Outside the Wire features work that lives beyond my primary categories — projects driven by curiosity, experimentation, and community.
Backpackers: Beyond The Set is a fast-moving, unscripted travel series born as the digital companion to the CW drama Backpackers.
I travelled across Europe and Canada with host Annie Unnold as she chased down the pulse of each city — meeting local tastemakers, finding the best bites, the loudest nights, and the stories you only get when you go off script. From baguettes in Paris to backcountry ATVs in Whistler and $100 nights out in Toronto, every city became its own short cinematic snapshot.
Originally launched as The Real Backpackers in Europe and followed by a second season across Canada, the series was later distilled into one highlight episode per city — ten cities, ten stories.
Directed & Photographed by Carl Armstrong
Edited by Carl Armstrong & Dillon Taylor
Produced by Jay Bennet and Carrie Hayden
2014 CSA Nominee – Best Original Digital Series (Non-Fiction)
As a composer, I’ve long been immersed in electronic music. In January 2023, I founded the Toronto Electronic Music Open Mic (TEMOM), inspired by the movement created by Martin Christie in Manchester, England. TEMOM is an inclusive live performance series built for artists at every level — a space for experimentation, collaboration, and creative risk-taking.
Performers use everything from modular systems and drum machines to mobile devices, found sound, and custom-built setups. The goal is simple: foster bold ideas and strengthen the live electronic music community in Toronto.
As of February 2026, I’ve hosted 38 events and produced promotional content for nearly all of them. TEMOM has also supported animal welfare initiatives, raising funds for organizations including Shades of Hope, Fetch + Releash Dog Rescue, and the Toronto Wildlife Centre.
Selected promos, AI experiments, and highlight reels are presented below.
(TEMOM takes place the second Monday of every month at Handlebar, Toronto.)
TEMOM – AI-Assisted Creative Experiments
Short-form generative video pieces exploring AI-assisted motion, visual ideation, and sound design. Created using RunwayML, Kling, and Midjourney, with custom editorial pacing and sound design.
An experiment in analog, AI, and performance.
One of the greatest privileges of working at MuchMusic/Citytv was collaborating with exceptionally creative people. One of those was Denis McGrath. I was aware of Denis during my time at Ryerson (now Toronto Metropolitan University), but it wasn’t until he was at MediaTelevision and I was at MuchMusic that we had the opportunity to work together.
Denis went on to become an accomplished and highly respected screenwriter and producer, and his sudden passing in 2017 was a significant loss to the Canadian television community. Long before that success, however, he was simply a sharp, generous creative who loved making things for the sheer joy of it — and for making people laugh.
Mike The Cleaner
Anyone who worked at 299 Queen Street West in Toronto knew that the building was better because of Mike Mazzulla. A longtime cleaner and unofficial mascot, Mike became a beloved on-air presence after first appearing in station IDs — and producers throughout the station quickly realized his effortless comic timing was something you simply couldn’t script.
More than the laughs, Mike was a genuinely kind soul who meant a great deal to many of us. I cut this piece in his memory, to celebrate the joy he brought to our lives and our work.
In Memory of Mike "The Cleaner" Mazzulla