This month, we have William “Will” Gillman, a musician and aspiring filmmaker. Among the several instruments he self-taught himself — Ukulele, Mandolin, Guitar, Trombone, Piano, and Drums — he is most commonly known for his skills as a guitarist. This is his third year being a member of the “Gimme the Mic” class, in which he performed with his guitar and sang. In an interview with Gillman he expressed that, “the creative freedom of playing an instrument is very intriguing,” inspiring him to take numerous other theater, music, and filmmaking classes throughout his high school career. Among his high school performing arts extracurriculars he has been a member of the OHS drama club since his freshman year. He’s participated in OHS’s productions of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Rent”, “Almost Maine”, “Legally Blonde”, and most notably in “Loserville,” where he played the role of Marvin Camden.

However, Will revealed that although music creatively inspires him, he wishes to pursue filmmaking as a professional career. He stated filmmaking has, “always been something that has tantalized my creative drive.” His passion stemmed from his experiences watching films with his grandma, especially movies such as Gone with the Wind and Casablanca in which he developed strong connections with the characters. It was upon watching School of Rock he began contemplating a possible career as a filmmaker. “As funny as it sounds,” he said, “it’s where I first discovered that I could combine music and film into one medium.” His first camera was purchased that year to experiment with footage, despite its low quality recordings. “Still, I was hooked,” he admitted. “I would bring it everywhere, recording anything and everything I could.” The insignificant collection of recordings Gillman obtained is indicative to his growing passion, as he developed his first videos with cheesy music and learned to use editing softwares. For nine years, Gillman also attended Buck’s Rock, a summer camp for the performing arts. “Here is where I began to truly nurture my craft as a filmmaker,” he said, along with participating in various plays and musicals there as well. The development of his skills eventually led to his frequent participation in filmmaking in our high school community, where he realized, “I never knew the true benefits of film until I reached high school.” In his freshman year, Gillman produced a documentary called, “The Road to Rent,” illustrating the OHS Drama Club’s process of putting on Rent that shed light on how all shows are produced at OHS. The piece introduced the cultural arts department’s struggle of overcoming budget cuts in the school. The documentary was Gillman’s first piece well-known among students, especially members of the cultural arts department, and he is responsible for its emphasis on the importance of art in OHS. “With the help of great Ossining High School staff, such as Jessica Beattie, Bradley Morrison, and numerous students,” he said, “we were able to keep the cultural arts program alive.” Gillman stated that after this opportunity, “That was when I knew that I wanted to be a filmmaker.” Currently, he is gaining experience as a teaching assistant in Jessica Beattie’s filmmaking class at the school. He plans to get his Bachelor of Fine Arts in film at SUNY Purchase. That is where he also hopes to take more drama courses, after taking a hiatus from the OHS drama club his senior year. As results aren’t mailed until mid-February, let’s wish him luck in being accepted to his first-choice college.  In the coming summer, Gillman plans to work at Buck’s Rock to pass on his tremendous knowledge in filmmaking and drama. His passion and determination to pursue a career in filmmaking, while also developing his musical skills, makes Will a prominent artist in the OHS community. His work and performances are popularly known in the school, and will continue to impress us even after he graduates.