MA scriptwriting profiles 2011

These are brief paragraphs about themselves written by each member of this year's class and emailed to the IIML at the start of the year. The intention is that they can read about each other before they meet face to face. We also hope these informal snapshots will make interesting reading in future years.

Will Agnew

Hey, I'm Will. Like all of you, I'm passionate about writing and love anything to do with film. Seeing a truly great movie is really inspiring, but at the same time daunting as hell, as I think 'How am I ever going to write something like that?' Well, I guess that's why I'm here, and I've still got lots to learn. I'm 21, fresh off the boat, just finishing up my BA in Film and Media Studies. I'm originally from England, moving to Auckland when I was nine years old. I've spent the last three years in Wellington, and really looking forward to spending another one doing what I love.

Lene Aiono

My name is Len. I reside in Auckland although Wellington is my home, and yet I was born in Christchurch. I wanted to be a director so I took classes in sixth form, you might have heard of it, and I realized that my 'story' was lacking. I said 'story' because I had a million ideas, yet not a clue of the right way to tell them. It might be the same story told over, and over again, but it is how one tells a story, that could make it seem new for the one hundredth time.

James Bagshaw

A long time interest, and largely unseen body of work, will now find time to build on the foundations, a palatial DIY word-mansion. My experience is producing deeply insightful video projects for my parents' enjoyment really (and a bit of studying). Originally I'm from Christchurch but made a new home in Wellington a few years ago. Pretty enjoyable place to live, I find, aged 27. I have a theory on writing scripts: let it grow with pleasant loving care but never fully reveal it on pain of death. Look forward to expanding all and any ideas with a fine team of creative talents.

Barbara Burke

I was born and raised in Ireland, and studied in Edinburgh and Dublin. I worked in all kinds of jobs before ending up in a communications job here in Wellington.

I adore film, radio plays and novels - any kind of story. Before moving to New Zealand, I did a course in Edinburgh where we had a whole lot of fun learning how to write shorts as well as spending hours after class discussing our favourite movies and music. Fun times. Ever since then, I've been writing on and off at home in my spare time. I'm excited, no - beside myself - to be part of this class.

Anna de Roo

Hey, I'm Anna. I'm 21 and originally from Auckland, although I like Wellington better. Last year I completed a BA in English Literature, where I especially enjoyed the Children's Literature paper. Another interest I have is in animated films - particularly Hayao Miyazaki films and the most recent pixar films, like 'Finding Nemo', 'Wall. E' and 'UP', which I thought were beautiful, funny and not just for children.

Creative writing has been a hobby since I was a kid, however up until now it has mainly taken the form of short stories and unfinished novels. I'm looking forward to learning loads about story structure through scriptwriting. I'm really excited to be on this course.

Constance Gervasi

Once upon a time, Constance was born a 'Mooloo'. She then spent many years as a nomadic, vagrant gypsy.

Proving that 'you can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl!' is true, Constance finally returned to Aotearoa.

A latent need to be creative surfaced which resulted in a Performing and Screen Arts Degree. Then India beckoned, where Constance spent two and a half years serving an apprenticeship.

Based in Wellywood for two years now, Constance has been a 'struggling' Artist / Writer / Film-maker. On the upside she has found love with a man and four teens!

Alex Lodge

I'm from Hamilton. This obviously has endless perks, but the main one is that I got to dance on a scaffolding at the unveiling of the Riff-Raff statue.

After doing an undergrad degree at Victoria, some friends and I started up a co-op called Three Spoon Theatre and I've been making shows with them for the last few years. I've also been doing some community-based commission work with A Slightly Isolated Dog Theatre Company, another Wellington group.

In early 2010 I co-wrote and performed Tea for Toot with Cherie Jacobson and Ed Watson, a show about dementia and Enid Blyton.

I am a watcher / reader / gamer / listener of pretty much all genres. Joss Whedon has a special place in my heart.

Joseph Ryan

I live in Wellington and am a short film writer. I enjoy the collaborative and experimental process that short film provides and how you are always working with new people on different projects in exciting ways. My favourite short film of all time is The Man Who Planted Trees, which I can watch over and over again. And if in the future my craft is good enough to write something half as good as this, then I will be more than happy.

Finn Scott-Kelly

I was born in New Zealand, which is not as bad as being born over seas, or worse, still. I received my early education in small country schools before changing tack to study English and Film in Auckland. I never wanted to be a writer. I also never wanted to do any actual work. Hence, I always wanted to be a writer. I have neither worked as a miner nor as a travel agent, nor have I had any written work performed. However, I note that I have managed to reach the age of 20 - much to my parents' dismay. At least I still have my health, although we are not on speaking terms. So all seems to be fine, but on the other hand, there is a suspicious mark, which is hopefully only a cigarette burn. I don't smoke but tend to get rather confrontational with those who do. I have heard Wellington is cold.