Dunedin Filmmaker Lands $10K Grant After ADHD Diagnosis

Quinn Wilson discovered that sometimes the recipe for success includes actual baking. The Dunedin filmmaker won a $10,000 seed grant from the New Zealand Writers Guild after writing his breakthrough script while making brownies, a technique that helped him work around his newly diagnosed ADHD.

The 22-year-old had struggled for years with procrastination that made screenwriting feel "like pulling teeth." He dropped out of Victoria University in 2024 after turning assignments in late despite earning decent grades, feeling like traditional university was a mismatch for his learning style.

Everything changed when Wilson enrolled in the hands-on New Zealand Film and Television School and finally got an ADHD diagnosis halfway through last year. With proper medication and new productivity techniques, he could finally harness his creativity in ways that worked for his brain.

Facing a script deadline at film school, Wilson tried something different. He decided to write while simultaneously baking a batch of brownies, switching between tasks whenever he felt his focus wavering.

The strategy worked perfectly. The next day, he walked into class with a completed script and fresh brownies for his classmates.

That script, titled "It's Not About You," tells the story of a man repeatedly killed by his hitman girlfriend who somehow keeps coming back to life. Wilson describes it as a metaphor for emotional violence, where "the knives and bullets might just be mean words or neglect."

Late last year, Wilson submitted the concept when applying for the Writers Guild seed grant. He beat out 136 other applicants with his 10-page feature film treatment, earning funding to develop the short into a full-length motion picture.

Why This Inspires

Wilson's journey proves that traditional paths aren't the only ones that lead to success. His willingness to abandon what wasn't working and find creative solutions tailored to how his brain actually functions turned years of frustration into breakthrough momentum.

The filmmaker had already completed 12 short films over six years, writing, directing, and editing each one himself while searching for the right approach to his craft. His persistence through difficulty, combined with seeking proper diagnosis and treatment, finally unlocked the productivity he'd been chasing.

Wilson called receiving the grant "surreal" after spending so long honing his skills and figuring out how to work with his ADHD rather than against it.

His success reminds us that neurodivergent minds often just need the right tools and environment to thrive, not fundamental change.