Our Old Boys have such diverse career paths; we are so proud of the good young men they become and how they make meaningful contributions to their communities. Stuart St Vincent Welch describes himself as an average student who had no idea what he wanted to do after school. But drawing on the TGS values of hard work, respect and resilience he is now working as a Sound Engineer for Barking Owl in New York City, rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s most renowned musicians and actors. He kindly took some time from his busy schedule for a quick Q&A…
- What is your favourite memory from your time at school - I do think the friends you make at school are your lifelong mates even if you’re too young to realise it at the time.
- How did your time at TGS help you with your career - I really had no idea what I wanted to do after school or what my career would look like. I did a broad range of classes that really didn't steer me towards any particular career path, but gave me a grounding in a variety of subjects and skills. I did learn guitar at TGS and I am still as bad as I was at School.
- How did you become interested in this work and what led to your employment with Barking Owl - I've always loved music and film and I come from a musical family with a strong love of music. Though I didn't really acknowledge it at the time, it was obviously instrumental in forming my interest and skills in this area.
- What’s some of the highlights of your career - I’m still very much on the smaller end of the American industry but in 2022 I completed the sound design and mix for the Pepsi Superbowl trailer with Dr Dre, Snoop and Kendrick Lamar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ2MbmrxVzg.
I have recorded dialogue for feature films such as A Quiet Place 2, DC Super Pets, Under the Skin and Disney’s Jungle Cruise. I've had a song placed on the official Sing 2 soundtrack, as well as mixing Flume's first official documentary. I also get to work alongside notable composers such as Grammy and Oscar-winner Atticus Ross, who works for Barking Owl.
- Did you ever dream you would have these connections or opportunities
- I’m not sure I ever expected to end up in NYC, it's a long way from Toowoomba. I’m lucky that my career has taken me to London and to New York City and each time you just climb a tiny bit further up the ladder. It has a lot to do with luck, the ability to hang in there when the going gets tough and trying to be the last person standing in a really competitive industry. I believe that coming from a small town like Toowoomba does give you the drive to get out there and see the world more so than if you were brought up in a bigger city with everything on your doorstep.
- What’s some of the values that you learnt at TGS that have helped shape you and helped in your life - I enjoyed the social and sport elements of School and staff always encouraged us to get involved in, and experience, a range of activities. Even though I didn’t engage in the Drama or Music programs, I do remember some of the School performances and I believe they opened my eyes to those different aspects of the Arts.
- What’s your advice to current TGS students - I do think working out what you want to do after school is important but there are multiple pathways to success and what you want to achieve. My parents had some unnecessary stress about me finishing school and having no idea what I wanted to do. I would really suggest just trying to work towards getting into university for anything. Even though I didn't get the grades for university and went to the School of Audio Engineering (SAE), I lived on the UQ campus and loved the college lifestyle and the people I met.
College life is a lot of fun!! As cliché as it sounds, you’ll look back on those memories as some of the best years of your life. My advice is to sit down with the Careers Advisor early and have an honest conversation about what you want to achieve after school. If anyone needs advice on how to get into this industry, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask.
When you’re at School it seems big and overwhelming, but it really is just such a small blip in your life so try and enjoy it. Seeing the world when you are younger really is a lifechanging experience.
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