Contents of This Issue:

Volume 5, Number 6
June 1, 2005

1. FINAL DRAFT'S 6TH ANNUAL BIG BREAK! SCREENWRITING CONTEST NEARS DEADLINE - LAST CALL FOR ENTRIES

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

Final Draft's 6th Annual Big Break! International Screenwriting Contest is nearing its deadline! The regular deadline of June 1 is approaching fast, but don't forget, we also have the extended deadline of June 15 for late entries. The winner will be awarded $10,000 cash and meetings with industry professionals. In addition, Premier Sponsor Microsoft Corporation is donating a Tablet PC, loaded with software, to each of the top three finalists. Plus, the top ten finalists will receive a copy of Final Draft scriptwriting software, a Microsoft software package, Ink Tip script and logline web placement, 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.

2004 Big Break! winner Rylend Grant quickly signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Rylend's winning script, Drive, has just landed him a six-figure deal to write for an A-list actress and an Oscar®-winning director! Many of the previous years' winning scripts have been produced or optioned. Big Break! is an annual, global screenwriting competition designed to promote emerging creative talent.

Deadline for entries is June 15.

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

2. FINAL DRAFT GOES TO EAST HOLLYWOOD HIGH

East Hollywood High School is a charter school that opened its doors in West Valley City,
Utah in September 2004 and is one of only a handful of high schools in the nation dedicated
to teaching students how to make movies. Teachers from coast to coast were recruited from the movie
industry and much of the equipment and filmmaking software was donated, including Final Draft
software for all of the writing labs.

In addition to teaching filmmaking, East Hollywood High follows the state's core curriculum, from math to history to science, and the students are required to take the same standardized tests given at other schools. With an advanced curriculum that stresses integrated learning, core subjects are applied to the real-world process of making a movie. For example, scriptwriting teaches English skills and historical research; drafting a movie budget teaches math and negotiating skills; and use of special effects requires knowledge of both chemistry and electronics.

We hope more middle and high schools will use Final Draft scriptwriting software as a
teaching tool to engage students in writing, critical thinking and problem solving.

To learn more about East Hollywood High, go to: www.easthollywood.org

3. ON THE ROAD IN NEW YORK AND LA

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

Location	Date	Time
Apple Store Santa Monica 1248 Third Street Promenade Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-576-1011	Sat, Jun 4	2:00pm
map:   www.apple.com/retail/thirdstreetpromenade
Below the Line Expo Raleigh Studios 5300 Melrose Avenue Hollywood, CA 90038 Note: This expo is for the production and postproduction film and TV community. Participants must meet requirements as working professionals who purchase and/or rent production or postproduction services or equipment. www.btlexpo.com	Sat, Jun 11 Sun, Jun 12	9:00am-5:00pm
map:   www.mapquest.com
Apple Store The Grove 189 The Grove Drive Los Angeles, CA 90036 323-965-8400	Sat, Jun 25	3:00pm
map:   www.apple.com/retail/thegrove
Apple Store Glendale 2148 Glendale Galleria Space #2126 Glendale, CA 91210 818-502-8310	Sat, Jul 9	12:00pm
map:   www.apple.com/retail/glendale
Apple Store SoHo 103 Prince Street New York, NY 10012 212-226-3126 1:00-2:00 p.m. - Basics 2:00-3:00 p.m. - Advanced Tips and Tricks	Sat, Jul 9	1:00-3:00 pm
map:   www.apple.com/retail/soho
Schedules are subject to change. Check with the location to verify dates and times.

4. CUSTOMER SUPPORT / TECH TIP

The current version of Final Draft 7 is 7.1 build 8
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. The 7.1 update will not update Final Draft 6 or earlier versions.

IMPORTANT: If you have MAC OS9, the current version is 7.00.54. The 7.1 update is not supported on OS9.

Please log on to this web page for AV 2 current version information:
www.finaldraft.com/support/downloads.php4

To determine which version of Final Draft AV 2 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 versions.

Tech Tip
If you find that you need to cheat the length of your script by reducing the number of pages, in Final Draft for both Mac and Windows simply go to Document on the main menu. Then click Page Layout and go to the Options tab. Change the Line Spacing from Normal to Tight.

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

5. 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 900 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.

6. WRITERS' RESOURCES

Screenwriters' Summit

Syd Field · John Truby · Michael Hauge · Jeff Kitchen
Four of the biggest and most respected names in screenwriting come together in Los Angeles the weekend of June 25-26, 2005. This is a rare opportunity to hear four masters of the craft speak at length on the art and craft of screenwriting in a single weekend. It promises to be an amazing weekend of learning.

As an added bonus, Hollywood producer and pitch king Robert Kosberg joins us for a great evening seminar on pitching. Learn how to pitch your scripts from the master and participate in a Q&A session.

For full course outlines, visit: www.ScreenwritersSummit.com.

THE SCREENWRITERS' SUMMIT
Los Angeles
June 25-26, 2005
Fee: $395

To Register:
Online: www.ScreenwritersSummit.com
Phone: (888) 245-2228

Buck Henry Joins American Zoetrope Screenwriting Workshop Staff

Two-time Oscar®-nominee Buck Henry (The Graduate, Heaven Can Wait, To Die For) has joined Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, American Gigolo, Bringing Out the Dead) in leading the American Zoetrope Screenwriting Workshop, September 24 - October 1, at Francis Coppola's beautiful Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize.

For complete information and an application, please visit www.All-Story.com/belize.cgi.

Zoetrope: All-Story Magazine

Zoetrope: All-Story magazine, stories from which have spawned four feature films now in production, is proud to offer a special 25% discount on subscriptions to Final Draft registered users.

To receive the discount, visit: www.All-Story.com/subscribe.cgi and enter the discount code "4FD14." Up coming guest designers are Wes and Eric Anderson and Tom Waits.

The Writer's Arc

So you're out there writing but you don't know how to get what you've got in your head and on your laptop to the big screen. The Writer's Arc is going to hunt you down where you live, zip-line you to Hollywood, provide you the opportunity to eat, breathe and die your craft while you churn out your screenplay and chew the fat with some of the most talented people in the entertainment business.

The following five Fellowships will be awarded:

· $5,000 cash and 12-week intensive course in Arc Hub office with computers and Final Draft
· Interaction with successful screenwriters and industry players
· Hands-on oversight and guidance by experienced program directors

For more information, go to: www.writersarc.org

Hollywood by the Bay Presents:
Spec Script Marketplace Pitch Session & Network Hollywood Cocktail Reception

"Thanks again for continuing to organize one of the most cost-effective and professional pitch marts in the business. Through one of your previous events I have not only secured my agent of five years, but I continue to make excellent contacts with major producers and have projects moving up the pipeline as we speak. I look forward to attending many more of your events."
- Paul Lawrence
Creator/Writer - Cruel World - A Maverick Films/Prime Time Pictures Production

Don't miss this opportunity to sell your screenplay and network with Hollywood producers and agents seeking new material for TV and Film.

When: Saturday, July 16, 1:00 - 7:00 PM
1:00 - 2:15 PM Pitch Perfect (Free pitch coaching)
3:00 - 5:00 PM Pitch Session
5:00 - 7:00 PM Network Hollywood cocktail reception

Where: Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn, North Hollywood, CA

Cost: $119.00 ($20.00 for just the cocktail reception)

To register:
Visit: www.hollywoodbythebay.com
Call: (877) 801-9477

The #1 Pitch Event
9th Annual Hollywood Pitch Festival
July 30 & 31, 2005
Renaissance Hotel, Hollywood, CA

"Where Preparation and Luck Meet Opportunity"
Over 140 studio and development executives, agents, managers, producers and directors to pitch your project to in one-on-one, seven-minute meetings. The largest and longest-running pitch festival of its kind featuring the most sales, options and agency signings. If you have a book, TV or movie idea, screenplay or short to sell, this extraordinary weekend is for you.

Limited to 200 attendees.
$375.00 (2-day pass, lunch, pitch class) Early-Bird price
(310) 275-0287
(800) 646-3896
www.fadeinonline.com

Robert McKee's Story Seminar

Robert McKee is one of the most well known and respected screenwriting teachers in the world. His 3-day Story Seminar has been taken by over 45,000 students worldwide, including many of today's top screenwriters, TV writers, producers, directors and novelists such as Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings I, II, III), Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man), Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo), Joel Schumacher (The Phantom of the Opera) and Zak Penn (Behind Enemy Lines, X-Men 2), plus writers of CSI, Bruce Almighty, Law & Order, Friends, The Simpsons and many, many others. McKee's sold-out Story Seminars teach the essential principles of screenwriting and story design that studios, production companies and publishers demand from their writers.

Upcoming 2005 Story Seminars:
June 10-12: San Francisco
Fall 2005: LA, NY, Detroit, London & Las Vegas

To register or for more information:
Visit: www.McKeeStory.com
Call: (888) 676-2533

scr(i)pt magazine Presents:

The 2nd Annual New York PitchXchange
June 10-12, 2005 - New York University, New York

Last year, over 30 executives (agents, managers, producers) attended the Inaugural New York PitchXchange to hear five-minute pitches from over 500 aspiring and working screenwriters. Companies included Miramax Films, Dimension Films, MTV, Abrams Artist Agency, The Howard Stern Production Company and many others.

This year the event will span the course of three days. The first day offers a full-day seminar with Hollywood producer and pitch king Robert Kosberg. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from the master and participate in a Q&A session. The day wraps with Pitch Idol; American Idol with a pitch.

On the second and third days, pitches will rain from the sky as writers pitch their best ideas, five minutes at a time. In between pitches writers will have the chance to attend one-hour classes on subjects ranging from How to Write a Query Letter to Writing a Great Opening. Throughout the entire weekend, one-on-one pitch coaching will also be available in 15-minute sessions.

This year, scr(i)pt aims to create a sequel that surpasses the original. Readers have responded and the turnout spoke for itself; East Coast writers must have a way to access Hollywood without traveling 3,000 miles! And there is no better location than that of the East Coast's finest film program -- New York University.

For more information, go to: www.pitchxchange.com

This event is sponsored by IFP, WGA, Screenstyle, Drama Book Store, Cinewomen New York and Final Draft.

The Spec Market

Profile your project for the largest audience of entertainment professionals in the world. Baseline StudioSystem's Spec Market posting directory provides an exciting new arena to list your screenplay, novel or story.

Entertainment professionals can browse, search and locate available content, giving you the best possible opportunity to get your script in the hands of the real decision-makers.

To register go to: www.scriptshark.com/specmarket/index.cfm

Screenwriting for Teens

A unique online workshop will be offered this summer by Gotham Writers' Workshop -- Screenwriting for Teens. This eight-week workshop is designed for teens 15-18 years old and will be taught by a professional screenwriter on the acclaimed school's faculty. The course will help younger writers begin to realize their dreams of writing for the silver screen through the same easy-to-use online format that earned the school a "Best of the Web" rating by Forbes.

To learn more visit: www.writingclasses.com/CourseDescriptionPages/Teen.php/ClassTypeCode/T

Writers' Weekend in NYC

Gotham Writers' Workshop will present its first Writers' Weekend in NYC on Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25. Professional writers from the school's acclaimed faculty will offer 15 different one-day intensive workshops during weekend. Classes include:

· Screenwriting
· TV Writing
· How to Sell Your Screenplay
· Dialogue Writing
· Character Development
· Documentary Film Writing

To learn more or to register, visit: www.WritingClasses.com.

Learn to Write a Screenplay in just Four Weeks

If you have an amazing idea for a movie but don't know how to begin writing it, this self-paced, online course is for you. Screenwriting Basics, the result of over 23 years of helping writers succeed, guides you from FADE IN to FADE OUT - for only $49. There's no easier way to learn the fundamentals of writing a page-turning script.

Sessions begin on June 6th. Space is limited.
To register, visit: www.WritersUniversity.com.

This course and many others are brought to you by Writers University, a division of The Writers Store.

Free Teleseminar: 21 Powerful Rewrite Strategies

Need help elevating your writing to a professional level so it gets the attention it deserves?
"It's the best rewrite class I've taken. I've taken three: one was two months, another two days and the third six weeks. I learned more high-quality tools in two hours with Hal than all of the other courses combined." - Kymber Yung

In 2 hours, you'll learn:

· 7 professional rewrite processes
· 3 mistakes that cause your writing to have an amateur feel
· 6 ways to cut through the confusion and make sure your story works
· 4 methods of intensifying the most important moments of your screenplay

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

Learn to Write a Million-Dollar Screenplay
This Weekend Only!
Sat & Sun, June 4 & 5
Director's Room, Holiday Inn, 2005 N. Highland in Hollywood

Only 3 Final Draft discount seats remain for Million-Dollar Screenwriting!
Full Price: $350
Final Draft Registered Users' Price: $250

Produced screenwriter Chris Soth will reveal the Mini-Movie Method of Story that made him over a million dollars in Hollywood. Breaking a two-hour movie into eight fifteen-minute films. Mini-Movies, or sequences, are an industry secret not taught in any other course, book or seminar. Once you learn Mini-Movies, you'll never go back to three-act structure!

Chris Soth, BA in Dramatic Literature, MFA Screenwriting, sold his screenplay, Firestorm, for $750,000 while still a student at USC Film School, and he wants you to do the same!

Visit: www.MillionDollarScreenwriting.com to learn more.

To receive the $100 discount, contact Chris Soth directly:
Email: chris@milliondollarscreenwriting.com
Phone: (310) 397-3124