Contest Comments

You must login to post a comment.

First-time user? Register now to receive FREE email contest updates, news, results, deadline reminders and more. Rest assured, information submitted here is held in strict confidence. MovieBytes never sells or in any way distributes email names or addresses. We promise!

Contest News

Final Draft Partners with Express.Com for New Screenwriting Competition

Ken Hastings used to dream about making his script idea, DAWG, into a big screen production. He’s not dreaming any longer! As last year’s winner of the Final Draft International Screenwriting Competition, Ken found his “big break” as his script goes into production this year. Being hosted by Express.com (http://www.express.com), a leading online entertainment destination, the second annual “Big Break” screenwriting competition opens today to anyone with a movie idea and is being held in partnership with Final Draft, Inc. (www.finaldraft.com), creators of the best selling software package for film and television writers.

All script submissions will be reviewed and judged by a panel of industry experts, including those from Cannell Entertainment. (Cannell Entertainment and its Chairman, Emmy-winning writer/producer and best-selling author Stephen J. Cannell, have the record for the most TV screenplays ever written and produced, including such TV hits Wiseguy, Silk Stalkings, Hunter and 21 Jump Street.) The submission fee is $45 until June 20 and $55 there after. Each entry will receive a “one-page” or critique sheet valued at $100.

The grand-prize winner will receive $10,000 cash and an all-expense paid trip to Hollywood to meet with literary agents, directors and producers, including Stephen J. Cannell and producer of Toy Soldiers and Mothers Boys Wayne S. Williams, to discuss possible production of the prize-winning script. Second through fifth place winners consist of cash and prizes and all 10 winning scripts will be submitted to literary agents. Entries must be submitted by September 30, 2000. Winners will be announced in November.

"In an effort to broaden our entertainment offering, we are excited to be the sole sponsor of this screenwriting competition," said Michael Dubelko, founder and CEO of Express.com. "Express.com was born out of my interest and experience in the entertainment industry and sponsoring an event like this is really exciting. In my former career as a television executive, I worked on a daily basis with many talented writers – now I have an opportunity to do it all over again via the Internet.”

"Big Break" will offer an array of exciting and fun features in addition to the screenwriting contest. Visitors will be able to contribute to and create a "live" work-in-progress screenplay on the Web using Final Draft 5.0 software. During each week of the contest, visitors can submit their contribution to the screenplay and the top five scenes will be voted on by visitors to the Web site. The site also contains "Tips and Tricks" of the trade, hosted by industry and Final Draft pros who will share their knowledge and stories. Stephen J. Cannell will present his popular online writing series and Yahoo will also feature a special "Green Room" chat area that visitors can use to talk to past "Big Break" winners and industry people.

“Our goal for this contest has always been to give unknown writers the chance to have their work seen by professionals," said Marc Madnick, president and CEO of Final Draft. “Being a part of this second annual screenwriting competition truly gives everyone the potential to see their script on the big screen. Our software has been the choice of Hollywood professionals for 10 years. Now it’s time to give others their big break. By partnering with a company as highly regarded as Express.com we hope to open up the possibilities for many more aspiring writers to realize their dreams.”

The Final Draft 5.0 software package will also be available for sale at the Express.com Web site. In celebration of this special competition, Express.com will also feature special offers for first-time screenplays that made it big such as American Pie, Reservoir Dogs and The Blair Witch Project.

Updated: 04/10/2000

Submit Report Card

You must login to read or submit report cards.

First-time user? Register now to receive FREE email contest updates, news, results, deadline reminders and more. Rest assured, information submitted here is held in strict confidence. MovieBytes never sells or in any way distributes email names or addresses. We promise!