Final Draft Blog

All the tips, tricks and information you need to inspire your writing!
Read interviews with the pros, catch up with industry news, and listen to Write On: A Screenwriting Podcast by Final Draft.

Write On: 'Apple Cider Vinegar' Creator & Showrunner Samantha Strauss

“In my mind, Belle is going through life, at least our version of Belle – I’ve never met the real Belle – she’s going through life with this hole inside, this overwhelming need for approval, that social media absolutely capitalizes on, and she just k...

Read More

From Lilo to Dragons: The Animated Career of Dean DeBlois

Among the most hotly anticipated movies of the summer are two live-action remakes of recent animated classics, Lilo & Stitch, releasing May 23, and How To Train Your Dragon, coming just a few weeks later on June 13. What many may not know, is tha...

Read More

The Hero’s Journey of ‘Ballerina’

The next hero in the John Wick franchise is Eve (Ana de Armas), a ballerina/assassin who is trained under the Ruska Roma, which is helmed by the Director (Anjelica Huston) who we learned about in John Wick: Chapter 2. Eve is being set up to become a ...

Read More

What Is a Pilot Episode and How to Write One

We are currently living through a new Golden Age of television, which, over the last twenty-five years, has expanded from the major network television platform (ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox) to the addition of cable television (HBO, Showtime, AMC, FX, etc....

Read More

75 Creative Writing Prompts and Exercises for Screenwriters

You don’t always need outright inspiration as a screenwriter. Sometimes you just need ignition — a spark that fires up your creative juices to get them flowing from your mind to your fingers, and through your fingers to the keys. Whether you’re stuck...

Read More

‘Dangerous Animals’ and the History of Sharks in Horror Cinema

Sharks don’t hold a great reputation when it comes to movies. They’re predators and killers - you simply don’t see cult classics called ‘Puppynado’. Instead, sharks dominate horror movies, lurking in the dark water and attacking unsuspecting tourists...

Read More

Peter Craig on Writing 'Dope Thief' and Blowing Up the Status Quo

Peter Craig is best known for writing some of the most successful blockbusters in recent memory, from The Town and Top Gun: Maverick to The Batman and Gladiator 2. But his latest project is a thrilling pivot into television with Dope Thief, a gritty,...

Read More

Write On: 'Matlock' Creator & Showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman

“The most important thing that I’ve learned as a storyteller is that I have to treat every character in the show as though they’re the lead in the show, and they are never doing anything so that I can prompt a move from another character. They are do...

Read More

50 Best Dialogue Prompts for Screenwriters

Screenwriting is about more than just plot—it’s about voice. And nowhere does a screenwriter’s voice shine more clearly than in their characters’ dialogue. The best known screenwriters are highly regarded for their dialogue. When you hear dialogue wr...

Read More

Untitled Document