Black History Month Spotlight | Revisiting Amazing Student & Alumni Achievements

Every February, people across Canada celebrate Black History Month, honouring the histories, successes, sacrifices and triumphs of the members of our Black communities in this country.

Here at Toronto Film School, we are very proud of all the achievements of our Black students and alumni – stories that are often shared as standalone stories on our TFS News Page or included in our regular TFS Spotlight articles throughout the year.

With the theme of this year’s Black History Month being ‘Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build’, we thought it only fitting to reshare – and recelebrate – some of those success stories with you here.

Acting Grad Micheal J. Hill Books Trio of National Commercials

Micheal J. Hill, who just graduated from the Acting for Film, TV & the Theatre program this past June, has already booked three national commercial gigs!

“I have officially wrapped working on the project. It was an amazing learning experience for me and helped launch my career in this industry,” Hill said back in July of his experience on the set of his Green Shield Insurance ad – his first-ever commercial gig.

The Jamaican born-and-raised actor has since gone on to land roles in two additional national commercials – one for Domino’s Pizza in October, and another for Ritz crackers in January.

Read more about Hill’s journey from lab analyst to Pacific Artists– represented actor HERE.

Video Game Grad Anthony Armstrong Lands ‘Dream Job’ at Ubisoft Toronto

Class of 2018 Video Game Design & Development grad Anthony Armstrong recently landed his dream job at Ubisoft Toronto.

Armstrong, who graduated with his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from TFS affiliate, Yorkville University, in 2023, is now working as a UI Integrator for Ubisoft, a video game publishing giant that owns over 45 development studios and employs over 20,000 people.

“Working at Ubisoft has been a dream of mine since I was a teen and one of the driving factors in enrolling at TFS for me. So, to be here today is truly a dream come true,” he said.

Read more about Armstrong’s story HERE.

TFS Alum Jason Gosbee’s Transformation to Superstar Stunt Performer

Zero to Hero.

Not only is that what Film Production alumnus Jason Gosbee titled his documentary about stunt performers during his time at Toronto Film School – but, fittingly enough, it also characterizes his own meteoric rise in the world of stunting after graduation.

Since finishing his studies at TFS back in 2006, the former hockey-player-turned-law-student-turned-aspiring-filmmaker-and-actor has amassed a stunting resume that includes more than 100 credits. From Suicide Squad, Man of Steel and Shazam!, to The Boys, American Gods, and The Umbrella Academy, Gosbee has performed in some of the biggest blockbuster films and TV series ever to film here in the Greater Toronto Area.

And it all started 17 years ago after a chance encounter in the lunchroom at TFS.

Learn more about Gosbee’s transformative career path HERE.

Screenwriting Grad Caleigh Bacchus Gets Development Funding for Upcoming Project

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 supervisor on 11 episodes), Diggstown (writer/story editor and showrunner’s assistant for six episodes), and Overlord and the Underwoods (writer/story editor for 20 episodes), among others.

“I wasn’t entirely sure how things would go when I decided to switch careers from marketing to film, but I dove in headfirst and TFS was there to guide me along the way and set me on my path.”

Read more about Bacchus’ upcoming development project HERE.