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.

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: Netflix's 'Halston' embraces fashion, friendship and excess

May 24, 2021

Halston is the flashy new fashion bio series apparently taking many liberties with designer Roy Halston Frowick’s life. According to his niece, Lesley Frowick, no member of his family has endorsed the show. After watching the trailer, Frowick stresse...

Afro Horror: Addressing sexual harassment in the horror community

May 21, 2021

Content Warning: The following contains discussions of sexual harassment and assault that some readers might find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised. This past week, members of our Clubhouse Afro Horror community were victims of unwanted sexual ...

Timur Bekmambetov's 'Profile' explores terrifying aspects of our all-digital lives

May 21, 2021

Though we were headed there prior to the pandemic, it seems like everything in our lives has become digital — or at least has the option to be online — since March 2020. Where actual face time was a necessity of life, COVID-19 has enabled us to hide ...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: 'Riders of Justice' turns tragedy into a tale of revenge

May 21, 2021

Compelling characters that actors want to play and into which they can infuse their light and personality elevates a film to the next level. Riders of Justice's Markus is played by Mads Mikkelsen, fresh off an Academy® Award nomination for his role i...

Robert Machoian dissects masculinity and fatherhood in ‘The Killing of Two Lovers’

May 21, 2021

David (Clayne Crawford) looks down the barrel of a gun one second, and in the next he hops into his truck to spend time with his children. The Killing of Two Lovers teeters on this eerie dichotomy to share the story of a father who does anything he c...

Write On with ‘Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story’ Writer Antonio Macia

May 20, 2021

‘Blackjack’ is the story of Brooklyn-native street basketball legend Jackie Ryan. Writer Antonio Macia is a self-proclaimed ‘basketball junkie’ who says writing this film was a dream come true. "The story takes place in the world of street ball and b...

The female powerhouse trio behind 'Golden Arm' discuss friendship and what makes good story

May 20, 2021

Maureen Bharoocha's Golden Arm, a female-driven comedy with a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer and could be this year's destined-for-cult-status-sleeper-hit, centers on female friendship and arm wrestling (yes, arm wrestling).

History of TV: Prohibition, HBO style in 'Boardwalk Empire'

May 20, 2021

The Boardwalk Empire pilot is like settling in to watch a mini-movie. Unsurprising, with director Martin Scorsese at the helm of the episode. Created by Sopranos veteran, award-winning writer Terence Winter, who co-executive produced the series along...

Master of horror Simon Barrett on his new film 'Seance'

May 19, 2021

Every horror fan has seen a Simon Barrett film. From V/H/S to The Guest, Barrett’s DNA has been firmly cemented in horror history for some time. His latest entry, Seance (the Heathers-meets-Scream slasher), is just another example of why Barrett shou...