Final Draft, Inc., the industry standard for screenwriting software, is proud to announce the winners of the 1st Annual Screenwriters Choice Awards™ that were held Thursday night at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills. Comedian and actor Jay Mohr hosted the invitation–only event that also presented industry icon Lawrence Kasdan with the Hall of Fame Award.

On hand to present the awards were Final Draft, Inc. CEO, President and Co–Founder Marc Madnick, Simon Kinberg (X–Men: First Class), Ed Saxon (Away We Go), Aline Brosh McKenna (The Devil Wears Prada) and Larry Karaszewski (The People vs. Larry Flynt). The winners were:

In addition to the Screenwriters Choice Awards, Final Draft, Inc. inducted legendary writer, producer and director Lawrence Kasdan into its Hall of Fame. Fellow screenwriter Ted Griffin (Ocean’s Eleven, Terriers), along with Simon Kinberg, Aline Brosh McKenna and surprise guest John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), gave moving tributes to Kasdan and presented him with the Hall of Fame Award.

Kasdan has written or co-written four of the most successful films in motion picture history — Raiders of The Lost Ark, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of The Jedi and The Bodyguard. He is also credited with the classic films Body Heat, The Big Chill, Silverado, The Accidental Tourist, and Grand Canyon, among others. Past Hall of Fame Award winners include Aaron Sorkin, Steve Zaillian, Oliver Stone, Syd Field, Robert Towne, and the late Stephen J. Cannell and Sydney Pollack.

Final Draft, Inc. also named the top three winners from the 13th annual Big Break™ International Screenwriting Contest. The Big Break Contest supports emerging creative talent and reinforces the Final Draft, Inc. mission to advance and provide industry access to writers around the world. The Big Break Contest rewards screenwriters with over $30,000 in cash and prizes plus entrée to A–list executive meetings. Past winners and finalists have secured high–profile representation as well as lucrative writing deals, and have had their screenplays optioned and produced.

The winners were:

1st Place – Craig Houchin from Sunland, CA

Ludlow (Drama)

2nd Place – April Rouveyrol from Glendale, CA

Life Copy (Sci–fi)

3rd Place – Matthew Snyman from Watford, UK

The Whaler’s Daughter (Drama)