Chris Brancato is an American motion picture writer and producer. He was a Co-Executive Producer and writer for the first season of Boomtown. He created the series First Wave. He has also worked on Tru Calling, Stealing Harvard, Meds, Murder Book and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
Biography[]
Earlier career[]
He began his writing career as an Executive Story Editor for the third season of Beverley Hills 90210 in fall 1992. He co-wrote three episodes for the season: "Sex, Lies and Volleyball/Photo Fini" with fellow Executive Story Editor Kenneth Biller and Karen Rosin; "Song of Myself" with Biller; and "Wild Horses" with Biller. Biller and Brancato then co-wrote the first season X-Files episode "Eve", which aired in 1993.
Brancato was hired as an executive script consultant for the science fiction series The Outer Limits in early 1996. He worked on the second season and wrote the episode "Resurrection" and ""Beyond the Veil".
He wrote the feature film Hoodlum (1997). He was also a Co-Producer for the project. He wrote the horror sequel Species II (1998).
He was the creator and executive producer of the science fiction drama series First Wave. He wrote the series pilot "Subject 117" and the show was picked up for a first season which premiered in fall 1998. He hired future Boomtown Co-Executive Producer Albert J. Salke as a creative consultant for the show. He co-wrote the story for the second episode "Crazy Eddie" with Paul Eckstein and wrote the story for the episode. He wrote the tenth episode "Marker 262" and the fifteenth episode "The Box". He co-wrote the seventeenth episode "Second Wave" with David Wilcox. He wrote the season finale "The Decision", which aired out of sequence in fall 1999.
He remained an Executive Producer for the second season in fall 1999. He continued to write for the series, contributing to a further nine episodes: He wrote the season premiere "Target 117"; He co-wrote the third episode "The Apostles", with Salke; he co-wrote the seventh episode "Prayer for the White Man" with Eckstein; he co-wrote the eighth episode "The Purge" with Salke; he co-wrote the fourteenth episode "All About Eddie" with Salke; he co-wrote the fifteenth episode "Playland" with Salke; he co-wrote the nineteenth episode "The Trial of Joshua Bridges" with Salke, Daniel Cerone, Peter Elkoff, and Theresa Rebeck; he co-wrote the twenty first episode "Tomorrow" with Eckstein; Brancato and Salke co-wrote the season finale "The Believers".
Brancato remained an Executive Producer for the third and final season in fall 2000. He wrote three further episodes: the second episode "Raven Nation" with Michael J. Cinquemani; the tenth episode "The Plan"; and the series finale "Twice Bless'd" with Fergus Cook.
He was a consulting producer for new crime drama Crossing Jordan in early 2002, again working with Brancato. They also co-wrote the television feature Flashpoint with Darren Lemke in 2002. They were also Executive Producers for Flashpoint. Brancato and Salke were Executive Producers for the comedy film Stealing Harvard (2002).
Boomtown[]
He joined the crew of Boomtown as a Co-Executive Producer and writer for the first season in fall 2002. He co-wrote the story for the seventh episode "Insured by Smith & Wesson" with longtime collaborator and fellow Co-Executive Producer Albert J. Salke; Brancato wrote the teleplay for the episode. He co-wrote the story for the fourteenth episode "Storm Watch" with Kevin Dunigan; he again wrote the teleplay for the episode. He left the crew at the close of the first season in 2003.
While working on Boomtown Brancato and Salke also wrote the story for an episode of Miracle entitled "The Friendly Skies". The teleplay was co-written by David Greenwalt and Richard Hatem, one of the series creators. Miracles was cancelled after thirteen episodes.
Brancato and Salke were also Executive Producers for the television features Then Came Jones and The Break in 2003.
Later career[]
In fall 2003 Brancato and Salke were Consulting Producers and writers for the first season of the action drama series Tru Calling. They co-wrote the story for the second episode "Putting Out Fires"; Brancato wrote the teleplay. They left the show after the thirteenth episode "Drop Dead Gorgeous".
In 2004 they were Executive Producers for the series North Shore. Brancato wrote the eleventh episode "Alexandra".
In 2005 they co-wrote and Executive Produced the television feature Murder Book.
In 2006 they were Producers for the pilot episode of Secrets of a Small Town. They were also Executive Producers for the television features Sixty Minute Man and Drift.
In 2007 they were Executive Producers for the television feature Football Wives.
In 2008 they were Executive Producers for the television feature The Prince of Motor City.
In 2010 they wrote and Executive Produced the television feature True Blue.
In the 2010 to 2011 television season he wrote freelance for the crime drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He penned the twelfth season episodes "Branded" and "Spectacle".
He then became the show runner and an Executive Producer for the tenth and final season of Law & Order: Criminal Intent in summer 2011. He wrote the second episode "The Consoler" and co-wrote the series finale "To the Boy in the Blue Knit Cap" with Julie Martin.
In fall 2011 he was a Consulting Producer for "Genesis: Part 1", the pilot episode of science fiction series Terra Nova. The show was ordered to series but Brancato did not return to the crew.
Credits[]
Co-Executive Producer[]
| Season 1 credits | ||
| "Pilot" | "Possession" | "The Squeeze" |
| "Reelin' in the Years" | "All Hallow's Eve" | "The Freak" |
| "Insured by Smith & Wesson" | "Crash" | "The David McNorris Show" |
| "Coyote" | "Monster's Brawl" | "Sinaloa Cowboys" |
| "Home Invasion" | "Execution" | "Storm Watch" |
| "Fearless" | "Blackout" | "Lost Child" |
Writer[]
| Season 1 credits | ||
| "Pilot" | "Possession" | "The Squeeze" |
| "Reelin' in the Years" | "All Hallow's Eve" | "The Freak" |
| "Insured by Smith & Wesson" | "Crash" | "The David McNorris Show" |
| "Coyote" | "Monster's Brawl" | "Sinaloa Cowboys" |
| "Home Invasion" | "Execution" | "Storm Watch" |
| "Fearless" | "Blackout" | "Lost Child" |