Is that your Final Draft?

By Melinda Giordano

 

It is the beginning of the year, and we have already been awash in awards:  The SAG Awards, the PGA Awards, People’s Choice, the Golden Globes and on the horizon, there is still the ominous hum of the Oscars^®.

So perhaps it is suitable that SPPR, Inc. will also be involved in an awards event; one that actually has something in common with the above occasions.  Whether it is the honor itself, or a shout-out from a winner standing on their stage of glory – the writers are always honored.  On February 7, Final Draft – a writing program formatted strictly for the wants and needs of the scriptwriter – will present their Annual Screenwriters Choice Awards.   The writers honored will be those who continue to demonstrate how far and how wonderfully the entertainment industry is still capable of going.

Many of the big titles of 2013 have been nominated, including Argo, Django Unchained, Lincoln, Les Miserables as well as “Game of Thrones” (dragons!!!), “Girls” and “Breaking Bad”.  The winners of the 11^th annual Big Break™ International Screenwriting Contest will be named.  In addition, Final Draft will induct writer, producer and director Lawrence Kasdan – of Star Wars and Raiders renown – into its Hall of Fame.

It will all be very gala!

The mind boggles when one imagines this format existing 30-40 years ago.  Why, Stephen Cannell – himself an inductee – surrounded himself with banks of IBM Selectric typewriters.  What could he have then accomplished? How many more files would Rockford have had?

So, on the 7th, if you have a mind to, you can look for me at The Screenwriters Choice Awards.  I will be dressed in my best PR black and pearls.   I’ll greet you happily, but if your name isn’t on the list, well, I just hope you can run faster than security can.