On the 11th March 2024, Massey High School was fortunate to host alumni Philippa Boyens MNZM. Philippa Boyens was a student of Massey High School from 1976-1980 and has co-written well-known films such as the remake of King Kong, The Lovely Bones and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, in which she received an Oscar and a BAFTA award.  Philippa was welcomed into the school by Matua Josh and Te Whare Ahuru students. Philippa enchanted our students with a message of embracing our dreams and a reminder to keep daydreaming as daydreaming fosters creativity.  Philippa then surprised some of our students by letting them hold her Oscar award.

Later in the morning, Arts Leaders, Rebekah Lile, Ella Smith and Head Student, Harriet Barter hosted a question-and-answer seminar with Philippa in the BRPAC. Our senior Gifted and Talented students, Media, Drama and a passionate Level 3 English class, experienced an insight into scriptwriting and Phillipa’s experiences throughout her career. This was followed by a panel discussion where we invited two other alumni from Massey High School. Joining Philippa was Angela Bloomfield; who is an actress and director, featuring in 86 episodes of Shortland Street, and Jo Pilkington MNZM; owner of First Scene Costume Hire, Tour Manager for the Eurythmics and who kindly sponsored the costumes and sets for Massey High’s 2023 production of Mamma Mia. The panel discussion focused on the entertainment industry and emphasised the importance of making opportunities for yourself.  For our students, this panel opened their eyes to the many pathways in the arts that are open to them. 

Before lunch, which was cooked by our Hospitality Academy, lead by Nyla Hanson, Philippa was gracious to hold a masterclass in script writing for twenty-three lucky students.  We learnt how to structure a script using a well-known fairy tale, which was reimagined into a horror film. This session allowed our students to pick Philippa’s brain about the processes of script writing, which will help them with their upcoming short films. At lunch, a heru was gifted to Philippa Boyens as a gesture to maintain her bond with Massey High School. A heru to local Māori, is a symbol of maintaining ties to the land when moving throughout the region. After lunch, Arts and English staff got the chance to pick her brains.

On behalf of Massey High, I would like to thank Philippa for taking the time out of her busy schedule to impart her wisdom and inspire our students to be creative, to daydream and to pursue the many pathways in the Arts. 

Click/tap below to view a few photos from the day.