Apple Box Productions executive producer Barbara Walker is leaving the Toronto company she helped nurture to success to pursue a career as a long-form filmmaker. Walker, who opened the Toronto office nine years ago with a phone, a computer and a receptionist, is heading to Calgary at the end of September to work on a new feature-length documentary.

One of three Apple Box locations (along with Edmonton and Vancouver, which opened simultaneously), the Toronto office will now be run by Apple Box executive

producer Clare ‘Cash’ Cashman, who is dangerously close to celebrating her first full year at the shop, and one other exec producer who will be named at a later date.

‘We’re scoping at the moment for a partner for Cash,’ says Walker. ‘We are looking for a replacement executive producer for me and, happily, I have the privilege of being a part of that process – replacing myself. I love it.’

Walker hints there are a few candidates at present, but is not ready to say who they are.

With mixed feelings about what will inevitably be an emotional departure, Walker says the opportunity to move into long-form filmmaking was just too big to pass on.

‘I’ve been writing some long-form projects for the past couple of years and, lo and behold, one of them is about to get funded,’ says Walker. She says her professional life for the next long while will be devoted to making the high-end doc, which involves some rather controversial material. She will receive producer, writer and director credits on the film, with the latter raising a few surprised eyebrows among her directors.

The film’s content and details of its production are top secret. ‘I’m not telling anybody [what the film is about], not even my family. My husband knows, but that is it,’ she says.

Walker will subsidize this new chapter in her life by line producing from time to time, returning to her roots as a freelancer, and by renting out a cabin she and her husband own in the Rocky Mountains.

Walker says this is a difficult time to be leaving Apple Box because of its recent string of successes and high calibre of the directors based out of the Toronto office.

Although pursuing a career in long form, Walker says she will still loves spots.

‘I’ve never lost my fascination for commercials,’ she says. ‘I love the fact that they change every three weeks, the fact that we have the very best technology, and the very highest end in personnel. The commercial world is quite a great world for any kind of filmmaker.’ *

-wwwappleboxproductions.com