TOM BRANNAGAN
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TOM BRANNAGAN

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel?
I was raised by warriors. One grandfather, my father, and several uncles were combat veterans of the Second World War. I have spent my life studying that conflict, and I was inspired by the heroics of the civilian agents the British Secret Service operated in occupied Europe. Pathfinder Down is a story about the courage and sacrifice required to defeat totalitarianism. I choose to write screenplays, not novels, because I create my stories by visualizing sequences. This isn’t a conscious decision; it’s just the way ideas come to me.

How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN?
I have been working on Pathfinder Down for five years, 26 rewrites. I have completed three other scripts, but this one continues drawing me back.
My process
 Research, consider ideas, characters, conflict, possible sequences, and plot points.
 Build Character profiles and arcs.
 Test story ideas by creating loglines.
 Land on a logline
Create a basic 3-act outline on an Excel spreadsheet. Plot the emotions I want the audience to feel at each point; identify the story's plot points 1 & 2; load the major sequences. Break sequences down into scenes; scenes into beats.
Write the first draft on Final Draft software and use the integrated tools.
Re-write, re-write, re-write….
Get professional feedback.
Re-write, re-write, re-write.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
I hope to connect generations by writing exciting, historically accurate stories that entertain and educate.

Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice?
I entered a 115-page historical action/thriller set during World War 2.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show...and why?
My favorite TV show is Rome. I love history, and the acting and storytelling in the series were also incredible. This was a groundbreaking television experience for me. My favorite movie is Apocalypse Now. I’m a big fan of Francis Ford Coppola, and the Vietnam War was a defining story for my generation.

What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have?
Seek out professional opinions and advice as quickly as possible. My biggest improvements come after an industry professional reads my script and offers suggestions.

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about?
I’m currently working on a script based on my father’s nine-month long P.O.W experience at the end of World War 2.

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