Screenwriting Contest Winners feted at Final Draft’s 7th Annual Big Break™ Awards

Top Winner Tom Cosgrove Received $15,000 Plus Meetings With Industry Pros

Hollywood, October 26, 2006 – Final Draft, Inc., publisher of Final Draft, the world’s #1-selling scriptwriting software, announced the top three winners of their 7th Annual Big Break International Screenwriting Competition at tonight’s Big Break Awards attended by industry professionals at Montmartre Lounge in Hollywood.  Winners Tom Cosgrove, Yehudi Mercado and Stinson Carter had their scripts selected from 3,000 competing worldwide entries, with top winner Cosgrove hailing from Ireland. 

“Choosing a winner was not an easy task given that the entries were all compelling and varied, and deserved the careful attention they received,” said Final Draft, Inc. CEO Marc Madnick.  “We applaud everyone who entered for their artistic endeavors and we are honored to bring recognition to promising screenwriters across the globe.”

Also honored was Hall of Fame inductee Syd Field, renowned for his classic Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting (1982), considered the “bible” of the film industry.  The Hall of Fame Award recognizes entertainment industry luminaries who foster the art of scriptwriting and nurture and inspire the creative process. 

Below are the top 3 finalists and the loglines from their award-winning scripts.    

WINNER – Tom Cosgrove The Sea Devils

Dublin, Ireland
Logline:  The world weary crew of an Atlantic trawler becomes embroiled in a war of survival after winching a monster into their hold from the ocean's dark zone.

SECOND PLACE – Yehudi Mercado Buffalo Speedway  
Austin, TX
Logline: In the summer of 1994 one pizza outpost delivered the most pizzas ever while the world watched OJ's slow speed chase. Buffalo Speedway follows five drivers who chased destiny as they compete for Turbo Pizza's Top Driver Race. Do the Right Thing meets Clerks.

THIRD PLACE – Stinson Carter Ananias
Los Angeles, CA
Logline: Thrown into crippling self-doubt after discovering his father's homosexuality, a fourteen-year-old boy will go to any extreme to prove himself a man. Spurred on by his friends, he embarks with them on a seedy overnight pursuit of proof of his manhood, only to find that letting go of fear is the only proof worth pursuing.

About the Big Break Contest
Now in its seventh year, Final Draft’s Big Break Contest has become one of the most popular in Hollywood because of previous winners’ success and its generous payout.  Winning screenplays have been optioned and produced and finalists have garnered attention from recognizable producers and literary agents.  Jon Gilbert, one of last year’s finalists was quickly signed by ICM and had his screenplay optioned by a British producing team.  2002’s winner, Shawn Corridan had his winning screenplay “8 Track” picked up by Fox 2000 with the Malloy brothers to direct and Gill Netter to produce.

This year’s esteemed judges include writer/producer Bobby Moresco (Million Dollar Baby; Crash), writer Simon Kinberg (Mr. & Mrs. Smith; X-Men: The Last Stand), Writer Stuart Beattie (Collateral; Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2 & 3), ICM’s Executive Story Editor Christopher Lockhart, Fox Searchlight Director of Production Zola Mashariki and Executive Producer/Producer Michel Shane (I, Robot; Catch Me if You Can)

Microsoft is this year’s premiere sponsor and will award the top three finalists with Microsoft Tablet PCs and software. 

About Final Draft, Inc.
Final Draft, Inc. educates, advances and celebrates the scriptwriter with a suite of offerings that includes software, events, support and access. The company was founded in 1991 to develop a scriptwriting program that allows writers to concentrate on the creative process and not on Hollywood’s stringent formatting rules.  Since then, Final Draft has become the Hollywood professional’s choice and the world’s #1-selling scriptwriting program. Final Draft, Inc. also publishes Final Draft AV, the only dedicated multi-column script processor specifically designed for writing commercials, corporate videos, documentaries, presentations, DV shorts, etc.  Final Draft AV received Videomaker Magazine’s 2005 award for Best Production Planning Software.
 
Final Draft, Inc. initiatives include: Script Magazine, providing industry news, advice and celebrating the scriptwriter since 1989; Big Break, a global screenwriting competition designed to support emerging creative talent with cash, prizes and exposure to the industry; Scriptwriters Showcase, an elite screenwriting event, offering A-List advice from the finest writing talent in the industry in an intimate setting; Take A Meeting, the opportunity to do give a 15-minute business presentation to some of the brightest and most powerful in the industry; and ScripXpert, unprecedented access to feedback from industry insiders on a screenplay or teleplay before putting it on the market.

More information about Final Draft and its products can be found at www.finaldraft.com.