1st Place:

D.J. Richardson for Do Not Remove

>>Update November 2007
D.J. recently sold Altar'd State, a romantic comedy, to Fox Atomic. Todd Garner is attached to produce.

A lonely traveling salesman finds new meaning in his life when his offbeat secretary and her young son, who collects mattress tags, move in with him.

Prize: $10,000, round-trip airfare to Los Angeles, 3 nights' hotel accommodations, and will meet industry professionals and agents.

"I’m thrilled that Do Not Remove has been chosen as this year’s winner in the Final Draft screenplay competition. The competition has proven to be an amazing launching pad for past writers and their projects, and I’m grateful for the opportunity this provides to gain exposure for this script.

I’m especially pleased because this is a script that has characters I deeply care about and a journey that feels very personal. It’s gratifying when something written from the heart gets recognition.

Everyone’s heard the old saying that every journey begins with a first step. In 'Do Not Remove,' the lead character finally takes one tiny chance in his life – a chance that completely transforms his world in ways he never imagined.

As someone who has put off entering the Final Draft contest every year until I finally filled out the form for Do Not Remove, I’m kind of feeling a little closer to that character right now.

- D.J. Richardson

2nd Place:

Bob Bridges for Holliday's Girl

A New Age woman with a penchant for getting engaged reunites with her father—a famous country-western singer—and they embark on a road trip filled with self-discovery.

Prize: $3000

Holliday's Girl was born over a sink of dirty dishes. I was washing up after supper one night and my mind wandered to that Mecca of Country Music--Branson, Missouri. Waiting for me there was Doc Holliday, singing star of the country stage, and his adult daughter Molly, star child of the New Age. It seems they had only recently been introduced. I asked, "How did you two wind up together in Branson?" They said that was for me to discover.

Usually when I write a screenplay, I plot it out in detail. In the case of Holliday's Girl, all I knew was that it started in a cemetery, ended in Branson, and somewhere in-between Doc and Molly took the stage in Nashville. To write it, I had to get into that turquoise blue Cadillac convertible circa 1957 with Doc and Molly. It was just as much a road trip for me as it was for them.

While it's hard to be objective about one's own work, I think the strength of Holliday's Girl is that it's time well spent with lovable, quirky people on their way to a happy ending. Maudlin clichés of bitter confrontations and tearful reconciliations are deftly and pleasantly avoided. All the families that Doc and Molly meet on the road add their own grace notes of whimsy and poignancy. And speaking of notes, won't the movie have a great country music soundtrack?

No matter how good I feel about a script, there's always those nagging doubts when I send it out into the world. To have Holliday's Girl recognized and rewarded by the Final Draft Big Break International Screenwriting Competition is sweet validation. If I allow myself to dream, this competition win will lead me to further recognition and reward including a premier to which I'd like to invite everyone at Final Draft.

- Bob Bridges

3rd Place:

Sam Nam for The Straight and Narrow

Retired husband and wife mobster hit-man team go on the straight and narrow, only to be pulled back into their mobster ways to save their lives and the life of their child.

Prize: $1,000

One week ago, I packed my things, hopped into my Mazda, and left the smoldering comforts of Texas for the mild climates of California. I drove through the cactus-lined highways in a compact car full of screenwriting aspirations and only a smidgen of reality locked away in the glove compartment. But reality is a funny thing. It’s like that carton of milk in the back of your fridge. The longer you ignore it, the worse it gets.

I already miss the sprawling parking lots, the intuitively designed highways, and the reasonable prices of Texas. My arrival in LA was met with a head cold, an eerie hailstorm, and a truckload of doubts larger than the furniture I moved with me.

It was just yesterday when I finally got around to unpacking that second box of books filled with the sage words of McKee and Field. Between popping knees and dust-induced sneezes, I wondered how I could watch the Cowboys games without buying the obligatory two beers and hoagie at the local sports bar. And then, a phone call…A friendly voice soon told me about my 3rd place finish in the Big Break Screenwriting Competition. Unexpected news to say the least. Downright kickass to say the most.

Legitimate encouragement for the amateur scribe is like bricks of gold falling from the sky. It’s both wonderful and a little scary. I fumbled through the conversation. I was happy. Probably just as happy about the new software as I was about the potential for opportunities. Then she told me that I had just won a cool grand. I repeated it twice, then giggled like a Teletubbie.

I wrote The Straight & Narrow because I enjoy the genre. I like darkly comedic tones, hard boiled laughs, and characters that smile before they do bad things. I wrote it because I wanted to share it. I think that helped.

As for the contest, Final Draft was always gracious in their answers to my questions. They always responded to my emails. They even gave me a very kind congratulatory phone call. I applaud them and thank them for the opportunities they provide new writers like me. It’s been a wonderful experience.

While my placement isn’t directly related to my move, it has made me feel better about the change of scenery. For the next few weeks, I’ll be flying high no matter what my zip code might be. Now if I could only get my neighbors to believe that 'ain’t' and 'ya’ll' are words worthy of any vernacular, I’d be set.

- Sam Nam

2003 FINALISTS

D.J. Richardson, CA

"Do Not Remove" (Winner)

Bob Bridges, CA

"Holliday's Girl"

Sam Nam, CA

"The Straight and Narrow"

Philippa Rizopoulos, NY

"We Love Lucy"

Nancy Pothier, CA

"The Total Dummy's Guide to Marriage"

Nisso Cohen, Israel

"MiG-21"

Kris Moore, CA

"The Nelson's"

Penelope Karageorge, NY

"The Neon Jungle"

Michael Raymond, WA

"The Passage"

Robin Brown, CA

"Sane"

2003 SEMIFINALISTS

Steven W. Orlyk, IL

"The Runner's Secret"

Thomas Johnson, TN

"The Platinum Shark"

Alfred T. Catalfo &
Louis Morneau, NH

"American Fugitive"

Craig Clyde, UT

"Sparrow on the Roof"

Peter Vanderwall, OR

"Transference"

Stephen P. Callen, Australia

"Ariadne's Thread"

Roger Low, UK

"Paradise Island"

Jeffrey C. Clarke, NC

"Blacklisted"

Philippe A. Roc &
Aaron F. Schnore, NY

"Crazy in Heaven"

Rodney Johnson, CA

"The Understudies"

2003 NOTABLE MENTIONS

Angelo Esposito &
Russ Bubas, MA

"Torque Wrench"

Kerry D. Dye, NY

"Illegal Operations"

Paul Benson &
Matt Sullivan, CA

"Golden Agents"

Graham H. Moes, CA

"Man of Iron"

Joel M. Young, NM

"The Forsaken"

Brian M. Martin, CA

"An Unkindness of Ravens"

David K. Robinson &
Scott Burgin, CA

"Amazing Grace"

Robert J. Nelmark, UT

"Bad Luck Al"

Naomi Major, CA

"Phobia"

Jeff Pulice, CA

"Higher"

Randy Graham, AZ

"Vengeance"

Richard Elvers, Canada

"Stronghold"