I first became aware of film making when my brother showed me the behind-the-scenes featurette on our Lord of the Rings DVD. From then on, the process intrigued me, and I eventually got my hands on my dad’s camera and simple editing software. I made a bunch of little movies with my friends which were all pretty bad but I loved doing them anyway. What I liked most was that it was an easy way to share stories and even when the movies were not good, it was still a way of telling stories in a unique way.
When I started at TGS in Year 8, 2019 I became involved with drama and expressed my interest in film making to the Teacher-in-Charge of Drama, Mrs Eylece Blaikie. Mrs Blaikie has been foundational in my film making and has encouraged me and helped me to create and share my films with a wider audience. She also introduced me to people like Craig Wilkinson, Creative Director of Optikal Bloc. She has provided me opportunities through TiGAA to make multi-media and short clips which played a large role in my film development. Being involved in Drama has meant that I am fortunate to be good friends with talented actors who graciously give up their time to help with my various film projects. It is thanks to them that I have been able to make these films.
Mrs Blaikie also introduced me to the Nextwave Film Festival competition where I submitted two films in 2020 and 2021, and I won first prize awards in my age category both years. My first film in 2020 also won ‘Best Script’ and the second film in 2021 won ‘Best Director’. The prizes and money from the competition enabled me to invest in my personal projects, making them increase in quality and me in ambition. It is because of these awards and the opportunities to contribute to Mrs Blaikie’s TiGAA performances that I have grown in credibility which has provided opportunities for me to also create films outside of TGS for the Empire Theatre (Junior and Senior Impact) along with Junior Choral Society and private organisations. I have also recently won a Bursary with the Empire Theatre which I intend to invest in future film projects.
My dream for the short term is to complete Year 12, graduating at the end of this year and then continue to make movies. Because of today’s technology and opportunities, it will always be possible to make art through film, no matter where I find myself later in my life.
Latest Blog
The Boarding and Day Family Connections
My husband Ben and I are four years into our boarding journey at Toowoomba Grammar School, we have two boys in Mackintosh House, Josh in Year 10 and Archie in Year 9, and a daughter Ella who is home with us for one more year before we become empty nesters. We are in the fortunate position that we live reasonably close, so we have the privilege of taking our boys home often and can attend most School events. For many of our boarding families, this is not the case, they live great distances away…
Streamline Success
Education is a transformative journey where the path we choose exerts a profound influence on our ultimate success. A streamed class is like an express locomotive: swift, efficient, and filled with eager passengers zooming towards their educational destination. Meanwhile, an unstreamed class resembles a motley group of hikers who accidentally wandered onto the wrong trail, stumbling and bickering as they struggle to find their way. Imagine the express locomotive of streamed classes, full of…
Reducing Stress: the Key to a Peaceful Life
Have you ever felt the soul-crushing burden of stress dragging your life through the mud? Ever had your precious time dwindled away at the hands of stress, while you are left powerless and alone? Well all this pain and anguish can be resolved in an instant; and all it takes is a change in the way we think. This alteration in brain chemistry is defined as mindfulness, the ability to obtain momentary awareness and recognition of our thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness is the key to defeating…
Gaining Ground with a Growth Mindset
I have seen the posters. I have sat the assemblies. I have watched the ads telling us about growth mindsets and how to develop one, and I'm sure you have too. But what we don't do is apply it to ourselves to help benefit our lives, however, there is no reason to blame yourself. The growth mindset is a deep topic that has many layers to it and is extremely important to have today. While we might blame other things on our weaknesses, it all links back to one thing – our mindset. To benefit our…
Sleeping Away the Mental Health Crisis
Two in five. That’s how many young Australians between the ages of 16 and 24 have experienced a mental disorder in the last 12 months (ABS, 2022). Let that sink in. Think of your closest five mates. Odds are that two of them are suffering right now from a crippling mental illness. According to recent studies conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia is witnessing an unprecedented rise in mental health issues among its youth, leaving them vulnerable and struggling (Headspace,…
Time for a Wake Up Call
Did you know that one in five 12–17-year-olds average over 8 hours of screen time a day? That means that in a 14-hour day, 57% of their waking hours involve looking at a screen! This madness is contributing to a very significant problem all teenagers face - sleep deprivation. It is killing us. We are becoming walking zombies rather than happy, growing lads. However, we can end this treacherous technological tyranny by putting down our screens before bed. Stop and think for a second. How much…
Breaking the Stigma
Strangling you in chains. Smothering you in despair. Anxiety and depression can be mighty beasts to break free from. Unfortunately, the state of traditional masculinity is reinforcing these chains. Mental health is a major threat to the well-being of men. This cage constructs barriers and borders which limit their ability to thrive in the modern world. Traditional Masculinity refers to a set of societal expectations foregrounded through the centuries by gender roles, stereotypes and beliefs.…
The Power of Gratitude
“What do you say mate?” your mum nudges you as the waitress hands you your dinosaur nuggets. “Thank you.” You have always been told to use good manners, and to say thank you, but what does thank you actually mean? Is it just two meaningless words uttered with monotonous regularity, or is it a tool that can alleviate mental health issues generating happiness and a sense of wellbeing? Gratitude is the sunlight that lights up those dark days. The ability to be grateful is at the core of personal…
The Silent Epidemic: Unveiling the Consequences of Sleep Deprivation
“Sleep that soothes away all our worries. Sleep that puts each day to rest. Sleep that relieves the weary laborer and heals hurt minds.” William Shakespeare (Macbeth, 1606) Heart Disease, Cancer, and Alzheimer's. Three life-threatening diseases. Three diseases all linked to lack of sleep. According to Dr. Okorie from the children’s health division of Stanford University, “7 out of 10 high school students are falling short of… (sleep) on school nights.” The Bulk of American teens are not getting…
