Video game adaptations have been notoriously hit or miss. For execs, taking a smash-hit videogame with an already massive following and turning it into a film or show seems like a no-brainer. And given the visual nature of games, you’d also expect them to translate quite seamlessly to the big (or small) screen. Yet, the history of video game adaptations has been nothing if not dicey. There’s been a handful of masterpieces, sure. But also a long list of cringe-worthy busts. That being said, in light of the recent success of HBO’s The Last of Us, it appears video game adaptations may be finall ..read more

If you’re reading this blog post, it’s likely you’ve long considered acting to be your calling. But there’s also a decent chance your dreams have been met with consistent criticisms about how hard it is to “make it” in the entertainment industry. Of course, launching a career as an actor is not easy. But it is far more achievable than the naysayers would lead you to believe. After all, Hollywood is a massive multi-billion dollar industry that employed over 32,000 actors last year. And the same is true for Canada’s screen industries; in 2020 Canada’s vibrant film and television industry contri ..read more

The Fabelmans is not the movie I thought it would be. From the trailer I expected a sweet and inspiring Disney-esque story about young Sammy Fabelman fulfilling his dream of becoming a filmmaker. But there’s so much more to this coming-of-age film from Steven Spielberg: Sammy experiences racism, young love, heartbreak and family conflict, all while struggling to make everyone around him understand that his passion for storytelling “is not a hobby.” The Fabelmans was a box office failure. The film realized a worldwide gross of $31.4 million against a budget of $40 million. Yet the film had al ..read more

Making sense of the many positions on a film set can be challenging, especially when there are titles as whimsical and opaque as “Best Boy.” Chances are you’re reading this blog post because – more than other positions – the job title of “Best Boy” has you feeling a little perplexed. Perhaps you’re a Production Assistant working alongside a Best Boy right now and you’re dying (but too afraid) to ask “what do you actually do here.” Or maybe you’ve seen “Best Boy” roll in one too many movie credits and you’ve decided it’s time to get to the bottom of this rather elusive role. In brief, the Best ..read more

Geoffrey Chaucer’s classic tales of redemption, salvation, forgiveness and acceptance will get a fresh spin when Toronto Film School’s adaption of The Canterbury Tales takes to the stage at 918 Bathurst Centre this month. Conceived, adapted and directed by Jonathan Whittaker, The Tales of Canterbury spans themes that are still very much relevant in 2023, despite being written more than 600 years ago. Artwork by Alex Megit “When thinking about Canterbury, I was curious to know if the sensibilities in the 14th century still have relevance today. These stories cover much of what still occurs to ..read more

Toronto Film School students will tackle William Shakespeare’s greatest work when their upcoming production of Hamlet takes to the virtual stage. Directed by Aaron Willis, the 75-minute tragedy follows Prince Hamlet of Denmark, as he attempts to exact revenge against his murderous uncle, Claudius, who killed his father to seize the throne and marry Hamlet’s mother. Widely regarded as Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Willis admitted that Hamlet is a play that comes with all kinds of challenges for those who dare tackle it – the fact that it’s so well known; the fact that so many famous actors are ..read more

Toronto Film School’s latest stage production weaves some lesser-known fairy tales together into a commentary on the power of storytelling and its ability to teach enduring lessons about life and love. Directed by Tanya Rintoul and starring her fifth-term Acting for Film, TV & the Theatre students, The Secret in the Wings follows a child and the frightening babysitter with whom her parents leave her. As the babysitter reads from a book, the characters in each of the tales materialize, with each tale breaking off just at its bleakest moment before giving way to the next one. At its core ..read more

Since graduating as the Writing for Film & Television program’s Class of 2018 valedictorian, Caleigh Bacchus’ career has grown leaps and bounds. Not only has she worked in the writing rooms of some of Canada’s most popular series, but she’s also just recently received her first set of development funding for a project she co-created and co-wrote with TFS professor Colin Aussant. “I’ve been working in the industry for just over five years, and it has been the best experience of my life,” said Bacchus, whose writing room credits include Murdoch Mysteries (writer on 10 episodes, script super ..read more

Of all the positions involved in a film or television production, the most commonly misunderstood also happens to be one of the most important – the executive producer (EP). For actors, crying on demand is a critical and highly esteemed skill. Whether you’re on stage or on screen, delivering a convincing cry can transform your performance from passable to powerful. There’s also no predicting when a script with the dreaded cue “cries” might land on your lap. For these reasons, if you’re an actor, you should be routinely practicing your ability to turn on the waterworks. Or at the least very le ..read more

Of all the positions involved in a film or television production, the most commonly misunderstood also happens to be one of the most important – the executive producer (EP). If you’ve watched your fair share of movies and shows, you might be familiar with names like Stan Lee, Louis D’Esposito, Shonda Rhimes, and Jerry Bruckheimer. These are all world-class EPs whose projects routinely gross millions of dollars. However, if you were asked to explain what they do and how they contribute to the success of their project, would you be able to? In the simplest terms, executive producers are the mon ..read more