14 Oct 2023

CAM

What a spectacular evening we had at the Coorparoo Dendy Cinemas for the 2023 Churchie Awards in Media (CAM)! Our annual media awards, which showcase the tremendous talent of our Film and Television students from Years 9 to 12, once again impressed the audience and left us all inspired by the creativity and dedication of our media students.

This year’s spectacle kicked off with a hilarious spoof titled Ian Jones and the Dial of CAM. Brilliantly blending the iconic Indiana Jones series with Churchie’s foundational tales, it depicted Canon Morris’s quest to harness the Dial of CAM’s power for bolstering school spirit. The film features Churchie’s very own version of Harrison Ford, Hillary Housemaster Mr Ian Jones, and a series of impressive cameos from prominent Churchie staff, including Dr Alan Campbell and the school marshals. The audience erupted in laughter as MCs Tom O’Neill (Year 11) and Thomas Dwyer (Year 11) valiantly recaptured the Dial from the clutches of William Henry Bartholomew Shackle III with just one minute remaining to save CAM!

Our students presented a diverse array of media works, ranging from suspenseful dramas to hilarious mockumentaries, personal documentaries to avant-garde experimental films. The innovation, storytelling capability and technical prowess on display were a testament to the incredible mentoring of our media teachers and the undeniable passion of our students. This year, Dr Darren Paul Fischer, Head of Film, Screen and Creative Media at Bond University and an acclaimed screenwriter, producer and director, took on the role of adjudicator for the Awards. Dr Fischer was immensely impressed by the depth of talent at the School, noting that several finalists’ creations rivalled those of university-level quality.

A few highlights of the evening included:

Drive by Year 11 Ben Andrews, an insightful documentary into a boxer’s motivation to become a champion, secured the award for Best Documentary and was praised by the judge as ‘industry-standard’ in terms of its direction and cinematography.

In the Experimental Film category, the judge was greatly impressed with the wit and innovative visual style displayed in Year 11 Bill McCart’s short film Innovations from Vaara Corp.

Of course, every student who was a finalist in this year’s CAM is to be congratulated. Their hard work, resilience and commitment to their craft are commendable, and we couldn’t be prouder of all our finalists.

CAM Awards recipients

Year 9 Suspense
Winner: Final Moments by Isaac Dawson, Jack Gillespie, Leo McMahon and Hao Hiep Nguyen
Runner up: The Haunted Library by Joseph Jedid, Bobby Zhang and Ari Hunter

Year 10 Mockumentary
Winner: Dr Montgomery: An AI Story by Felix Nano, Milton Pyers, Jack Dalby and Lachlan Perrin
Runner up: A Push for Future Intellectualism by Nic Charlson, George Davies, Ashley Zhou, Jackson Smith and Jesse Lardner

Year 10 Cinematography
Winner: Molten World by Lachlan Perrin
Runner up: Golden Hour by Sam Drinnen and Max Lee-Hill

Year 11 Music Video
Winner: Unstoppable by Ben Andrews
Runner up: The Offering by Oscar Isles

Year 11 Documentary
Winner: Drive by Ben Andrews
Runner up: Harmonious Melodies by Charlie Hartwright

Year 11 and 12 Experimental
Winner: Innovations from Vaara Corp by Bill McCart
Runner up: Identity for Sale by Hugh Cotton

Year 11 IB Narrative
Winner: Four Bedrooms, One Mezzanine by Bill McCart, Harry Deefholts and Tom Crooke
Runner up: Mole by Will Shackle, Tom O’Neill, Thomas Dwyer and Sam Blackburn

Year 12 IB Short Film
Winner: Death by Greed by Anthony McLaughlin, Joseph Oxenford, Liam Dunn and Dylan Thomas
Runner up: Silence in the Library by Tom White, Harrison Whitting and Billy Fitzpatrick