LOS ANGELES, April 12 – Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company, now in its 30^th year as the industry standard for screenwriting software, launched its latest update, Final Draft 12, today in a surprise drop that includes automatic upgrades for anyone that purchased Final Draft 11 after February 15th of this year. Thousands of existing users received emails today from the company providing them with the free upgrade. Additionally, the company is providing free licenses for two industry non-profits fostering diversity in the entertainment industry: Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab and #startwith8hollywood.

“Everyone’s been through so much over the past 13 months so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for our existing users to experience the very latest in our software. We also wanted to invest in the next generation of storytellers by offering our support to organizations that are truly making a difference,” stated Shelly Mellott, President of Final Draft.

Final Draft’s multi-year partnership with Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab includes not only providing software to Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab participants but also providing educational resources, partnering on events and other collaborative activations to nurture new screenwriting talent. “Eliminating barriers for creatives of color is our top priority. Our partnership with Final Draft gives writers the freedom to tell their stories utilizing industry-standard software, while also providing them with tools and resources to further develop their creative genius.” said Justin Riley, Executive Director of the Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab.

Final Draft 12 was developed by writers for writers and offers unprecedented flexibility to accommodate various work styles. “Focus Mode” lets users eliminate distractions on screen by providing the digital equivalent of the ‘blank page’ so they can get down to the business of writing. The “Track Changes” function keeps a record of edits to the script and allows users to choose whether to accept or reject them, giving writers even greater control over the editing process. The “Outline Editor” gives users a ‘bird’s eye view’ of their screenplay’s structure and offers multiple customizable lanes for high-level outlining. Writers can then send their outline to script as “Outline Elements” and see it on the page for easy reference as they write. Also featured in Final Draft 12 for the first time is a much requested “PDF Import” function, which converts PDFs into fully editable Final Draft files.

“Great technology is not one size fits all,” stated Mellott. “We enlisted the insight of real writers and real Final Draft users to develop the latest version because we wanted to create something that would work for every screenwriter. We’re really excited by the result.”

About Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company

Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company, has published Final Draft® software – the number-one selling screenwriting application in the world – for over 30 years. Final Draft automatically paginates and formats your script to industry standards, allowing writers to focus on what they do best – writing scripts. Used by such industry giants as J.J. Abrams, Bong Joon Ho, Sofia Coppola, Guillermo Del Toro, Issa Rae and Aaron Sorkin, Final Draft software is the professional’s choice and the entertainment industry standard. In addition to its flagship software product, Final Draft offers the annual Big Break® Contest – a screenwriting competition that launches careers, and awards over $100,000 in cash and prizes. Final Draft also offers Final Draft Go for iPhone and iPad, making creativity truly portable. To learn more about Final Draft and its products and services, visit: www.finaldraft.com

About The Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab

Founded by Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani, The Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab provides opportunities for marginalized storytellers to connect, grow, and accelerate their careers in television and film. Committed to infusing new narratives and perspectives in front of and behind the camera, the Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab provides a robust slate of workshops, educational resources, and professional development and networking opportunities for a cohort of diverse writers, actors, and aspiring creative executives. The tuition-free 10-month program grants fellows the unique opportunity to enhance their creative skillset through personalized instruction from industry professionals, creating additional pathways to bring more people from diverse backgrounds into the entertainment industry. More information on the Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab is available at hillmangrad.com.

About #startwith8hollywood

The #startwith8™ initiative was launched in June 2020 by The Bitch Pack’s Founder and curator of the annual Bitch List Thuc Nguyen and Cheryl L. Bedford, Founder of Women of Color Unite and the JTC List. In an industry that hides behind the myth of “meritocracy” but in reality functions on personal connections, the #startwith8™ initiative connects well-established industry mentors to eight Women of Color working in the entertainment industry each. Together, they formulate a plan of action based on what each mentee desires and what is achievable by the mentor to create tangible progress in the mentee’s career. The end goal: no more excuses. By fostering organic diversity, the indefensible precept “I don’t know any Women of Color who I can hire,” will never be heard again. More information is available at startwith8hollywood.com.