Eva Brunel (Scriptwriting, 2025)

For anybody considering the course...trust yourself, and remember what you're trying to say.

Eva writes: 'Beginning my year at the IIML felt like another page in a new chapter for me. I had just moved home to Wellington from Dunedin, so my whole life already looked very different than it did a few months earlier. I was full of emotions, anticipation and of course some anxiety. The MA is an absolutely jam-packed year, so the first few weeks were definitely an adjustment period. I convinced myself that I should leave the course and come back in a few years because I didn't think I was cut out for it. My incredible cohort was full of talent, and I hadn't written too much beforehand. Thankfully, I backed myself, stuck with it, and left my MA year with a wealth of knowledge I'd be useless without now.

'For anybody considering the course, who worries about their ability, I'd say to trust yourself, and remember what you're trying to say. It will weave itself into the story, and passion is obvious in writing. Be bold with your decisions and use the time you have to make large changes if you've been thinking about them. I have often felt that things have to be aligned for me to start something. If I can't be the best at it, then I shouldn't bother. But there's no time for that at the IIML. The course really forces you to get on with it, and you'll forget all about your habits of perfectionism before they have a chance to hold you back.

'As for the course structure and assignments, it's definitely a large workload and I'd recommend making a plan that works for you to keep it under control. I'm someone who works well with a deadline, so having constant check ins and timelines really helped me, as well as making my own schedule, which I followed. My writing this year has definitely suffered without the constant support and encouragement from Ken Duncum and my incredibly talented classmates. I tend to work well with a formula, but I quickly learned that there isn't really a formula to a good script. Sure, there are conventions, narratives, and structures, but they don't guarantee a good story. Patience, rewriting, and editing are your best shot.

'Now, I trust myself to approach any project with an open mind and the confidence that if I can write my characters into sticky situations then I can write them out too. It is truly such a blessing to put aside a year for writing, and if I could do it all over again I would in a heartbeat.'

Bio:  Eva Brunel is a Wellington born, Wellington based creative. She is a writer of both feature and short films, with a focus on relationships and female friendships. Following her year at the International Institute of Modern Letters, Eva was awarded with the David Carson-Parker Embassy Prize in Scriptwriting for her feature film script, Peephole.

Growing up with a strong interest in filmmaking, she started editing videos of herself and her friends from a young age. This passion has transformed over time into writing stories, which she continues to do while working full time. Alongside her writing, you'll find Eva busying herself with one of her many creative outlets, such as music production or design. Currently, she is working on a script focusing on the great migration (young Kiwis fleeing their hometowns for Europe and various exciting overseas destinations).

Read more:

Wellington Silver Screeners: Eva Brunel (Regional News - Eyes on Wellington, March 2026)