Honored for: Contribution to the Production Community

As owner, producer and MD of London production company Academy Films, Lizie Gower has had a storied career that includes the iconic Guinness "Surfer", considered by some the best commercial ever made.

Gower runs Academy, one of the largest and most awarded prodcos in the UK, with partners Jonathan Glazer, Sally Campbell and Simon Cooper. Along with commercial production, Academy boasts a vibrant music video division, which was established in 1996 and, as a once-aspiring actress, Gower has also gradually been moving the company toward the feature realm. The features department's first project was Jonathan Glazer's Sexy Beast in 2000, followed by Birth in 2004.

Gower's skill, says roster director Jason Smith, is her commitment to creative. "Lizie always puts the creative product first and foremost above the money, or often lack of it. She is always questioning the advertising idea in a commercial to make it better." Industry peer Paul Rothwell, MD of London's Gorgeous, simply states, "She is an asset to our business."

IN HER WORDS:
What are your future aspirations?
To continue to see Academy as a top production company worldwide and to keep finding tomorrow's big stars.
Who or what continues to inspire you?
Doing a job with a fantastic director and creative team/agency, working in collaboration - the results are always better.
What do you love about the industry?
That when you are working creatively with talented people, every day is different; also the immediacy of the work.
What would you change?
Some agency/client attitudes toward production companies and budgets.
"I got into advertising..."
...because I had broken my leg and wanted a part-time job before going to Hollywood to become a famous actress.
What advice would you give to future generations of women in advertising?
There is no need to set yourself apart from the men.