Recent film grad joins team of writers on new CBC sketch series

Adam Bovoletis only graduated from Ryerson’s film program on October 16 and already, his career is taking off to new heights. Last year, he landed himself a writing gig on the CBC’s new sketch comedy series, TallBoyz, slated to be the all-male counterpart to their hit show Baroness Von Sketch Show. Each half-hour episode covers a range of topics, from friendship to politics, bro culture, and just everyday life.

“It’s been really cool, a huge learning experience for me. And it all came together because of friendship,” he says.

Bovoletis went to high school at Etobicoke School of the Arts with Tim Blair, one of the TallBoyz on the show, and the two have been working on projects together ever since. “We’ve made all sorts - music videos, sketch comedy, and we’ve written stuff together too.”

Blair and some friends formed the sketch comedy troupe, Tallboyz II Men, and were noticed during Toronto Sketch Fest. Soon after, the troupe were offered the chance to turn their work into a television series.

“Since I’d worked with Tim countless times before, he asked me to come in and help develop the project,” Bovoletis said. “It started off as a web series but it developed really well, and the network picked it up for TV.”

The team took about six months to write the first season together, which was Bovoletis’ first time working with a group to write something. “It was a lot of finding the tone and style, and what we wanted the show to be. I had to be a bit of a chameleon, but I learned a lot.”

Bovoletis says the connections he built at Ryerson have best prepared him as he embarks on his career. “At Ryerson I met a lot of people that I really trust; it takes some time to build that circle but that was the biggest thing for me.”

His advice for students that want to make the most of their degree is to take that time to build real connections.

“It sounds easy but just being kind and genuine to people goes a long way. But be genuine without the intention of getting something in return, that’s how real lasting connections and friendships happen and that’s where the real opportunities come from,” he says.

For now, Bovoletis says he likes going with the flow and taking opportunities as they present themselves. He’s working on a feature with a friend and co-running the Insomniac Film Festival (external link) , which has been noticed by TIFF Next Wave. The festival is a showcase of mostly DIY and low-budget films from young Toronto filmmakers, and the positive feedback he’s received keeps him going. “A few members of the Insomniac team had previously been members of TIFF Next Wave,” says Bovoletis about how they came to work together. “It's become a pretty natural collaboration over the years.”

“It’s really fun, it’s like Christmas for me when Insomniac comes around every year,” he says.

He’s also still relishing in the success of Tallboyz and hopes the show gets renewed for a second season. When asked if he has a favourite episode, Bovoletis takes pause.

“They’re all great,” he laughs. “I can’t pick between four episodes that have already aired and are all terrific and four episodes that will air soon that are also terrific. But I guess episode four is really good.”