Ramaa Mosley has been making movies that matter since she was a teenager, beginning with her documentary We Can Make a Difference, which won a UN Global 500 Award. She has since made documentaries and music videos about such diverse subjects as Bolivia’s Aymara Indians and The B-52s. Also an award-winning commercial director, she is at work on another documentary, as well as her first feature, The Brass Teapot. We asked her what continues to inspire her, from other people’s work to the latest tools.

Q: What are you working on today?
A: Just finished shooting spots for Microsoft Kinect (Kinectimal). Sitting in a dark edit bay trying not to eat the chocolate.

Q: What’s the best tool or innovation that you’ve started using in the last year?
A: Canon 5D and social marketing (more specifically fan pages on facebook).

Q: What’s the project that most impressed you in the last year?
A: Chris Milk’s experimental music video “The Wilderness Project” is one of the best pieces of work I’ve seen all year; it is web-based, interactive, powerful art. It allows you to type in the location of your childhood home or school and then builds a video around Google satellite images of that location. I think this is a brilliant use of music and media.

In terms of film, Winter’s Bone is a must see. Sparse, taut, gripping. The performances are incredible. Made for very little money, locally in Appalachia. After I saw it I sat in the theater gripped with a mixture of jealousy and inspiration. That’s always a good sign when movie makes me want to go make a movie.

Q: What’s your favorite project that you worked on in the past year?
A: The Milkbone commercials and webisodes, because the project was about something that truly matters: The Canine Assistants Org in Alpharetta Georgia. They breed, train for two years and then give away 100 dogs a year to critically ill and disabled people. The dogs are super dogs and know over 91 skills, from picking a dropped sock to opening doors to calling 911. The campaign was shot on four Canon 5D cameras by Danny Moder and his team. It was like a mini documentary and it fed my soul. I love being on location working with real people. I was especially moved by this project.

Q: Who are the top artists—or apps—on your iPod?
A: Bat for lashes, The Killers, Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” OK Go, Facebook and Drunkalizer