Classical music plays as he hovers over a scrappy piece of looseleaf. The boy dreams of what the Wikipedia entry might read for the movie script he is drafting as he quickly outlines the plot. Soon, a world spews from the ink as imagination and creativity flood the room. It is in these moments that he hears, “lights, camera, action” whispered in the back of his mind.

Brian Brennan’s dreams to create films began in seventh grade when he attended a three-week summer camp at the University of Kansas. He spent his time studying creative writing and screenwriting, ultimately realizing that he wanted to pursue film as a career.  Patty Brennan, Brian’s mother, said it was only natural for him to take on screenwriting because of his creativity and involvement in theater.

“Ever since he was a little kid he’s always been an out-of-the-box thinker,” Patty said. “His play was always very creative and he would have a very elaborate scheme in mind.”

Brian has been writing scripts since seventh grade, yet he has never produced or filmed one of his own. Brian has to finance his own films which restricts him to only write scripts that are feasible for him to create. However, Brian hopes to film more elaborate movies in the future.

“I hope that he has the chances to make the big movies that he wants to make,” Maggie Herwig, junior, said. “He has a lot of different ideas that he’s afraid to try and I hope that he gets a chance to try everything he wants to.”

His newest creation, The Lost Ones – Brian’s working title – is a series of interconnected short films. The thriller consists of four seasons total with seven episodes in the first season. This summer, Brian plans to film at least the first two episodes.

The short films begin with a relatively simple story in which two small town teenagers, Ford and Sam, are walking through a forest when they discover and open a mysterious suitcase.

Brian hopes to debut his series on the internet. He is still considering the various venues from which he can distribute it, such as YouTube. Brian said his main goal for the film is exposure, which he hopes to achieve through a form of viral marketing. Brian maintains high hopes for the film and anticipates that it will be well-received based on the enthusiastic reactions he has received thus far from family and friends.

“Finding something I was passionate about was what really finally got me to the point where I was comfortable being who I am,” Brian said. “I knew I had something I could bring to the world.”