Marie Jamora
After she was asked by Ely Buendia to co-direct an Eraserheads music video that would turn out to be the first of countless others, Marie Jamora never looked back.
Since then, she has worked with some of the country’s finest musical artists, including Sandwich, Gary Valenciano, Sugarfree, Itchyworms, Sponge Cola, Imago, Hilera, Billy Crawford, Nikki Gil, Kjwan and Bamboo.
A part-time musician herself best known for her stints with the bands Boldstar and Blast Ople, where she continues to remain as drummer, it’s no coincidence that Marie’s success as a sought-after music video director has been rewarded with over 30 nominations and eight wins from the MTV Pilipinas Awards, NU107 Rock Awards, Awit Awards, and the MYX Music Awards.
She also found success with directing commercials, short films and even TV shows that include the very first season of “Project Runway Philippines”.
With a Masters degree in film from Columbia University and a cool gig teaching film at the Ateneo De Manila University, the diminutive filmmaker is now excited about her very first feature, “Ang Nawawala (What Isn’t There),” an official entry in the New Breed category of the 2012 Cinemalaya Film Festival and Competition.
As she looks forward to a brave new world with even bigger prospects and exciting possibilities, Marie looks back with fondness at her very own music videos and picks her personal favorites.
As she considers all of them as labors of love, it’s understandable that she could not rate them in any particular order. Here they are just the same.
ORANGE & LEMONS, “Ang Katulad Mong Walang Katulad”
The haunting video to the second to the last single of the band before disbanding was mostly a family affair for the director as, other than the band, it also featured Marie’s sister, Jenny and niece Isobel Garceau.
“My heart breaks every time I see the shot in the end where my niece, Isobel, reaches her arm out and cries,” Marie admitted.
IMAGO, “Sundo”
Marie and Imago both bagged the 2005 NU 107 Rock Awards Music Video of the Year for the earlier hit called “Akap”. But it was the video for the second single of the band’s third album that remains close to the director’s heart.
“The soldiers walking on the side of the road as Aia sings inside the car was a complete coincidence and it looks great. I love it when serendipitous things like that happen on one-day shoots,” she fondly recalled.
SANDWICH “DVD X”
After the departure of Marc Abaya, fans wondered what the future brings for Raimund Marasigan’s post-Eraserheads band. Well, Marasigan assuaged everyone’s fears when he boldly took over the band, further reinforced it with Chicosci axeman Mong Alcaraz and introduced an even harder rocking sound with the acclaimed album, “Five On The Floor”.
It also didn’t hurt that their director for the record’s second single was in a particularly creative mood on one particularly stormy day.
“This is my homage to Tarantino and John Woo, with little nods to Aronofsky and ‘Blade Runner’. We shot this during Typhoon Milenyo. I pat myself on the back for surviving that day,” beamed Marie.
ITCHYWORMS, “Love Team”
Ah, memories of Kimerald, back when everyone was still gushing over the hottest love team of the country then. Marie never mentioned if the former love team was a big reason why she’s fond of this particular video. But she did relish the opportunity to work with another celebrated video director.
“I loved the collaboration on this video: from conceptualizing it with the band to getting to finally work with RA Rivera as cinematographer,” she said smiling.
TARSIUS, “Deathless Gods”
Round and round the camera goes, where it stops, only Marie knows.
“Watching AND listening to this video makes me happy,” she confessed. “The fact that it is a live performance never ceases to amaze me. And the song is important in our film, ‘Ang Nawawala,’ as well. It’s like hitting a million birds with one stone.”
