CineStory Retreat Chosen as Top Prize for Final Draft Competition

Boutique screenwriting competition, the CineStory Screenwriting Awards has extended its final postmark deadline until February 28, 2008, as it welcomes its new partner, Final Draft, the #1 selling scriptwriting software used by Hollywood studios and screenwriters. Within the last few weeks, Final Draft has announced its selection of CineStory's coveted exclusive retreat as the principal award for its own international contest, Big Break.

With the announcement of this partnership, there are now two contests that offer a pathway into this three day intensive, one-on-one experience -- The CineStory Screenwriting Awards and Big Break.

In its 12th year, the CineStory Screenwriting Awards has long been a favorite contest for those that favor competing against smaller number of registrants for a valued opportunity offered equally to all 16 (now 20) semifinalists. As 2005 winner Lisa Gold (a Nicholl finalist this year) says: "The odds for new screenwriters to find a contest that offers a true prize of industry mentors for your work are very small. The odds for a writer in this small contest to actually get that reward are higher than most. I recommend getting a script into this contest while it still is a boutique contest."

Final Draft's Big Break has always been a favorite competition with a global reach. But Contest director Liz Alani explains, "We were looking for a way to provide mentorship for our three winners. We decided to be involved with CineStory and give our winners the unparalleled relationship opportunities that the CineStory Retreat provides."

CineStory - the 13-year-old non-profit community of emerging writers and mentors -- is known for its individually-designed, intensive Screenwriting Retreats in the mountains above Palm Springs, where the CineStory competition semifinalists and finalists develop their scripts through one-on-one meetings with working industry professionals.

These professionals include people like producer Meg LeFauve (Jodie Foster's Egg Pictures), writer Joe Forte (FIREWALL starring Harrison Ford), independent producer Julie Lynn (WIT, NINE LIVES, THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB) ,Navid McIlhargey (Vice President, and Exec. Producer, Joel Silver Productions) Emmy-nominated producer David Craig (more than 30 produced MOWs, including A&E's FLIGHT 93) , and agent Lisa Callamaro (Lisa Callamaro Literary Agency).

Winners of the CineStory Screenwriting Awards include Academy Award nominees Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby (CHILDREN OF MEN, IRON MAN , and FIRST SNOW, presently working on Cowboys and Aliens for Dreamworks and Imagine Entertainment), Billy Shebar (last year's Sundance Alfred Sloan winner, DARK MATTER), Mike Cahill (KING OF CALIFORNIA, with Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood), and Lance Hammer (this year's Sundance favorite, BALLAST)

"Winning CineStory was the beacon we had been looking for," says Mark Fergus. "Our time at the CineStory Retreat convinced us our writing was strong enough to deserve the attention of industry professionals; it led us to people who became our managers and agents. Starting a screenwriting career is a steep climb. CineStory gave us a major boost on the journey."

Like the CineStory winner each year, this coming year's Grand Prize Big Breaktm winner will receive a one-year mentorship through CineStory with two industry professionals, in addition to the 3-day intensive CineStory Screenwriting Retreat. Second and Third Prize winners will be also gain admission into the CineStory Retreat as part of their Big Break prize packages.

"Since 1999, we have seen writers enter our retreat as raw talent, and exit as empowered soon-to-be professionals," said Pam Pierce, co-founder and executive director of CineStory. "CineStory may not give out large cash prizes, but we are proud that we have been considered the best screenwriter's award in the industry, both by our industry mentors and the writers who attend alike. And those writers have gone on to write their own success stories-literary, many options, million dollar pitches, produced projects and Academy Award nominations. And we are so pleased that writers now have two ways to be accepted into the CineStory Retreat, through Big Breaktm and through a direct submission to CineStory."

For further information about our success stories, CSA guidelines and application procedures, go to http://cinestory.org/contest.php. Big Break contest information can be found at www.finaldraft.com/bigbreak.

Updated: 02/26/2008

Additional Contest Info: CineStory Foundation Feature Retreat and Fellowship