This Director Helped Shed Light on a Dark Chapter of Canadian History
These days, here in the year 2025, Canada is largely considered one of the best countries to live in if you identify under the umbrella of 2SLGBTQI+. Is it perfect? No, but, it’s a place where same-sex marriage has been legal for almost 20 years, HRT is reasonably attainable, and you can still get an X on your passport if you so desire. That counts for an awful lot, all things considered.
Unfortunately, empathy, understanding and tolerance weren’t always what they are today. Between the ‘50s and ‘90s, in fact, the Canadian government systematically investigated members of the federal public service, the Canadian Armed Forces, and the RCMP, harassing and firing those who weren’t cisgender and heterosexual in what is now known as ‘The LGBT Purge’. A dark time in the country’s history undoubtedly, this moment is one that cannot be forgotten, and is something we must all ideally learn from – something that the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is reinforcing.
Having recently launched ‘Love in a Dangerous Time’, a bold new exhibition sharing stories of injustice, and the activists who fought to expand human rights protections for all Canadians, it was clear that this momentum needed to be built upon. And to this end, the museum needed an enticing piece of creative to capture the gravity of the subject and draw people in. Enter Revolver Films and its director, Myles. Tasked with creating a 30-second hero film alongside creative agency Humanity, the team depicted an emotionally-charged sequence of people walking alone down a government-style hallway, having been removed from their jobs due to the Purge. Poignant, powerful and heartbreaking, it’s testament to the fact that while things may be better today, real people had to suffer to get here – something that must never be allowed to happen again.
To learn more about just what it took to bring a spot of this magnitude to life, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with Myles for a chat.
LBB> From the top, what was the brief for this project, and why was this something you were keen to be involved in?
Myles> This was a very unique project, and one I was honoured to be a part of. I was tasked with creating a 30-second promo for ‘Love In A Dangerous Time’, an exhibit currently on display at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
From the ‘50s to the ‘90s, in Canada, it was legal to fire someone for being gay. People were targeted, interrogated, stalked, and harassed purely on suspicion of their sexuality. And as a queer person, this really hit home, especially since it wasn’t that long ago. This was happening until the ‘90s… and I was born in 1994. This isn’t something we’re just looking at in an old history book. This happened to people who are still alive today. It’s scary to know what people in power are capable of, and it’s also scary to know this is still relevant today. Transgender people are being targeted right now in the US for simply existing. I wanted to be part of this because we need to make sure we know what the government is capable of, and that we don’t go back.
LBB> Building on this, how did you ensure the visuals would complement the narrator’s script, while also carrying emotional weight in their own right?
Myles> I knew the weight of the narration needed to be met with a simple but compelling visual. Staying in one hallway was great, because that’s the moment that really counts – the direct aftermath of what just happened. We’re with them, feeling what they must have felt.
Instead of overshooting coverage, we wanted the shots to be intentional. The long, drawn-out sequence of the walk. The close up fish eye to show the feeling of being under a microscope. ‘Who knows about me? How much do they know about me? What does this mean now? Am I safe?’. To correctly capture all of this, the piece needed to breathe. The right amount of cuts adds texture, but too many, and you may lose the monologue. I think we struck a good balance.
LBB> Of course, the actors are integral to the spot’s impact. What was casting like, and what were you looking for?
Myles> We had a lot of talented actors send in tapes, so it was a really tough decision. Since there was no dialogue, it was also a complicated audition. They had to convey a range of emotions based on the prompt: ‘You were just fired for being gay’.
I started out as an actor, so I know how awkward these no-dialogue auditions can be, but this cast brought such subtle yet powerful performances in their tapes that our team was on the same page across the board.
LBB> And how did you work with the cast to bring out such strong, sombre performances during the hallway walks?
Myles> I told them to tap into the same headspace they were in during their tapes. We spoke about the process of ‘the moment before’ (a technique I learned in theatre school and acting classes). Each scene began with a door slamming in their face, so it was up to them to imagine how the conversation just went. Each of them took a few moments to themselves in their own unique way before we called action. Starting alone in another room and walking into the scene is always good. It almost mimics the wings of a stage – giving them a moment to take a breath and lock in. And they did.
LBB> Tell us about the costuming! What made this detail so important, and how did you approach this prior to shooting?
Myles> Some of my first crew jobs were in wardrobe, and it’s one of my favourite parts of the filmmaking process. I really enjoyed this project since costumes played such a significant role in the story. Each character represented a different time period from the ‘50s to the ‘90s, and getting it right was important. I don’t like a caricature of a time period – I needed the pieces to feel real and lived-in.
Shoutout to our costume designer, Vanessa Popoli, who did an incredible job! We exchanged a lot of mood boards and discussed the subtle and drastic changes a decade can make in office fashion. These characters were federal workers, so giving each of them a unique look while maintaining a professional appearance was a fun challenge. We played with layering and texture, which helps a lot, especially when shooting in black and white.
LBB> As a whole, what was the filming process like? Tell us about your experience!
Myles> Being on set is always my favourite part. Seeing what we have planned finally come to life is a great feeling.
Here, Humanity and I had a lot of trust, which I’m super grateful for. I think we crushed it in a 10-hour day – love a 10-hour day.
Location-wise, the building we shot at was really beautiful. We filmed at a historic venue in downtown Toronto, and the offices on the main floor looked like a scene out of an old detective movie. Very film noir. I felt like I wanted to stay there all night and solve a case that didn’t exist!
LBB> The shoulder shots in particular are standout. How did you approach getting these, and what made this particular angle so important to capture?
Myles> Thanks! To do this, we mounted our camera onto a jib crane, and tracked our talent from above. Each actor walked the full length of the hallway in this set up.
This angle was important because I wanted to capture the feeling of their world closing in on them and show how they must have felt – as though they were under a microscope. These people were literally stalked, and I can only imagine the level of paranoia they must have felt when everything happened.
LBB> When it came to aesthetics and the look and feel, what were your main aims and ambitions, and how did you achieve them through lighting and colour?
Myles> Our initial prompt involved a ‘generic office hallway’. However, I always like to put my own signature mark on everything I do, and since the piece called for a simple setup, I thought, ‘well, how can I make this nice to look at?’.
I knew I wanted a cinematic hallway – something with texture and character. Our location offered that timeless charm. The wooden doors, frosted glass panels, and the overhead sconce lighting elevated the piece while still being believable as a government office.
Having our actors alone on camera also amplified the isolation. Adding snickers and whispers in post audio heightened the walk of shame, almost as if their coworkers were watching them from the other side of the glass.
LBB> What challenges did you face during this project, and what lessons did you learn in the process?
Myles> Time, honestly. No matter how straightforward you think the day will be, something can always throw a wedge in your schedule, haha. I overcame it by thinking ahead to the edit and what was truly important, and having the confidence to know that this specific spot didn’t need to be overshot.
As for lessons, trust your instinct. If you have an idea that you think is cool, just try it. You’ll never know until you try.
LBB> Finally, are there any elements of the project you’re particularly proud of? And why?
Myles> The costumes and fisheye shots really pulled me into our heroes’ world – they made me want to see more.
I’m also very proud of the edit. Our editor, Matt Blakley, absolutely killed it – he got the vibe right away. I teared up when I saw his cut. Shoutout to Matt and our post producer, Nicole Stamford!
