Commercial Productiondience, Blink Pictures’ Dale Heslip gave up on his childhood dream of becoming a rock star and took his passion for music behind the scenes.

His love affair with music began at the age of six when he learned how to play the accordion, which he set aside in favor of the guitar when he was 12. (Heslip can always be persuaded to play a tune if there happens to be an accordion lying around.)

While putting together an annual music variety show in high school, Heslip got his first taste of directing. Following graduation, he continued on a musical path, promoting rock shows and managing a rock band but quickly decided he needed to be more creative.

Director Robert Quartly, now with The Directors Film Company, helped him land a job at former Toronto spot shop Champagne Motion Picture, where he did graphic design for record covers. But it was big-haired ’80s rockers Honeymoon Suite who gave him his first real directing gig – on a music video.

Following that he shot a video for Crash Test Dummies’ Superman Song, which opened the floodgates and jobs came pouring in from such Canadian artists as Kim Mitchell, Prairie Oyster, Cowboy Junkies and Rush.

With the musical side of his directing career in full swing and his appetite for music satiated, Heslip began exploring the world of commercial production, and in the early ’90s was offered a spot on the roster at The Partners’ Film Company, where he remained for four-and-a-half years.

His first commercial was a psa for aids through Ranscombe & Company. Shot seven years ago, the spot is still one of his favorites and remains on his reel.

‘I describe it as Leave it to Beaver as directed by Alfred Hitchcock,’ says Heslip.

The black-and-white ad features a little boy preparing to head outside during a rainstorm. Just as he is about to walk out the door, his mother turns off the vacuum and says, ‘Don’t forget your rubbers.’ Tag line: ‘Rubbers, recommended by mothers everywhere.’

‘What keeps drawing me back to it is it’s a clear story with a simple punch line and it makes me smile,’ says Heslip. ‘I think the best commercials are the ones that are simple and entertaining.’

Some of the director’s more recent favorites include a spot for Bell’s Star 69 in which two guys are lugging some heavy furniture up the stairs when a sexy-voiced Monique calls, but doesn’t leave her number, and a ‘silly’ beer spot for Miller featuring a group of jocks sitting around a campfire farting.

Heslip has been with Blink for two years and with l.a.-based Vamp for five months. Recently he eyeballed 650 spots as a judge for this year’s Bessies.

Pamela Swedko