Plus Long Bright River, Big Break, White Lotus, Sean Baker +...
Plus Long Bright River, Big Break, White Lotus, Sean Baker + more!
Final Draft Newsletter | March 14, 2025
HOW TO "FAIL FAST" IN SCREENWRITING
One of the most stressful parts of being a creative is dealing with failure. What if the transition between act two and act three doesn’t work? What if your secondary character’s story arc doesn’t make sense? Even worse – what if your protagonist’s story arc doesn’t make sense?
The endless possibility of “what-ifs” that highlight the shortcomings of your screenplay can stop you mid-sentence and make you never return to your draft.
Final Draft’s Big Break Contest is now open for entries! Every year Final Draft awards over $80,000 in cash and prizes across 11 categories. Winners and finalists have signed with agents and managers, sold and optioned scripts, and been staffed in TV writers’ rooms.
Make sure your screenplay or TV pilot is ready for entry with our handy guide.
WRITE ON: LONG BRIGHT RIVER SHOWRUNNER NIKKI TOSCANO
Mystery writers – you won’t want to miss this one! Long Bright River is a suspense thriller that follows Mickey (Amanda Seyfried), a police officer in a Philadelphia neighborhood hit hard by the opioid epidemic. As a string of murders unfolds, Mickey must find her missing sister who’s also battling addiction before it’s too late – but long buried family secrets stand in the way.
With the third season of The White Lotus, the acclaimed and popular series is once again capturing audience’s imaginations. We take a look at creator Mike White’s screenwriting career journey.
At this year’s Oscars, filmmaker Sean Baker made history by personally receiving 4 Academy Award wins for Anora. We look at the films that came before and led Sean Baker to Oscar glory.
Enter the screenwriting contest that has been launching careers for over 20 years. Enter one of 11 categories and share in over $80,000 in cash and prizes.
"Big Break isn't just a writing contest. It's a foot in the door to a vast network of writers, managers, agents, and executives who trust Final Draft and are excited to meet you. I felt supported every step of the way and would recommend it to any aspiring writer. There's truly no other competition like it!"
- Maia Mulcahy, 2024 Grand Prize Winner TV
Pictured: Big Break winners Laura Kroeger and Maia Mulcahy with some of the best managers in the business at Bottega Louie, West Hollywood.
