1. Message from the FINAL DRAFT Product Manager, Kirsten Thayer
2. FINAL DRAFT version 8 Upgrade Special Offer $79
3. FINAL DRAFT version 8 Webinar: Part 1
4. Final Draft, Inc. DVD Drive for troops: We Want You!
5. FINAL DRAFT Software Technology Partner Spotlight: Storyist Software
6. Final Draft, Inc. Brings You SCRIPTXPERT Coverage Services
7. FINAL DRAFT version 8 Demonstration at Showbiz Software
8. ON THE SCENE with Final Draft, Inc.and Scriptmag.com
9. WRITERS ON THE VERGE
10. Final Draft, Inc. Corporate Outreach

Version 8 Feature Highlight: Using Color to Enhance Your Writing Process

Since launching version 8, we’ve had a lot of customers write to tell us how much they like the color feature, so I wanted to share a few of the ways writers are using it as well as quick tips for those of you who may not have used the color feature yet.

First, let’s share a quick tip about using the color feature:

How to color multiple scenes at once - If you want to, for example, change all of your ‘A-story’ scenes to red, follow these three easy steps:

1. Display either your index cards or scene view and make sure you have your Scene Properties Inspector open.
2. In your Index card/Scene view, select the scenes you want to color (Command-click on Mac or Control-click on Windows).
3. Now pick the color from the Scene Properties Inspector pick list. 

As an added bonus, in our next free update of version 8, you’ll be able to apply the color simply by right clicking after you’ve selected all of your scenes.

As for ways to use the color feature, here are a few ideas based on real user experiences:

Track story lines – When outlining or even pacing your script, use color to track a particular storyline. This tool is especially useful when dealing with stories where you have a number of scenes that don’t follow a linear timeline, such as in movies like Memento. It is also useful when working on a project that spans episodes or is part of a trilogy. 

Flagging rewrite areas – As is often the case, when you make changes to one scene you may have to update others as a result. It can be hard to remember which scene’s you’ve updated and which are still pending. You can use the colors to help you track your "to-do’s."

Following character arcs – In a project with many characters, each with their own storyline, it is often important to track their individual growth and arc. You can assign a color to each character to follow major plot points that affect their individual arcs. Combined with the scene title, you can identify the specific changes that happen to the character’s viewpoint.

FINAL DRAFT version 8 Update: Coming Soon

In a few months there will be a free update available to all registered version 8 customers. The update will include a few feature enhancements as well as the addressing of some issues that have been reported by users. Look for the update to coincide with the release of Mac’s new OS 10.6.

In the meantime, here is a brief overview of a few of the improvements you’ll see:

1. A "Send to Script" feature will allow you to copy the summary from your index cards directly to the scene in your script.
2. You’ll have the ability to color your Index Card Views and Scene View by right-clicking (contextual menu) on one or more scenes.
3. Support for Microsoft Vista 64bit OS
4. Support for Mac OS X 10.6
5. Additional toolbar buttons on Mac and Windows
6. The ‘Save as PDF’ option will be available for script files as well as reports and other text files.
7. In Scene View, any changes made to your display preferences (hide/showing content) will be saved.

There is still time to purchase the upgrade for just $79 – a $20 savings! Customers who have registered any previous version of FINAL DRAFT software are eligible to receive the upgrade discount.

Act now! This promotion expires June 30, 2009.
Visit: www.finaldraft.com/purchase/upgrade-fd.php

Liz Alani, Final Draft, Inc. BIG BREAK Contest Director is spearheading a DVD drive for our troops. Movies offer a great escape and a way for soldiers to feel and stay connected to the States. Please help us support our troops by sending new or gently used DVDs by July 1, 2009 to:

Final Draft, Inc.
Attn: Liz Alani
26707 W. Agoura Rd 
Suite #205
Calabasas, CA 91302

Storyist, a powerful story development tool for novelists and screenwriters, works with the FINAL DRAFT version 8 .fdx file format. With an intuitive interface that puts you in control, Storyist provides a full-featured word processor, a flexible outliner, a storyboard with customizable story sheets, and a project manager with fast, project-wide search capabilities.

To learn more about Storyist Software,
Visit: www.storyist.com

The Final Draft, Inc. SCRIPTXPERT coverage service simulates the entertainment industry submission process. After you’ve spent months writing your spec script, you want feedback from trusted professionals before you send your script out to the market. Final Draft, Inc. provides you access to industry readers with five-plus years of experience reading for major companies. These readers will give you the same feedback they give the agents, managers, and producers who employ them. Take your script for an industry test drive today!

ON THE SCENE is a re-cap of events and a gallery of photos exhibiting the interaction of Final Draft, Inc. staff members with the scriptwriting community.

FINAL DRAFT version 8 Software Release Party, May 2009

To celebrate the release of FINAL DRAFT version 8 professional scriptwriting software, Final Draft, Inc. hosted an exclusive party at The Writers Store in Westwood, CA. Guests included writers, producers, writer assistants, and script coordinators from many of the shows on TV today.

Thanks to the Final Draft, Inc. staff working late into the night smashing grapes; the “IT’S ARRIVED!” wine was flowing and the crowd was buzzing about the new features in version 8. Kirsten Thayer, FINAL DRAFT Product Manager, was on hand to demonstrate the new production features and to answer questions about the new version. Special thanks also go out to Jesse Douma, Dana Hahn, and the rest of the crew from The Writers Store for all their help and the great venue.

To view photos from this event and others,
Visit: www.finaldraft.com/company/news-and-events/on-the-scene/20090507-fd8-release.php

WRITERS ON THE VERGE showcases work from up-and-coming filmmakers whose work was written with FINAL DRAFT software. This month’s featured film was developed by REGENERATE and is titled My Suicide.

My Suicide was produced by Hollywood professionals with REGENERATE youth filling key production and creative roles. The film stars the late David Carradine, Joe Mantegna, Harry Shearer, Mariel Hemingway, Nora Dunn, Tony Hale, and teen stars Gabriel Sunday, Vanessa Lengies, Steven Anthony Lawrence,, and Brooke Nevin.

REGENERATE is a non-profit organization comprised of leading media production and distribution professionals that formed in response to the alarming number of teenage traffic deaths nationwide. REGENERATE enables outstanding and underprivileged youth to create PSAs, entertaining and educational programming for grass-roots and national television, radio and internet distribution. REGENERATE has boldly begun to tackle another critical issue in the community -- teen suicide. From writer-director David Lee Miller, the full-length feature movie titled My Suicide is a romantic teen comedy that takes its viewers on a quest which will eventually allow all audiences to see what could push a modern teenager toward the ultimate form of rebellion -- suicide. Miller believes the film will change attitudes toward suicide and simultaneously illuminate one of this country's silent killers. After its premiere, My Suicide has taken home several awards including the Crystal Bear for Best Feature at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival and also the Jury Award for Best Feature Film and the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 14th Annual GenArt Film Festival in New York.

To view our WRITERS ON THE VERGE page featuring the My Suicide trailer,
Visit: www.finaldraft.com/writers-resources/writers-on-the-verge.php

Community Outreach: The Global Voices Initiative

The Final Draft, Inc. Global Voices initiative aims to support organizations and projects working to better their communities. Through digital storytelling, literacy can be improved, emotions can be healed, borders can be crossed, and acceptance can be achieved. Recently, the Final Draft, Inc. Global Voices initiative supported the Young Storytellers Foundation.

The Young Storytellers Foundation (YSF) offers a uniquely engaging and effective arts education and youth development program to targeted elementary schools in Los Angeles where students are at-risk and have little or no access to the arts. Twice a year at more than 30 schools, the program pairs up 10 students from the 4th or 5th grade with 10 mentors. The mentors volunteer one lunch hour a week for seven weeks to guide and encourage the students as they imagine and develop their own short screenplay.

In the eighth week, professional Hollywood actors perform the students’ scripts for a live audience. These performances are called the “Big Show” because for the students watching their creation come to life, it is a very big moment. From this experience, children learn that they matter. They see that people value what they have to say. The children's communication skills improve and they discover that attending school and studying can be enjoyable and immensely rewarding.

Final Draft, Inc has supported many YSF schools by providing FINAL DRAFT software in hopes that it contributes to the students’ success both inside the classroom and out. The software has been provided to the following Los Angeles elementary schools: Selma Elementary, Canfield Elementary, Micheltorena Elementary, Saturn Street Elementary, Selma Ave. Elementary, Betty Plasencia Elementary, Overland Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Linwood Howe Elementary, Westminster Elementary, and Wilshire Elementary.

Global Voices: Crossing Boundaries One Story at a Time


Industry Outreach:

Final Draft, Inc. works closely with entertainment industry organizations and companies that support initiatives to improve literacy, create access for emerging talent, and embrace diversity through story and craft. Recently Final Draft, Inc. supported the AFI Directing Workshop for Women.

Final Draft, Inc. is proud to be a part of AFI Directing Workshop for Women, sponsored by American Film Institute. AFI has announced the eight women (selected from a pool of 115 applicants) who will participate in three weeks of classroom training as well as a five-day production of their own short film. This tuition-free program was started in 1974 and has trained over 200 women directors throughout its lifetime. Some of the alumnae include Lesli Linka Glatter, Randa Haines, and Maya Angelou.

This year, the eight women selected are Angie Comer, Deborah Correa, Lisa Gold, Emmy Grinwis, Maggie Kiley, Kaz Phillips, Sylvia Sether, and Kinga Suto.

To view photos from this event,
Visit: www.finaldraft.com/company/news-and-events/on-the-scene/20090511-afi-women.php


Education Outreach:

Final Draft, Inc. supports K12 schools, universities, and educational programs world-wide. Recently Final Draft, Inc. provided support for The Student Screenplay Competition and Jonathon Dorf’s Thespian Tour.

The Student Screenplay Competition, May 2009
Final Draft, Inc. is proud to support The Student Screenplay Competition, sponsored by The Sally Picow Foundation. The three finalists were able to take a break from their seven-month program of exploring script development, mentorship, and real-world entertainment industry experience by meeting Oscar®-nominated actor Danny Glover on the set of his latest film. Samantha Elyse Brockschmidt from El Camino Real High School, Amber Dupre from Granada Hills High School, and Fahiya Rashid from Hollywood High School will all attend summer writing classes at the USC School of Cinema and Television and will be mentored by 15 industry professionals.

To view more information,
Visit: www.finaldraft.com/company/news-and-events/on-the-scene/20090500-screenstudents.php

Jonathan Dorf at Nationwide Thespian Festivals
Final Draft, Inc. resident playwriting expert Jonathan Dorf has been visiting several thespian festivals across the nation where he has taught several workshops which included beginner and advanced playwriting, writing the monologue, and the business side of playwriting. Dorf visited California, Florida, Missouri, and Tennessee State Thespian Festivals, as well as the Toledo School of Arts, which held a production of his play Thank You for Flushing My Head in the Toilet and other rarely used expressions. Students in attendance at the Thespian Festivals had a chance to win a copy of FINAL DRAFT scriptwriting software. To win, students had to submit a short essay about what playwriting meant to them. Final Draft, Inc. would like to congratulate Ashley Chang (California), John Wikstrom (Florida), Timothy Howe (Missouri), Triscilla D. Johnson (Tennessee), and Jeremy Wilkes (Toledo School for the Arts).

Jonathan Dorf is the author of more than 20 published plays and has been produced worldwide. In June, Dorf will be traveling to the International Thespian Festival where he will give more students the opportunity to win their own copy of FINAL DRAFT software.

To view photos from this event,
Visit: www.finaldraft.com/company/news-and-events/on-the-scene/20090500-jonathandorf.php

To learn more about the Final Draft, Inc. Corporate Outreach program,
Visit: www.finaldraft.com/outreach