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In A Script Twist, Final Draft Drops Version 12 Early

On Monday, Final Draft released the latest update to its screenwriting software early, in a surprise move.

The drop of Final Draft 12 includes automatic upgrades for anyone who purchased Final Draft 11 after February 15th of this year.

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“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,” said Shelly Mellott, President of Final Draft. “We also wanted to invest in the next generation of storytellers by offering our support to organizations that are truly making a difference.”

In service of the latter goal, the Cast & Crew Company is also providing free licenses for two entertainment industry non-profits that are working to foster diversity, Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab and #startwith8hollywood. Final Draft’s multi-year partnership with the Hillman Grad lab provides software to lab participants, as well as other educational resources. Recently, Final Draft and the Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab have also partnered on a number of events and collaborative activations, where the goal is to cultivate new screenwriting talent.

“Eliminating barriers for creatives of color is our top priority,” said Justin Riley, Executive Director of the Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab. “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.”

Developed by and for writers, Final Draft 12 offers a new level of flexibility to accommodate various styles of working. Its functions include “Focus Mode,” which allows users to eliminate distractions on screen, as they work, and “Track Changes,” which keeps a record of script edits. A key new feature present in the Final Draft update is an oft-requested “PDF Import” function, which allows users to convert PDFS into fully-editable Final Draft files.

Co-founded in 1990 by Marc Madnick and Ben Cahan, Final Draft has published its screenwriting software for over 30 years. Used by such elite creatives as J.J. Abrams and Bong Joon Ho, the software is described as “the professional’s choice and the entertainment industry standard.”

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