For a long time BSSC Year 12 student, Nick Reed, imagined his future career would be as a writer.
However, the satisfaction he’s discovered making short films has tuned his aspirations in another direction.
“I think the film path is for me. I want to tell stories with characters people relate to emotionally. Getting an emotional reaction says you have succeeded.”
More specifically, Nick has discovered post-production editing is core to his love of filmmaking.
“Last year I produced two short films—which was great—but during the first project I found the filming side really exhausting.
“Then, during post-production, I realised editing the project was actually building my energy. I was pumped and did all this extra work on it.”
Nick took all he’d learnt from this project into the second film and extended his intense satisfaction with filmmaking into his Vis Comm project for 2023—designing a DVD menu and cover for the films he’s made.
Unsurprisingly, Nick’s big dream is to one day direct his own feature-length films—especially if he’s written the screenplay—and he’d also like to write a quest game.
Nick plans to apply for Deakin University’s Bachelor of Film, Television and Animation which, in an interesting twist, his brother is also currently studying.
“I’m not sure why we are into the Arts in this way. Our parents are business people involved with local sporting clubs. But they’ve been very supportive of our interest in writing and filmmaking.”
Nick is a big fan of Director, Edgar Wright—think Shaun of the Dead, the Adventures of Tin Tin and Hot Fuzz.
Wright advises filmmakers to create works they enjoy. ‘Don’t think about the audience’ he says.
This is similar to advice Nick was once given by an uncle to write out of his own experience.
This year Nick’s studies are in Visual Communication & Design, Media, Art, English and he’s also studying Music Composition.
He chose Music Composition because he wants to write a music score for a film later this year.
“I thought it was about learning why musicians do what they do. Instead I found myself surrounded by musicians with a good grasp of music theory—which I didn’t have—so I thought about bailing.”
However, Nick has stuck it out and says he’s actually picked up a lot of theory and felt well supported by the music teachers.
“They have been so respectful of my lack of knowledge and one composer who came in to talk to us reassured me it was not absolutely necessary.”
Listening to, and immersing himself in music is something Nick really enjoys and also uses as a de-stressing mechanism.
“Doing what you love is a way to reduce stress. Online games—especially questing games where you can choose the direction a story will take—also make me feel more laid back.”
In fact, if Nick could go back and give his 12-year-old self some advice, he would tell himself to funnel negative emotions through something creative.
“Being creative not only calms emotions; my struggles have sometimes led me to create the pieces of work I’m now most proud of.”
Despite his overwhelming flair for Media, and especially film, it would be reasonable to expect a film director is top of Nick’s list of ‘people I’d love to talk with’. But no.
“What instantly comes to mind,” he says, “is David Le’aupepe, lead singer of Gang of Youths.
“His music got me through 2021. He wrote about his ex-wife’s struggle with cancer and the lyrics are incredibly beautiful.
“It was also really important to me because I just kind of lost the plot that year. My girlfriend, Shae, and I had broken up and she was also seriously ill.
“When Shae died, my brothers came to the funeral to support me. I will always be so grateful to them—and all the others—who really looked after me around that time.”
Nick describes BSSC as ‘inspiring’ and says the freedoms extended to the college’s students allows them to follow their own path.
“It prepares us brilliantly for uni,” he says.
“The teachers are friendly and treat you as a valuable human being. Class discussions go deeper and I always feel truly listened to.
“Being on a first-name basis automatically creates a connection and I’ve found it much easier to ask for help than I used to.
“There are so many subjects to choose from and there’s always going to be at least one you just love—for me that’s Media with Rachel Quillinan. My highest grades are always in Media.”
Asked for a hot study tip, Nick says he thinks he probably needs to develop better study methods—except when it comes to Media which he has no problem devoting all the time in the world to.
“I’ve found I’m most productive at night and although I don’t want to stay up late, that’s when it’s easiest for me to get in the zone.
“I was never one of those students who won annual awards or achievements.
“Since coming to BSSC and picking up Media studies I have won a number of awards, including an award for a college publication cover, the Rising Star Media Award, the overall Media Award last year and an award at the Year 11 Exhibition.
“I’d definitely recommend BSSC.”
