Although things have been somewhat quiet for the past month or two, it’s been a crazy couple of years for Toronto native and second-time First Cut winner Adam Massey.

While he now hangs his hat in California, where much of his work originates, Massey can often be spotted north of the 49th.

He was in Canada recently for a couple of ‘looks-refreshing, tastes-refreshing spots’ for Labatt Blue through Ammirati Puris Lintas, and to shop around his reel.

And Vancouver has become a frequent shooting spot for the 28-year-old director. Recent b.c. shoots include a job for American phone company gte and a one for Dolly Madison Donuts, which had him shooting down a 1,500-foot vertical cliff, both through American agencies.

But of all the jobs he has picked up over the course of his short directorial career, his favorite remains the Molson Export ‘Hockey’ spot out of MacLaren McCann, which he directed about a year ago and helped land him in the First Cut winner’s circle again this year.

Known for his comedic spot work, Massey is happy to see more non-humorous boards coming his way.

‘Once you get stereotyped as a comedy director, even if your reel changes from month to month, they still remember you as a comedy director,’ says Massey, who is repped by The Partners’ Film Company in Canada and Atlas in l.a. ‘I still love doing it, but at the same time there are so many other different genres I would like to work in.’

Hesitant to label his directorial style, Massey says he likes to visually tell a story, and often ends up with – and enjoys – jobs which involve big, beautiful pictures and lush surroundings. At the same time, his reel also includes sparsely set dialogue spots.

One of the main differences between working in Canada and working in the u.s., says Massey, is that in Canada he can be involved in the entire process. ‘In the u.s., ‘ he says, ‘the moment they call `Wrap’ they throw it in a can and it’s on its way on a plane, and three months later you see it on tv.’

Massey’s goal is to be directing feature films by the time he hits 30, and with that birthday just a couple of years off, he says he is busy striking up relationships and making contacts in the film industry.

And as much as his heart is set on the big screen, Massey says he will always keep a hand in spot directing. ‘I don’t think I would ever stop doing commercials,’ he says. ‘They are fun, quick little fixes. But at the same time, it would be nice to tell a long story too.’

Massey’s love for film began at a young age, and after studying English at Concordia University for a year, he boarded a plane for California, where he signed up for some night courses in advertising and film. Soon he was accepted into a four-year film program at the Art Centre of Design in Pasadena.

After completing his studies, he kicked off his career with two Budweiser spots, which aired during the Super Bowl.

Like most artists, Massey is critical of his own work, and says while there is always time to change and fix things in post, it’s the shoot that really counts.

‘I’m very rarely 100% happy with what I have on film, I wish I used this lens or I shot that,’ he says. ‘The one down side about directing is you can’t enjoy your own work for what it’s worth, you only see the mistakes. It’s frustrating, but it’s fun.’