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

Community Engagement
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Tuesday, 28 Feb 2023

The TGS Show Cattle Team - On the moooove

The TGS Show Cattle Team commenced in Term 1 2021 under the guidance of Mr Jack Murphy and Mrs Julie Brophy. The concept of the team was to give boys a hands-on, extracurricular opportunity in the agricultural industry. The boys have been competing in the Young Judges’ competitions at a range of shows across Queensland. The Young Judges’ competition is based on the goal of expanding the boys' knowledge of the skills that are a foundation of the animal production industry, helping them as…

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Character & Wellbeing
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Thursday, 23 Feb 2023

The Importance of Routines

Routines are an important part of our daily lives, providing structure and stability. This is especially true for children in their formative years, who benefit from having consistent and predictable routines in both their school and home environments. At Toowoomba Grammar School Junior School, we believe that routines are essential for helping students thrive both inside and outside the classroom. One of the key ways in which routines help students is by providing a sense of security and…

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People
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Wednesday, 15 Feb 2023

Ten Steps Ahead - Jackie Gallagher

As a high school athlete, Jackie Gallagher had the world at her feet. She was in a unique position where she was excellent at any distance from 100m to 800m. She broke Queensland and National records and was regularly selected for State and National teams. Jackie was selected for the Australian Youth team to compete at the World Youth Championships in Canada as an U18 along with the Australian Junior Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympics, before making the U20 Australian team to compete at…

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Sports & Activities
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Thursday, 09 Feb 2023

The Makings of a Premiership

The 2022 1st V Basketball squad will be forever etched in the pages of Toowoomba Grammar School history as the first TGS team to win a GPS Basketball Premiership since the competition commenced in 1984. Head of Basketball, and 1st V Coach, Mr Kabe Cicolini has been instrumental in the growth and success of not just our leading team, but of the TGS Basketball Program as a whole. Kabe has come from a background of playing GPS sport – cricket, rugby and basketball as a student at Ipswich Grammar…

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Junior School
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Wednesday, 01 Feb 2023

Creating a Learning Environment that Boys Enjoy

Creating an environment for students to access and engage in learning is the educational philosophy of the new Toowoomba Grammar School Head of Junior School, Mr Ken Raven. “This requires a supportive an inclusive learning environment across the school where everyone feels they can make a positive contribution,” Mr Raven stated. “I encourage evidence-informed, explicit teaching of curriculum that sparks curiosity and interest for students to engage and explore.” Parental interaction and…

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Junior School
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Wednesday, 01 Feb 2023

Introducing our new Deputy Head of Junior School (Teaching and Learning), Mrs Chantelle Bauer

Toowoomba Grammar School is excited to welcome our new Deputy Head of Junior School (Teaching and Learning), Mrs Chantelle Bauer. Mrs Bauer brings a wealth of experience and passion to her new role, having lived and worked in the Darling Downs and Southwest Queensland region her entire life. She was born and bred in St George, attended university in Toowoomba and took her first teaching role in Roma. She has worked in various roles across the region, including Year Level Coordinator, Head of…

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Boarding
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Tuesday, 24 Jan 2023

You can't know a student without knowing where they come from

Boarding at Toowoomba Grammar School can be described as many things such as evolving identity, growing personally and developing character in your second home, but it is also about growing your family. Head of Boyce House boarding, Mr Michael Hall and his family, certainly enjoyed that opportunity over January. Catching up with a beautiful collection of current families from Boyce House was a privilege and has helped to build the relationships of trust and care that are essential in a…

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Teaching & Learning
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Thursday, 19 Jan 2023

DNF (Did Not Finish)

- Dan CrookHead of Library and Information Services I was talking books with a friend the other day; an avid reader, she had been looking for some light reads in new genre for the holidays, and so had sought out the wisdom of the internet. After watching a few BookToks (Tiktok book recommendations) she’d settled on some titles and begun to read. However after investing a good amount of her time and getting half way through the first and most highly recommended book, she asked herself, and then…

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Boarding
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Wednesday, 11 Jan 2023

TGS Boarding - A Safe, Welcoming and Joyous Community

“From a boarding perspective, enabling young boys to flourish is only achieved within a community that is safe, welcoming, and joyous. These three aspects are at the core of my boarding philosophy and are closely aligned with my fundamental values as a boarding Head of House – acceptance, resilience, and fun,” explains Mr Henry White, Head of Corfe House. Corfe House serves as the entry point for Toowoomba Grammar School’s youngest boarders (Years 5 to 7) and the skills, relationships, and…

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