Briana Goodchild graduated from Queensland Academies Creative Industries (QACI) in 2012 after achieving her International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and developing a signature creative identity in Theatre and Film.
Choosing to pursue her passion for Film, and as a recipient of the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Vice Chancellor’s Academic Scholarship, Briana studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts of Film TV and New Media Production graduating with distinction in 2015.
Recently (2020) nominated for the QACI Alumnus of the Year Award, Briana provides us her story thus far...
In Year 10, I moved to QACI from my old high school to commit to my passion for the Creative Industries. At QACI I studied IB Film and Theatre as the Group 6 Arts subjects in my IB Diploma Programme. It was the first time I was able to study film as a subject! I loved every minute of my QACI experience especially the peers and teachers that I flew alongside in V- Formation. It was challenging but it was also so much fun and I learnt and grew more than I could have ever imagined in those three years.
I graduated QACI in 2012 and received the Vice Chancellor's Academic Scholarship to attend QUT where I studied a Bachelor of Film TV and New Media Production.
During that time I undertook a Bollywood internship in Mumbai India as part of my studies and also won the Supercheap Auto Bathurst Big Break TVC competition - winning $20,000 cash prize between our team and $150k commercial airtime. In my final year at university (2015), I undertook an internship at a Brisbane local award-winning Production Company, Two Little Indians. I came on as a Production Assistant and was later employed as their staff writer.
For the next two years I worked on many high-end TVCs and Warner Brothers Studio Shoots, and was a key creative on numerous projects in addition to writing commercials, corporates and copywriting. I then put my resume in at Channel Nine when I heard the news that a production department was starting up at the Mount Coot-tha office.
In 2017 I was employed by Nine, originally in the role of production coordinator on the brand new national children's science and curiosity show, BrainBuzz. In the same year I also flew inter-state monthly to study a post-graduate certificate at AFTRS in Screen Business and Leadership. Over 3 years later, I now have over 800 national broadcast credits to my name! At Channel Nine I have worked as a presenter, MC, writer and producer on TV shows including: Education Queensland's Pre-school programme, Reading @ Home TV; comedy skit show One Go Studio Show, national children's sports gameshow, SMASHHDOWN!; national science and curiosity show, BrainBuzz and Nine's Children's Hospital foundation Telethon LIVE broadcasts. I have played Comedy characters including BrainBuzz's Motion-capture animated, IRIS – the sassy teenage search-engine and SMASHHDOWN!'s commentator, Glenda Goosebump! As-self appearances include my role as preschool craft presenter on Reading @ Home TV and Co-host of the Sydney based Twitch ANZ's National Basketball League talk show, Three In The Key. For a month there I was on TV seven days a week! Sometime even twice a day, but typically if you tune in to channel 9Go weekdays at 8am you'll see me, week in, week out!
I truly love what I do! Working with the children of Australia and other talented and larger-than-life creatives has been a highlight of my journey. I love how challenging, dynamic, collaborative and fun the Film and TV industry is! I believe my time at QACI and developing the IB Learner Profile attributes has undoubtedly helped prepare for me for such an unpredictable and demanding work environment.
The Inquirer and Risk-taker attributes have helped me jump headfirst into new roles and opportunities and learn on the job. The Knowledgeable and Thinker traits definitely inform my writing, reporting and creative practice. Being a confident, warm and effective Communicator is at the heart of what I do. Being Principled, Caring and Open-minded has helped me collaborate and build life-long relationships with colleagues and people from all walks of life. It has also helped me build a work reputation as someone who is honest and reliable. The Reflective skills I learned while at QACI have been some of the most valuable. Throughout my career I have been able to reflect on my work and the various challenges I have faced to come out with ways to continually learn, improve and appreciate my circumstances. Lastly knowing the importance of Balance is what has kept me going! Looking after myself and learning to juggle demanding schedules with a healthy and fun lifestyle has given me longevity in this industry.
Collaboration is also at the heart of what I do and it has been so heart-warming in COVID times to witness first-hand that even as the entertainment industries have been heavily impacted by COVID, we as creatives can continue to 'fly in a V Formation', support each other, keep encouraging each other and creatively work together to create our own projects and opportunities.
Goals for the future include to keep expanding my creative practice and footprint in the Australian industry while at the same time doing all I can to help grow it and inspire and facilitate a younger generation to sustain it into the future.