Ruffian Signs Director Dave Ma

Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary production company Ruffian welcomes director Dave Ma for US representation. Dave is a visual storyteller adept at exploring humanity within worlds of heightened reality. He has an affinity for gritty realism and anthemic underdog stories that celebrate everyday people.

Born the son of a Chinese greyhound trainer and an Australian maternity nurse, Dave has always had an affinity for those who similarly possess a sense of not quite belonging. While pursuing a degree in Psychology, he developed a fascination with exploring the human condition, something Dave quickly realised as synonymous with the pursuit of art and film. His passion for celebrating the ordinary and exploring why people do what they do is at the heart of his cinematic work.

After University, Dave spent countless nights chasing indie bands round dank basement bars in London’s East End, armed with a camera and a desire to create films and images laced with magical realism. Establishing himself as part of the London music video scene in the late-2000s, his work from that time includes collaborations with Foals, Bastille, The Horrors, Flight Facilities, Jagwar Ma, and Forest Swords, a body of work that garnered multiple UKMVA nominations.

Now living in Los Angeles with his family, he has continued developing his craft in the world of advertising with campaigns for Nike, Honda, Vodafone, Nokia, and Converse. His work has been screened and recognized by LAFilmFest, Atlanta Film Festival, the ARIAs, Adweek, 1.4, and Dazed. 

“Dave has an incredible eye for detail, and an ability to draw out real emotion in very real scenarios that have a sense of heightened reality,” says Robert Herman, founder/EP at Ruffian. “His sense of character as expressed visually is cinematic and compelling. He sees the beauty in darkness and the darkness in beauty. We’re extremely happy to have Dave’s artistry on our roster.”

“As a director, it’s hard to understate the importance of finding a solid production company that thinks creatively like you do. It can be everything - and Ruffian are the perfect home for me here in the US,“ says Dave. “Robert is building something fresh and exciting on the back of fearless intelligence and a wealth of experience. I’m delighted to call myself a Ruffian.”

Dave is also represented by Finch in Australia and New Zealand.