Exploring Support and Hardship in the Music Industry, the Hayward Siblings Release “After the Glitter Fades”
FREQUENTING A COMMUNITY THEATRE THROUGHOUT THEIR CHILDHOOD — the Hayward siblings spent much of their time at this Greater Toronto Area space, shaping their outlook on life and molding their interests into fiery passions. Years later, Sydney and Nicole Hayward have brought to life their short film After the Glitter Fades in the same theatre they spent hours upon hours in during their youth.
Initially a small venue for theater acts, the crew of ATGF decked out the stage of the Curtain Club Theater at Richmond Hill for a two day shoot of the film. The Haywards pulled out all the tricks with the help of their small team to accomplish the feeling and atmosphere of an undiscovered band playing their first show at a venue.
As Sydney’s (they/them) final project for the Humber College Directors Screening, they wanted to make the story as relatable as possible and are exceedingly pleased with the result as ATGF has already been chosen for 4 film festivals so far in its circuit.
“It was a lot of fun to create the atmosphere of a concert hall,” Sydney said. “And we couldn't have done any of it without the the help of crew and the amazing actors. The whole experience swept me away — [it was] so much better than I was expecting.”
First-time director Sydney and producer Nicole Hayward use the stage’s electric lighting and proximity to show the emotion of the main character Amiee (non-binary) and the harsh reality of the music industry. Steff (Julia Radchuk, she/her) and Gemma (Madison Holder, she/her), visualize their future as The Love Club and support Amiee (Felix Evangelho, they/them) when insecurities become too much to handle.
Seizing the opportunity to write a story about a band, Nicole (she/they) modeled and drew inspiration from a band called The Regrets and a ’90s pop rock sound to craft the fictional group The Love Club.
While writing the screenplay, Nicole drew on parts of her life to emphasize the band’s emotions on-screen. “As someone who is used to performing and acting on stage, I know the kind of feeling you get when an audience is reacting to you,” she said. “I really wanted to write a film about a band for a while; I just love all the different relationships that go on between members and I love the atmosphere of small bands touring.”
She also looked back on inspirations like Taylor Swift and Lorde to ask: How do performers feel when they go on and off stage? The Haywards took this question and ran with it to build the character Amiee. In the film, Amiee deals with harassment on stage and doubts their worth. This leads to the expansion of the film’s depth and the question: When will we start standing up for ourselves?
“The film idea came to us last August and we filmed in March and kinda flip flopped back and forth about what statement we were trying to make with this film, but this one stuck with us,” Sydney explained. “How does it feel when someone tries to bring you down and what does it take to get the courage to stand up for yourself?”
Throughout ATGF, Amiee, although tormented and discouraged in the beginning, still ends up persevering with the encouragement of their bandmates, proudly standing on stage to follow their dream.
In their project, Sydney wanted to convey how vital having a sound support system and community is, especially in jobs that count on others liking them. With Aimee’s realistic and relatable personality, the growth of their character on screen brings out an unshakable feeling of pride and excitement to the viewer.
Suggested to them by a crew member, the song chosen for the film was found while searching for a track that fit the energy of the circumstance. Unapologetically forward and catchy, it is sung by a local Toronto band called Tange, called “What I Was Wearing (The Day I Destroyed The Universe).”
As soon as production wrapped up, Nicole and Sydney had an idea for the future: a fundraiser that showcases different short films or projects by artists that follow similar subject matter. In this fundraiser, the profits would go towards women and LGBTQ+ individuals who have been affected by harmful situations. Although things are still in a generalized idea and need proper planning, the Haywards want to expand the project, helping others gain access to accurate portrayals of marginalized individuals and aid vulnerable communities.
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