Toronto’s Maxx Productions continues to make news, this time with the signing of its first Canadian director, Toronto-based David Cropper.

After attending the Ontario College of Art, Cropper schooled himself in guerilla-style filmmaking and music videos, adding his name to the Black Walk Productions lineup. Having directed nearly 70 clips in his short career, he believes now is the time to move into ads.

"I really wanted to tackle the commercial market," says Cropper. "I didn’t want to go with just any company. I wanted to go with someone I could trust and that I can be friends with, who will be loyal to me and work with me as a team. I worked in the industry and with the people and I haven’t really felt comfortable with many of them."

A freelance DOP friend of Cropper’s insisted he call Sherman, citing their similar views on filmmaking and the industry.

"I could have gone to a different production house already but I really wanted to wade through them with caution to find who I wanted to be with and develop a relationship with," says Cropper. "I heard that [Sherman] had downsized his company, and that was perfect because I didn’t want to go into a huge company where there are 30 or 40 directors and I’d get lost in there. I feel comfortable, even with the stage we are at, because we’ve talked a lot and I understand Harve and he understands what I want to do."

Sherman, who was impressed by the quality of Cropper’s video productions, says the young director has a very mature shooting style.

"To get the imagery that you see consistently in his work, that comes from some sort of design component that he obviously has inherently in him and it suggests a style," says Sherman. "It suggests he is perfect for fashion and stuff that requires performance."

Although Cropper is a novice director with no commercial experience as of yet, Sherman is confident in his abilities based on what he has seen of his work.

"I’m not afraid of putting him on a set," says Sherman. "I’m not afraid of matching him up with people who can work for him and around him. We all know in this commercial industry that there are a lot of clients who love to work with or will give a shot to people who are new to the business. We are going to be very aware of that because we have to find the right projects for him."

Cropper says he is game for any and all work.

"My mind is open for anything," says Cropper. "I see myself as an artist first, so I can create whatever it may be. I don’t want to put myself in a box right now because I haven’t even done anything yet."

One thing Cropper may be steering clear of for the next while is music videos. Despite winning several MMV Awards, a Canadian Urban Music Award, and having worked with artists like Saukrates, Kaybe and Doug E Fresh, Cropper says that chapter in his career may be closed.

"I’ve done so much that I feel like a goldfish in a little bowl and I’m getting too big for it," says Cropper. "The budgets aren’t big enough for me to be able to work with. I want to do more with music videos. You’re competing with million-dollar budgets all the time; it is hard to do a video for $100,000 because you want to keep competing and being the best."

Sherman, an obvious fan of Cropper’s video work, says he’d have no problem with the director returning to his roots for a time, if the right project can be found. *