissed a Girl' video, so ended up plumping for a 1970s faux-British castle in the Hollywood Hills, which we then discovered was used for filming pornography. The poor work experience had to scrub it from top to bottom.

What's the secret to being a good video director?
Love the music you're working with, follow your instincts and have the desire to touch your audience.

What would be your dream shoot?
To work with a mega pop star such as Madonna, Beyoncé or Britney Spears, with a healthy budget, somewhere amazing like the Western Desert in Egypt or a tropical beach in Tahiti.

Which video do you wish you'd directed?
Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' by John Landis. Pure genius on so many counts and an example of MTV in its heyday - the type of music video that will never be made again.