Willie Hagan

Willie J. Hagan

I summarize my early life in the following manner: Navy brat, having attended 13 schools between kindergarten and high school, from Connecticut to California. Always the new kid on the block, always trying to fit in. With such instability, writing became a survival skill; a place of escape while riding cross-country in the backseat of a station wagon or waiting in a new neighborhood to be welcomed (or caught) by the local kids.

I earned my Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Connecticut, spent 10-years as a lobbyist, many more as a college Vice-President, and almost seven years as a University President within the California State University System. I am now retired. (Yea!) After years of working in higher education in Connecticut, I relocated to California and earned my MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA.

I received my first paid assignment when I purchased the rights to the novel Darkfall, by Stephen Laws. A few days after the purchase, Dimension/Miramax approached the author in London intending to acquire the rights. What a beautiful moment, I had the rights to a novel they wanted to develop into a feature film. They liked my pitch on the adaptation and hired me to write the script.

I adapted the novel June Bug, by Chris Fabry, for Sony based producer, Harry Gittes. The movie, now titled ‘Child of Grace’ made its television debut in 2014.

I developed my script, Frame of Mind, with input from director Renny Harlin (Long Kiss Goodnight, Deep Blue Sea, Legend of Hercules, Skip Trace, et.al.); won a Writers Guild of America, West writing award in 2018 for my script, The Furies; and the UCLA Showcase Award for my script, Ayla. Currently working on my second television series pilot, and converting my feature script, The Furies, into a television pilot. I also won the Cinestory Screenwriting Competition with my script, Indigo. Now I serve on the Cinestory Foundation Board.

Oh, and I’m an FAA certified Drone Pilot, which means I am qualified to crash expensive flying cameras into mountains. That hasn’t happened yet, but as they say in the military, one must always stay frosty.