Final Draft Blog

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Read interviews with the pros, catch up with industry news, and listen to Write On: A Screenwriting Podcast by Final Draft.

‘The Dissident’ Asks Audiences Not to Forget Jamal Khashoggi

March 4, 2021

Many are familiar with Jamal Khashoggi based on his headline-making murder, when Khashoggi went to procure a marriage license from his embassy for Saudi Arabia in Istanbul, Turkey. Once he stepped foot inside, he never re-appeared again. While The Di...

A Strategy Primer for Writers: Part V

March 4, 2021

Welcome back to the strategy primer for writers!

Write On with 'Minari' Writer-Director Lee Isaac Chung

March 3, 2021

Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, Minari is the story of a Korean family who start a farm in Arkansas in the 1980s. For Writer-Director Lee Isaac Chung, the film is deeply personal. “It’s really a family story… a journey that...

‘Cowboys’ Deals With Masculinity Issues With a Ton of Heart

March 3, 2021

Cowboys, Anna Kerrigan’s debut feature, is inspired by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, according to Kerrigan. The classic film is an indelible mark on cinematic history as well as a look at the archetype of the cowboy in general; with all the gun...

Interview with 'Dreamcatcher' Writer-Director Jacob Johnston

March 2, 2021

This week I had the extreme pleasure of speaking with writer-director Jacob Johnston about his feature debut, the haunting slasher Dreamcatcher which centers around two sisters and their mutual friends as they become entrenched in a forty-eight hour ...

Reunited States’ Offers Hope for Both Sides In a Vast Political Divide

March 2, 2021

Filmmaker Ben Rekhi set out to find people who have dedicated their lives to reaching across the aisle and hearing both sides of the story to create his latest documentary, The Reunited States.

5 Screenwriting Takeaways From the Joyous Trippy Adventure That Is 'Barb and Star'

March 1, 2021

It is undeniable that we are all jonesing for adventure, friendship and love right now while we live a lockdown life with masked and limited interaction. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Pack your culottes and...

Writing Fellowships: The Wins and the Lessons

March 1, 2021

I’d hate to open this article with a big cliché, but here goes (deal with it): It’s no secret how competitive this industry is. For those starting out, the ladder you’re climbing can feel pretty crowded at the bottom. If the objective is to summit, s...

Afro Horror: Horror and Mental Health

February 26, 2021

For about five years now, I’ve been actively seeing a therapist. It started when I quit an extremely toxic survival job while trying to break into writing. I worked as a manager in a French restaurant. I was overworked and underpaid, which resulted i...