Contents of This Issue:

Volume 6, Number 1
January 17, 2006

1. Videomaker Magazine Names Final Draft AV
    Best Production Planning Software of 2005

Here's what they said:

"Ever try to write a script in proper format using a word processing program? You might have more fun trying to get sand out of your telescoping tripod legs. Luckily, Final Draft has developed software that lets us concentrate on the story and not the tab key. Switch between audio/visual, radio and linear layouts with the click of a button. It is 100% cross platform, comes with a variety of templates, has a spell checker and thesaurus and has a script registry. All of this with 24/7 tech support. Get writing."

To read about the product award:
Visit: www.videomaker.com/scripts/article.cfm?id=12732&GU=LE929

To read the product review:
Visit: www.videomaker.com/scripts/article.cfm?id=12471

Registered Final Draft users may purchase Final Draft AV for only $149:
Visit: www.finaldraft.com/orders/purchase-av.php4

2. A-List Advice -- A-List Talent

Final Draft and scr(i)pt magazine present a one-of-a-kind scriptwriting and creative development industry conference, marketplace and job fair. Panels featuring A-list screenwriters, agents, managers, producers and development executives will examine the craft and business of scriptwriting for film, television and interactive media. Don't miss this unprecedented opportunity to learn from the professionals who drive the entertainment industry.

Join us April 7-9 at the Universal Studios Sheraton in the heart of the entertainment community for this gathering of professionals dedicated to promoting the art and business of scriptwriting.

Space is limited! Register before January 31st for only $99!
Use code FD0106
Visit: www.scriptwritersshowcase.com

3. Macintosh Speech to Text Solution Now Available

MacSpeech Releases ScriptPak for Final Draft 7

Macintosh speech recognition authority MacSpeech has released a new ScriptPak for Final Draft Version 7. The new ScriptPak installs almost 250 commands into iListen that allow the user to do virtually anything by voice in Final Draft they would normally do using keyboard shortcuts or menus. This will help screenwriters using Final Draft become even more productive.


To learn more:
Visit: www.macspeech.com/products/

MacSpeech is pleased to offer Final Draft users a special $15.00 discount
Visit: www.macspeech.com/promo/finaldraft.html

For Windows speech recognition and command and control of Final Draft, your best bet is to check out Dragon Naturally Speaking
Visit: www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/

4. Final Draft Presents: Apple Store Movie Showcase

Final Draft Presents: Apple Store Movie Showcase is a monthly series designed to allow Apple Store customers to showcase movies they have made on their Mac. Whether it's an independent avant-garde short film or a family slideshow, the Movie Showcase allows people to invite their friends and celebrate what they have made.

Submissions in DVD format must be mailed or hand-delivered to the Apple Store, Third Street Promenade, no later than January 21, 2006 to the attention of Niten Kapadia. Included in the submission should be the title, length, and author.

The first Final Draft Presents: Apple Store Movie Showcase is slated for 6pm January 28th at the Apple Store, Third Street Promenade 1248 Third Street Promenade Santa Monica, CA 90401.

Plus! Regular Monthly Demos at LA Apple Stores

We will be demoing Final Draft and Final Draft AV at the Apple Store at the Grove on the first Saturday of every month at 2pm and at the Apple Store in Santa Monica on the third Saturday of every month at 4pm.

Check the On the Road Section below for further details.

5. On the Road

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, Jan 28	5:00pm
5pm - Final Draft product demo
6pm - Final Draft Presents: Apple Store Movie Showcase The Movie Showcase is a monthly series designed to allow Apple Store customers showcase the movies they have made on their Mac. Whether it’s an independent avant-garde short film or a family slideshow, the Movie Showcase allows people to invite their friends and celebrate what they have made.
map:   www.apple.com/retail/thirdstreetpromenade
Apple Store The Grove 189 The Grove Drive Los Angeles, CA 90036 323-965-8400	Sat, Feb 4	2:00-3:00pm
map:   www.apple.com/retail/thegrove
Apple Store Beverly Center 8500 Beverly Boulevard Suite #656 Los Angeles, CA 90048 310-289-7014	Sat, Feb 18	12:00 - 2:00pm
map:   www.apple.com/retail/beverlycenter
Apple Store Santa Monica 1248 Third Street Promenade Santa Monica, CA 90401 310-576-1011	Sat, Feb 18	4:00pm
4pm - Final Draft product demo
6pm - Final Draft Presents: Apple Store Movie Showcase The Movie Showcase is a monthly series designed to allow Apple Store customers showcase the movies they have made on their Mac. Whether it’s an independent avant-garde short film or a family slideshow, the Movie Showcase allows people to invite their friends and celebrate what they have made.
map:   www.apple.com/retail/thirdstreetpromenade
Check www.finaldraft.com/media/ontheroad.php4 for additional listings. Schedules are subject to change. Check with the location to verify dates and times.

6. Ask the Pros Monthly Excerpt

The Final Draft book, Ask the Pros: Screenwriting, is now available for sale through www.finaldraft.com. Click on the link below to view this months featured excerpt from the screenwriting professionals.

Question:
What preparation do you go through before beginning a screenplay?

For the answer, and an archive of previously featured excerpts, visit:
www.finaldraft.com/products/book-answers.php4?answer=0601

Visit: www.finaldraft.com/orders to purchase the book.

7. Customer Support / Tech Tip

The current version of Final Draft 7 is 7.1.1
The current version of Final Draft AV 2 is 2.5

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, open the program and go to Help > Customer Support. If you have an online connection, go to Help > Program Updates. If your Final Draft needs to be updated, you will automatically be forwarded to the appropriate download page.

IMPORTANT: If you have Mac OS9, the current version is 7.0.0.54. The 7.1.1 update is not supported on OS9.

Final Draft AV 2.5 includes the revolutionary new Rearrange Guide Line as well as expanded importing and exporting capabilities. Please log on to this web page for AV 2.5 information:
www.finaldraft.com/products/av-features.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
In Final Draft 7 for Windows, you can easily create a keyboard shortcut to Insert New Scene when you’re in the Index Card view. Go to View/Toolbars/Customize and click on the Keyboard tab. Scroll down the list to View/Index Cards: Add New Scene and select it. Then click the New button. After the small window pops up, just enter the keyboard shortcut you want to use. You have to make sure it’s a keystroke combination that’s not already in use by Windows. We recommend Alt+N.

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 access the Knowledge Base,
Visit:  www.finaldraft.com/help

8. 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 www.finaldraft.com/help. 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.

9. Writers' Resources

NEW YEAR. NEW DIRECTORIES.

ANNOUNCING… The Studio Report: Film Development, Premiere Edition
The Hollywood Creative Directory and Baseline Studio Systems are proud to present The Studio Report: Film Development, Premiere Edition, offering a complete breakdown of film development project tracking. It’s the first film directory series of its kind in print.

Writers, keep up with the marketplace by studying loglines and genres to identify active projects with potentially competitive premises. Knowing whether an acquired project is being actively developed can inform your decision to focus on a particular project of your own. Familiarize yourself with the writers whose rewrites and polishes move a project forward. Knowing who's buying what around town will give you the competitive edge in setting up your own properties or getting active projects moving through development. This directory works as a hand-in-hand companion to the Hollywood Creative Directory – New 56th Edition now available with hundreds of new companies and thousands of updates since last published.

ORDER TODAY!

Visit: www.hcdonline.com
Phone: 323-525-2369

10% Discount on Final Draft Software Training from The Digital Media Training Series™ (DMTS™)

Magnet Media, publishers of the award-wining DMTS™ - Digital Media Training Series - of self-paced training DVDs is now shipping its Inside Final Draft training DVD.
This expert instruction provides insider tips, tricks and techniques to get you working quickly and confidently.

Use promotional code FD10 to get 10% off your entire order.

Visit: www.digitalmediatraining.com/products/finaldraft7

Million Dollar Screenwriting Seminar -- Saturday and Sunday February 18th and 19th Only!

$100 off for Final Draft Registered Users!

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 -- an industry secret not taught in any other course, book, or seminar. Learn Mini-Movies, and conquer the Act Two Monster!

READ THE REVIEWS AT:
www.screentalk.biz/reviews/minimovie_review.php
www.slashfilm.com/article.php?story=2005110608111132&query=soth

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

Visit: www.MillionDollarScreenwriting.com
Email: chris@milliondollarscreenwriting.com
Phone: 310-397-3124

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. Sign up before January 20th and receive a 20% discount!

Sessions begin February 6th.

Visit: www.WritersUniversity.com
and sign up today.

THE WRITE WAY IN Pitch Festival Returns With Simon Kinberg!

Don’t miss the first opportunity to pitch your screenplay or TV project in 2006, listen to Simon Kinberg, (Mr. & Mrs. SMITH, FANTASTIC FOUR, XMEN 3, xXx STATE OF THE UNION) in the Writers Studio with Heather Hale, and mix and mingle with industry luminaries at the gala cocktail party.

All in one space, one day, one price!

When: Sat, February 18, 9am - 7pm

What:
Pitch Session
Brown bag lunch with Special Guest lecturer (Lunch just $10.00)
The Writers Studio with Simon Kinberg
Network Hollywood Cocktail Reception

Where: Cinespace, 6356 Hollywood Blvd.
2nd Level, Hollywood CA 90028
(Corner of Ivar). Parking near by.

Cost: $149.00 for the entire day!
Hurry, we will sell out!

For details and to register:
Visit: www.thewritewayin.com
Phone: 877-801-9477

Save $50 When You Make Plans to Write More in 2006 

Gotham is offering Final Draft registered users a $50 tuition discount when they sign up for a  comprehensive 10-week screenwriting or TV writing workshop offered online at www.WritingClasses.com. Selected Best of the Web by Forbes, workshops are taught by professional writers and are offered at levels from basic to advanced.  A Gotham Gift Certificate makes the perfect give for the aspiring writer in your life. 

Workshops begin online mid-January. Class size is strictly limited, so enroll today. To receive the $50 tuition discount on your first first 10-week class, you must provide promotion code FD50 when registering online or by phone. (This offer is valid only on 10-week class tuition for students new to Gotham and may not be combined with any other offer. Promotion code FD50 must be provided at time of registration to receive discount.)

Visit: www.WritingClasses.com
Phone: 877-974-8377

Directing Commercials Seminar and DVD
An incredible resource for information on how to become a commercial director

Craig Worsham, an established, working director, teaches everything you need to know about the business of directing commercials.

Topics covered include: Creating an Effective Spec Reel, Joining a Production Company, Your Contract, Insider Secrets that will Help You Get the Job, Dealing with the Ad Agency, Directing a 30-second Spot, all aspects of production and so much more.

"Craig should be shot for sharing this information." - Anonymous Director

Live Seminar:
February 11 & 12
Universal Studios, Hollywood

FREE 60-minute Recording of a TeleSeminar with Craig Worsham
when you subscribe to the newsletter.

Find details and reserve your space 
Visit: www.DirectingCommercials.com

This popular 2-day class is also available on DVD!  Everything the class offers is on the 4-disk set including all the handouts, spec spots and professional spots.
Visit: www.directingcommercials.com/video.html

ACTION/CUT FILMMAKING SEMINAR

“Excellent”-MovieMaker  
 “Essential”-scr(i)pt     
“Terrific”-Creative Screenwriting
Ignite your career with the most creative and visual filmmaking seminar in the film industry.

Boston: February 25 & 26
Los Angeles: March 11 & 12
Chicago: March 18 & 19               
Las Vegas: March 25 & 26
New York: April 1 & 2
Ft. Lauderdale: April 8 & 9

An essential seminar for filmmakers and screenwriters from networking to visual writing! 
In two days, gain first-hand career knowledge from a working director/writer/producer with an audio-visual scene studies workshop that teaches the skills to take your project from page to shoot to finished film. 
Seminar Director: Guy Magar - International film instructor & contracted to Miramax Films.
Professional credits include over 60 feature films and television network shows.

”Excellent…the complete process…don’t miss this seminar!”-IndieVision

Home of the Action/Cut Short Film Competition: Call For Entries: January 15 to May 15.

For a brochure and registration
Visit: www.actioncut.com
Phone: 800-815-5545