Meet the Filmmakers
Aaron Smail - Co-Director, Composer
Aaron Smail is a Canadian multi-hyphenate artist. He graduated from the University of Victoria where he studied performance and sound design at UVic’s Phoenix Theatre. Aaron is also a composer, having scored several short films and projects including STAY (2023) for which he released an original motion picture soundtrack album of his music from the film. Aaron’s music has been heard in film festivals in Canada, Poland, Italy, India, and the United States. In 2021, Aaron was accepted into the VIFF (Vancouver International Film Festival) Amp Talent Accelerator program for film composers. Aaron is a member of SOCAN, and he currently resides in Toronto, Ontario. Ireal A. (Don) Mayson is Aaron’s maternal grandfather.
Adam Marley - Co-Director, Editor, DOP
Adam Marley is an English director, writer and actor from Manchester. Having trained as an actor at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London, Adam decided to turn his hand to filmmaking and over the past six years has had his works screened at film festivals around the world, picking up a number of awards and recognitions along the way. In October 2022 he relocated to Toronto, Canada to pursue his filmmaking and acting career. His recent short film It’s At the Door was recently accepted into the Toronto Short Film Festival.
Joy Xing - Assistant Camera
Joy Xing is a Toronto-based gaffer and camera technician, currently a third year film student at Toronto Metropolitan University. As a portrait photographer on the side, her interests expand to editorial work and exhibition pieces. Her film And Still, We Thrive was recently awarded Best Documentary at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, and the Toronto Youth Shorts Festival. Other recent credits include the feature All is Fine in ‘89 (dir. Adam and Matthew Lupis) and Alkaline’s Lone Madness music video.