As always, I’d like to start the term by giving you the latest news from the Writing For Film & Television Program.

2013 Grad Brad Vermunt has finished yet another season on Family Channel/Boatrocker Media’s hit show ‘The Next Step’.  Brad now has 150 episodes of television under his belt as a staffer, with 9 individual credits to date on both ‘Next Step’ and ‘Lost & Found’ – and more to come as the new season airs.  Brad has recently been promoted for his amazing work and is now a Co-Producer on the ‘Next Step’ series.

As she continues work on her feature film A College Girl’s Guide To Pornography in the CFC/Telefilm/Just For Laughs Comedy Exchange, which flew her to LA last year and includes mentorship by Legally Blonde writer Kirsten Smith, 2016 Grad Mika Rekai has now released the first season of her web series, AntiSocial, with co-creator Aaron Hall.  The six episodes were shot last summer using mostly Toronto Film School cast and crew – including Alex Karakatsanis in a starring role, Bridget Tessler and Brianna Chrysler as co-writers, and Nick Peterson, Ari Cohen and Jahtavia Robinson as story editors.  The show will be featured on the CFC website, and Rekai was recently profiled in the North Toronto Post.

2014Writing For Film & Television Program Grad Andrew DiPardo directed his first feature over the summer, entitled The Rush Chairman.  The film has been released on iTunes and Amazon and will be headed to Netflix and Hulu in the new year.  DiPardo also recently wrote and directed the short film Under The Gun, which was an official selection of the Audition (South Carolina) and Miami Epic film festivals, garnering DiPardo a nomination for Best Director at the latter.

And finally, current Writing For Film & Television Program student/2016 ACT Grad Naomi Abiola’s film ‘3 Cloves of Garlic’, which she wrote, starred in, and co-directed with fellow TFS Grad David Omwange, recently debuted at the Caribbean Tales International Film Festival, where Abiola won the prize for Best Actress.  ‘3 Cloves of Garlic’ was also featured at TFS’s own Festival Of Films last month, garnering Abiola another award for Best Screenwriter.  Additional festival invites have been forthcoming, I’ll keep you posted on details.

Welcome back Writing For Film & Television Program, all the best for the coming term!

Adam Till is the Coordinator of the Writing For Film & Television Diploma at Toronto Film School as well as a producer and writer, known for Billable Hours (2006), Perfect Sisters (2014) and Too Late to Say Goodbye (2009).