Volume 5, Number 4
April 19, 2005

1. FINAL DRAFT’S 6TH ANNUAL BIG BREAK! SCREENWRITING CONTEST
    INCREASES PRIZES

Winner to Receive $15,000 in Cash and Prizes Plus Meetings with Industry Professionals

Final Draft’s 6th annual Big Break! International Screenwriting Contest has added more valuable prizes! Microsoft Corporation has just become the 2005 Premier Sponsor and is donating a Tablet PC, loaded with software, to each of the top three finalists. The winner is also awarded $10,000 cash, plus meetings with industry professionals. The top ten finalists will receive a copy of Final Draft scriptwriting software, a Microsoft software package, a screenwriting course from Gotham Writers’ Workshop, one-year subscriptions to Fade In and scr(i)pt magazines and a gift certificate from The Writers Store.

Our international sponsor is The Screenwriter’s Store, UK. Since 1996, The Screenwriter's Store has been offering Europe's screenwriters and filmmakers both competitive prices and excellent customer service on industry-standard software and resources like Final Draft.

Big Break! is an annual, global screenwriting competition designed to promote emerging creative talent. Many of the previous years’ winning scripts have been produced or optioned. Entries will be accepted until June 15. For more information about the Big Break! Contest, visit www.bigbreakcontest.com.

For more information about the contest, go to: www.bigbreakcontest.com

2.

		You waited to upgrade to Final Draft 7... No reason to wait anymore! Upgrade to the new Final Draft version 7.1 for only $59 (Offer ends May 31, 2005; regular upgrade price $89) Final Draft 7 is now an even more powerful tool that allows you to write and see your script in a variety of new ways. It’s never been easier to use and it’s never been easier to upgrade. Download it right to your computer and save on sales tax and shipping charges! Save even more on additional products when you order the Final Draft 7 Upgrade! Upgrade online at www.finaldraft.com/upgrade or by phone at (800) 231-4055 or (818) 995-8995 Why should you upgrade?

3. FINAL DRAFT AT NAB AND BEA 2005

Las Vegas, April 18- 23, 2005

Final Draft will have a booth at NAB 2005, the world's largest electronic media show, and
the BEA (Broadcast Education Association) show in Las Vegas this April.

NAB: April 18 - 20, 2005 (10AM - 6PM)
BEA: April 22 - 23, 2005 (9AM - 5PM)

For Final Draft booth location and details, see the ON THE ROAD section below.

4. FINAL DRAFT AT THE 2005 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Final Draft is releasing a NEW Final Draft International Edition at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Our booth will be located in the American Pavilion from May 11 - 22, 2005. We'll be there to answer your questions and demonstrate the Final Draft International Edition. Special product pricing will be available at the festival.

To schedule a meeting with our Final Draft International Representative, please contact:
Phone: 818-995-8995 x121 (before the festival)
Phone: +33 (0)6 77 63 92 65 (at the festival)
Email: cannes@finaldraft.com

5. SEE US IN THE UK

A representative from Final Draft will be doing a demonstration of Final Draft 7 and Final Draft AV at the Apple Store on Regent Street. Come see us and have all of your questions answered by a Final Draft representative.

Apple Store, London
May 5, 2005, 7:00-9:00 PM

For store location and details, see the ON THE ROAD section below.

6. WRITERS' RESOURCES

12th Annual POWER PITCHFEST
May 21 & 22, 2005
Renaissance Hotel, Hollywood, CA

Be pro-active with your career. In Hollywood, half the battle is WHO YOU KNOW. Fade In magazine’s Power Pitchfest gives you five different ways to market your material and learn the art of pitching.

LEARN expert pitch meeting techniques in class sessions specially taught by A-list filmmakers.
PITCH to agents, producers, managers and studio and development executives in real seven- minute meetings.

(Fade In events only invite the top agencies, production companies, producers, management companies, studios and director companies. In turn, these companies attend because of Fade In's reputation of hosting the very best and longest running pitch event with more sales and options than any other like festival. Further, your ideas are safe, as companies who attend adhere to the WGA-accredited policies.)

SUBMIT your screenplay or short to agents and managers from Leverage, UTA, ICM, William Morris, Endeavor and more to gain literary representation.
NETWORK at a catered cocktail party.

Info. and Tickets
800-646-3896
www.fadeinonline.com

Got Talent? Get Representation…30% Off!

You've written your screenplay; however, before making it big in the world of entertainment, we all know there is a basic checklist to get through. With the just-released HOLLYWOOD REPRESENTATION DIRECTORY, 29th EDITION, you will find all the information you need to get started. The directory is used by everyone in Hollywood and includes names, titles, phone numbers, addresses, representation categories and submission policy information. It is the first place you should look for a talent or literary agent, personal manager, entertainment attorney or business affairs contact.

To receive 30% OFF the HOLLYWOOD REPRESENTATION DIRECTORY, 29th EDITION:
Visit: http://shop.hcdonline.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?
Screen=PROD&Store_Code=hcd&Product_Code=ADBK0&Category_Code=Books

Phone: (800) 815-0503
Use code: FINALDRAFT405

Hollywood Creative Directory www.hcdonline.com: Directories, Books & Online Database for the Entertainment Industry

*Offer good through April 30, 2005.

Six Steps to a Screenplay

Six Steps to a Screenplay, led by Pilar Alessandra (former Senior Story Analyst for DreamWorks and Radar Pictures), takes your script from idea to pages in six weeks.

Six Saturdays (skipping Memorial Day Weekend)
Date: April 30 - June 11, 2005
Time: 10AM - 1PM

*Discounted price of $325.00 for Final Draft registered users.

To register or for more information, contact ON THE PAGE:
Phone: 818-881-3193
Email: inquire@onthepage.tv
Visit: www.onthepage.tv

Spec Script Marketplace Pitch Session

"A poll of 33% of our Pitch Session participants indicated that they sent out an average of three scripts each session, that's three chances for a sale..."

On Thursday, April 28, 2005, Hollywood by the Bay will present the next Spec Script Marketplace Pitch Session of the year. Don’t miss this opportunity to pitch your screenplay to leading Hollywood producers, agents, managers and entertainment lawyers seeking new material and writers for all genres.

When:         Thursday, April 28th, 6pm – 9 pm

Where:        The Olympic Collection, 11301 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90064 

Cost:            Still just $119.00!

Improve your chance of success at our Pitch Sessions by signing up for the Pitch Perfect Program. Led by Hollywood veterans Devorah Cutler Rubenstein and Ellen Sandler, the Pitch Perfect Program gives you an edge at Pitch Festivals and production meetings.

Reserve your space today:
Online: www.hollywoodbythebay.com,
Mail: Send check or money order to Hollywood by the Bay, P.O. Box 733, Belmont, CA 94002
Phone: 877-801-9477 (M-F, 9AM-6PM)

Writers University – The Right Course

Writers University offers the quickest and most effective way to success. Their courses get you on the right track in just four weeks.

Where else can you learn over fifty specific techniques on how to write authentic, sparkling, well-crafted dialogue that individualizes characters and entertains your reader? Best-selling author and former development executive Karl Iglesias, who custom-designed his course Writing Dialogue For Emotional Impact with Writers University students in mind, specializes in "reader-emotional response." After four short weeks you will write dialogue that snaps, crackles and pops off the page. 

New course sessions begin on May 2nd and June 6th.  Space is limited. Sign up today.
Visit: WritersUniversity.com today

Writers University is a division of the Writers Store

Directing Commercials Seminars

Breaking into the lucrative field of commercial directing can be a daunting task. Craig Worsham’s 2-day seminar teaches everything you need to know about creating fantastic commercials that will have advertisers begging for more. From your spec reel and preproduction to contracts and pitching, this will transform you from a complete novice to a well informed professional ready to tackle the market.

Worsham, an established commercial director, provides insightful commentary on several spec reels that will help you understand why a commercial fails or succeeds.

Seminar topics include: The process of getting in, your spec reel, creating spec spots, specializing, your concept, producing your spec spots, signing on with a production company, getting the boards, getting the job, the director’s treatment, gaining representation, breaking down 3 spots, and much, much more.

Commercials are just short films about a product, and directing them can be a wonderfully fulfilling career. If you have ever considered becoming a commercial director, this is the seminar that you cannot afford to miss.

Next Directing Commercials Seminars
April 30 & May 1 - New York City
May 14 & 15 - Universal Studios, Hollywood

*Also available on DVD with all the handouts included.

For more information, go to: www.directingcommercials.com or call: 310-356-6009.

2005 ScriptShark Insider Screenplay Competition

American Zoetrope Screenwriting Workshop and Contest

September 24 - October 1, 2005
Come to Francis Ford Coppola's gorgeous Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize for a week-long screenwriting workshop led by Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, American Gigolo, Raging Bull, The Mosquito Coast, The Last Temptation of Christ, Affliction, Bringing Out the Dead). Guests will enjoy luxurious accommodations, four-star meals and small-group workshops with leading screenwriters. Space is extremely limited, and admissions are rolling, so apply today.

For complete information, visit www.All-Story.com.

The Third Annual American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest
Judged by Francis Ford Coppola, the Third Annual American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest opens May 1. For complete information, visit www.Zoetrope.com.

Free Teleseminar: 21 Powerful Rewrite Strategies

If you've ever wondered how to fix a script, this may solve your problem. Writer/Producers Hal and Cheryl Croasmun present 21 rewrite strategies they use before submitting scripts to studios.

In 90 minutes, you'll learn:

7 professional rewrite processes.
5 ways to build more compelling characters.
3 steps to cut through the confusion and get to the heart of your story.
4 methods of intensifying the most important moments of your screenplay.
and more.

Overall, you'll get 21 ways to increase your chance of winning a contest,
getting an agent and selling your screenplays. Best of all, there's no charge.

For info or to sign up, go to:
www.ScriptForSale.com/rewrite_conference2.htm

7. ON THE ROAD

Come see demonstrations of Final Draft and Final Draft AV and have your questions answered by our representatives.

Location	Date	Time
NAB 2005 Booth #SL-3663 South Hall Las Vegas Convention Center 3150 Paradise Road Las Vegas, NV 89109 800-342-2460 www.nabshow.com	Tues, Apr 19	10:00am - 6:00pm
	Wed, Apr 20	10:00am - 6:00pm
	Thurs, Apr 21	10:00am - 6:00pm
map:   www.mapquest.com
BEA 2005 Broadcast Education Association Exhibit Hall Las Vegas Convention Center 3150 Paradise Road Las Vegas, NV 89109	Fri, Apr 22	9:00am - 5:00pm
	Sat, Apr 23	9:00am - 5:00pm
www.beaweb.org/bea2005/index.html
map:   www.mapquest.com
Apple Store - Regent Street 235 Regent Street London, W1B 2ET 020 7153 9000	Thurs, May 5	7:00 - 9:00 pm
map:   www.apple.com/uk/retail/regentstreet/map/
Writer's Store 2040 Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025 866.229.7483 www.writersstore.com	Thurs, May 5	5pm - 7pm
map:   www.mapquest.com
The Regional Macintosh Gathering, So Cal www.macgathering.com held at Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn 4222 Vineland Ave (at the Vineland exit of the 101) North Hollywood, CA 91602-3399	Sat, May 14	10:00am - 6:00pm
	Sun, May 15	10:00am - 6:00pm
map:   www.mapquest.com
Cannes Film Festival American Pavilion Cannes, France www.festival-cannes.com	Wed, May 11 through Sun, May 22	9:00am - 6:00pm
Schedules are subject to change. Check with the location to verify dates and times.

8. CUSTOMER SUPPORT / TECH TIP

The current version of Final Draft 7 is 7.1
The current version of Final Draft AV2 is 2.0.5

Please log on to this web page for Final Draft 7 current version information:
www.finaldraft.com/support/downloads.php4

To determine which version of Final Draft 7 you have, go to Help/Customer Support. If you do not have the current version you should download and install the free update. To download the update, go to:
www.finaldraft.com/support/downloads.php4

Please note that you must already own Final Draft 7 to use the 7.1 update. The 7.1 update will not update Final Draft 6 or earlier. NOTE: 7.1 is not supported on Mac OS 9. Final Draft 7.0.0.54 is the last version of Final Draft supported on Mac OS 9. If you have Mac OS 9 and a version of Final Draft older than 7.0.0.54, go to www.finaldraft.com/support/downloads.php4 to download and install this update.

Please log on to this web page for AV2 current version information:
www.finaldraft.com/support/downloads.php4

To determine which version of Final Draft AV2 you have, go to Help/About Final Draft AV. To download the most current update, go to: www.finaldraft.com/support/downloads.php4

The current version of Final Draft 6 is 6.0.6.0

To determine which version of Final Draft 6 you have, go to Help/Technical Support. If you do not have the current version you should download, then install, the free update. To download the update, go to:
www.finaldraft.com/support/downloads.php4

Please note that you must have Final Draft 6 already installed to your hard drive to install the 6.0.6.0 update. The 6.0.6.0 update will not update Final Draft 7, Final Draft 5 or earlier.

Tech Tip
In Final Draft 7, to "flip" the Index Cards from Summary View to Scene View, go to View/Index Cards [not Card but Cards] and then choose Show Summary or Show Script.

For more information on Final Draft features, refer to the Final Draft User Guide PDF document found in the Final Draft folder on your hard drive or visit our online Knowledge Base. To visit the Knowledge Base, go to:  www.finaldraft.com/support

9. CONTACT US

To respond to this email, DO NOT CLICK REPLY; it will only bounce back to you. Comments and suggestions should be directed to newsletter@finaldraft.com.

NOTE: Support questions sent to the above address will not be answered. If you have a question you would like answered via email, visit finaldraft.custhelp.com. You can search for an answer from our database of almost 800 sales and technical questions. If you still can't find the information you need, click the Ask a Question tab on any answer page.

If you want your name to be removed from the Final Draft mailing list, visit
www.finaldraft.com/media/newsletter-signup.php4 and follow the directions there.