In 1962, after working with Jerry Solway of Astral Films on several major television projects, Banks went out on his own, forming his own company S. Banks (In Television) Ltd., and began producing music series for television. He had shows on both CBC and CTV, including "Cross Canada Barndance", "A Singin"', "Let's Sing Out", "Brand New Scene" and "Country Music Hall". In 1961 he became the first president of the Directors' Guild of Canada and returned to the presidential chair twenty years later. He received a Distinguished Service Award from the Directors' Guild in 2003. He also served for a time as a director of the Association of Motion Picture Producers and Laboratories.