Boldly Signs Award-winning Director Duo Sean + Steve

Boldly is a commercial production company that empowers filmmakers through a culture of care, community, and vision. The result is work that makes an impact. 

Sean Horlor and Steve J. Adams are a Canadian LGBTQIA+ directing team known for their visually stunning and emotionally raw storytelling that showcases the lives and experiences of real people. They create moments that feel unrehearsed, spontaneous, and authentic—even on shoots that are meticulously planned. With a background in commercial advertising, documentary filmmaking, and journalism, their award-winning work adds a polished finish to the beauty of regular life. The duo’s latest cinematic achievement, "Satan Wants You," was one of the buzziest and most talked about features at SXSW 2023—with Variety praising the documentary and critics awarding the film with a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Sean + Steve remarked, “As an established directing duo working across multiple artistic disciplines, we bring a collaborative problem-solving culture to every creative project. We've always been drawn to Boldly's passion for storytelling that pushes boundaries and sparks meaningful conversations. Joining their roster this year marks a thrilling new chapter in our journey as directors and we're excited to venture deeper into the commercial directing world in 2024." 

Boldly and Sean + Steve have already collaborated on two successful projects together. The first being West Jet’s latest Holiday Miracle campaign with Rethink that launched this past December. It was well-received and brought plenty a tear to online viewers, something that the Holiday Miracle campaigns have become known for. The second is a soon-to-be released campaign for GameSense with 123w. 

As Sebastien Galina (Boldly partner & EP) reminisced, “Sean + Steve were in lock-step with the creatives every step of the way on our WestJet project together. From sussing out the clients' preferences to days of searching for the right on-screen real-life people. Their organised collaboration paved the way for organic reactions on set, allowing the true stories to shine.” 

Sebastien elaborated by sharing that, “signing Sean + Steve further expands the LGBTQIA+ representation of directors on our roster, which delights us. Boldly deeply cares about representing a diverse group of talented creators who can tell authentic stories on subjects that are close to them. We want to see more of ourselves on screen by having queer directors involved behind the lens. Sean + Steve have demonstrated that they can explore sensitive communities, unearth nuance, and back up their work with detailed research.” 

“Hot off back-to-back projects, we’re excited to continue building momentum with Sean + Steve as they dive deeper into the commercial world,” said Shelby Manton (Boldly partner & EP). “With their extensive experience in the longform documentary world creating moments that feel spontaneous and authentic, we know that they have invaluable expertise to offer agencies and brands. Plus, with their big smiles and warm demeanour, they are just the easiest guys to collaborate with!” 

2024 looks to be a promising year for the duo.