CONNOR HARRINGTON BRANDT
 CONNOR HARRINGTON BRANDT
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Currently, I’m in Amsterdam, Netherlands. But I’m from Boston, MA. How did you discover The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards and how did you decide to enter this contest among all the others? I did a major rewrite of my script after placing well at another competition, which recommended the Stage32 platform. I appreciated how Stage32 pre-screened the competitions, and chose a couple from there. For The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards, I appreciated the emphasis on diverse voices, and thought that the demographics of Palm Springs the city would likely lend itself well to the themes in my script. Your script or media entry stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your project ? When I was an undergraduate, there was a movement on the Harvard campus to award honorary degrees to students who had been expelled for being gay in 1920. A book on the subject, “Harvard’s Secret Court” had recently come out, and I was heartbroken and fascinated when I read it. Fast-forward a decade and change, and I felt it was a story that had more to it. Modern materials, such as improved search online of historical newspapers, and the Harvard Library system opening up their resources, meant it was a unique time to gain access to a more fulsome story. How long did it take you to write your script or produce your pitch deck/sizzle reel/trailer...and what was your development process? I knew I wanted to write this story, but didn’t have the craft for it. So I wrote another script first to hone my screenwriting skills! From the moment I started the outline to a full first draft was about 9 months. I spent a good amount of time researching and sketching out character outlines and relationships ahead of writing page 1. I also went home to Boston and down to Providence to visit some of the sites where the story takes place, to really feel the essence of it. All that said, once I started the script itself, it went fairly quickly – about 2-3 months, and only that long because I continue to work a full-time job with a lot of work travel on top of it. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer or filmmaker? Obviously, I know everything is an incredible long shot, but I really hope to be a feature film writer, with maybe some limited series too. I think of James Ivory’s career, bringing great literature to the screen, and hope to do similar. But just getting to write at all is a great joy, and I’ll keep at that as long as I can. Which film directors or screenwriters inspire you? Why? As mentioned, James Ivory for sure – I studied Literature in college and it was so meaningful to have not just great stories, but queer stories translated to the screen. Ron Nyswaner created some of my favourites, with Philadelphia and Fellow Travellers topping the inspiration list with the writing focusing on complex, beautiful characters. Finally, David Jenkins and his work on Our Flag Means Death is what really got me writing seriously – someday, I hope to thank him personally for that! What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show? It’s difficult to choose, so maybe tied are Casablanca, The Birdcage, Good Will Hunting, and Call Me by Your Name. How do you approach competition entries, and what have you learned from participating in these contests? I try to find competitions that clearly support LGBT writers and themes, as I find they offer better feedback, and often are enthusiastic about connecting promising writing to industry partners. What advice do you have for others hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? I think a lot of people write what they think can sell, which, sure, is typically the goal in the end. But writing the best script possible for you should be the goal. What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? A couple of current projects: I’m working on adapting the 1947 novel The Gallery into a limited series. And as for feature writing, a murder mystery around a New England house (cozy for winter!) is on my plate for 2026, too. Where can the world find you? (Website, IMDB, etc.) https://www.connorhb.com |
