SOUTHWEST AIRLINES DEBUTS FIRST-EVER BRAND FILM, "ALONE IN TOMBSTONE," BASED ON A WATTPAD SHORT STORY ADAPTED FOR THE SCREEN

Airline expands support of 'On The Rise' creatives to include writers and filmmakers with the release of a short film, furthering its dedication to celebrating new voices 

DALLAS, May 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) premieres the short film "Alone in Tombstone," a first-ever brand film for the airline and the first Wattpad Brand Original. The film, based on a short story, was written by Wattpad author E.A. Comiskey, and was adapted into a short film, "Alone in Tombstone," by Tongal community member Kelsey Taylor ("Alien: Specimen," 20th Century Fox). "Alone in Tombstone" is now available on Southwest's YouTube Channel and via the free movie offerings onboard Southwest^® flights beginning June 1.

"The creative community brings rich stories to life through various forms of art, including music, writing, and filmmaking," said Brandy King, Managing Director Communications at Southwest Airlines. "The Southwest: Storytellers On The Rise writing contest uncovered meaningful stories of human kindness, and we are grateful for the opportunity to bring 'Alone in Tombstone' to the screen. Our On The Rise platform supports creatives by providing them a career lift in their journey to reach their goals. We look forward to continuing to amplify new voices as creatives share their unique perspectives and pursue their dreams."

The project began in 2021, when Southwest Airlines^® and Wattpad, a leading webnovel platform, celebrated the carrier's 50th Anniversary through a writing contest. The Southwest: Storytellers On The Rise contest called upon the Wattpad community to share stories of kindness rooted in travel. The brands selected 10 finalists, and of those stories, chose a short story from Comiskey as its winner. As part of the contest prize, Comiskey received a once-in-a-lifetime writing mentorship with Beth Reekles, the Wattpad author behind the global Young Adult sensation and film franchise "The Kissing Booth" from Netflix and Komixx Entertainment, alongside additional prizes to help her writing career take off. Further, the brands hired Comiskey as a paid consultant on the film set to incorporate her vision for "Alone in Tombstone." To read the finalist stories and Comiskey's, please visit the Southwest Airlines profile on Wattpad.    

"Supporting authors and creating new opportunities to celebrate and elevate their creativity is central to everything we do," said Chris Mathieu, Director, Wattpad Brand Partnerships. "We are thrilled to debut our first Wattpad Brand Originals alongside Southwest Airlines and Tongal, highlighting the incredible creativity we see across Wattpad daily."

"Southwest built an impactful platform for advancing creators' careers by connecting them to opportunities that are deeply authentic to their brand—I know the creators in the Tongal and Wattpad communities are feeling the love," said James DeJulio, Tongal Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

The "Alone in Tombstone" film premiere, which took place in New York City on May 10, included a panel with director Kelsey Taylor, Comiskey, and representatives from Southwest, Wattpad, and Tongal. Filmed on location at Mescal Movie Set in Benson, Ariz., "Alone in Tombstone" is a coming-of-age tale about life, love, and loss. It tells the story of a young woman searching for her place in life when faced with a surprise visitor.

Southwest's On The Rise platform began in 2017 with the launch of Destination: Red Rocks. This program spotlighted six up-and-coming musical artists from across the country with an opportunity to compete for an opening set performance at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre. The content-rich program drove engagement with new and current fans of the musicians and introduced these On The Rise acts to Southwest Customers. Building on the program's success, Southwest continued to expand On The Rise, partnering with other live music events like Luck Reunion to shine a light on new talent and offer access to and placement on coveted lineups. Southwest expanded its support of creatives to the writing community through the Southwest: Storytellers On The Rise writing contest, and included filmmakers through the adaptation of the story into a short film.

To watch "Alone in Tombstone," visit youtube.com/SouthwestAir.

About Wattpad
Wattpad's vision is to entertain and connect the world through stories. A leading webnovel platform and home to a community averaging 85 million people who spend over 23 billion minutes a month engaged in original stories, Wattpad has democratized storytelling for a new generation of diverse Gen Z writers and their fans. Alongside Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, the company's TV, film, and publishing counterparts, Wattpad combines art and science to unearth incredible stories and cultivate the fandoms driving the future of entertainment. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada.

About Tongal
Tongal is a global creator community that connects the best and brightest emerging talent to opportunities to develop video content with networks, studios, and brands. The company's platform and technology powers the entire creative process from end to end, bringing undiscovered, great ideas to life in a collaborative, online production studio. Tongal is backed by Endeavor and Insight Partners.

About Southwest Airlines Co.
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world's most admired and awarded airlines, offering its one-of-a-kind value and Hospitality at 121 airports across 11 countries. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel and now carries more air travelers flying nonstop within the United States than any other airline¹. Based in Dallas and famous for an Employee-first corporate Culture, Southwest maintains an unprecedented record of no involuntary furloughs or layoffs in its history. By empowering its nearly 70,000² People to deliver unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty among as many as 130 million Customers carried a year. That formula for success brought industry-leading prosperity and 47 consecutive years³ of profitability for Southwest Shareholders (NYSE: LUV). Southwest leverages a unique legacy and mission to serve communities around the world including harnessing the power of its People and Purpose to put communities at the Heart of its success. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship. As the airline with Heart, Southwest has set a goal to work toward achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Southwest has also set near-term targets and a four-pillar strategy to achieve its environmental goals. Learn more by visiting Southwest.com/planet.

¹U.S. Dept. of Transportation most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded  
²Fulltime-equivalent active Employees  
³1973-2019 annual profitability 

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.