The Candle by Oleksandr Herasymenko Behind The Scenes | Toronto Unit Stills Photographer
Last fall, I had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with director Oleksandr Herasymenko, Revolver Films, and their exceptional talent and production team on a deeply meaningful project — capturing unit stills behind the scenes of The Candle, a powerful PSA produced in partnership with HeadsUpGuys.
Built around the striking metaphor of a candle flickering in the middle of a storm, The Candle tackles a subject that hits hard: the silent struggle of male mental health, and the devastating reality that so many men still suffer in silence.
Shot at dawn on Toronto’s Woodbine Beach, the film follows a lone man braving wind, water, and darkness — all while trying to protect a single fragile flame. The storm is literal, but also symbolic: a visual representation of what it’s like to fight through emotional pain while wearing the armor society expects of men. The message is simple but urgent: you don’t have to weather the storm alone.
As a unit stills photographer, my goal was to quietly document these moments — both on-screen and off — while preserving the raw vulnerability at the heart of the piece. From 4 AM call times to pushing gear carts across a half-kilometre of wet sand in the rain (no small feat), this shoot was physically intense and emotionally resonant. It was one of those rare sets where you could feel the weight of the message in every frame, every gust of wind, every candle flicker.
Oleksandr’s vision, rooted in his own experience with therapy, brings a rare honesty to a subject too often dismissed or ignored. With support from a dedicated crew and organizations like HeadsUpGuys, The Candle serves as both a wake-up call and a beacon of hope — a reminder that vulnerability is not weakness, and that help is real and available.
Check Out The Full Gallery Here
Visit HeadsUpGuys.org for resources on men’s mental health.
Cast + Crew
Cast
Male Lead: Stevie Kuca
Therapist: Annie Koshy
Crew
Director: Oleksandr Herasymenko
Executive Producer: Luc Frappier
Executive Producer: Richard Cureton
Producer: Lisa Kannakko
Director of Photography: Mat Barkley
1AC: Alexander Clark
Production Designer: Alex Kennedy
Location Sound: Yuzhi Yan
Hair/MUA: Lynnea Burns
Gaffer: Andre Santos
Swing: Enoch Cai