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.

Rising Through the Ranks: Kristina Felske and Ellie Race-Moore

November 13, 2019

Bad breakups, wine and comedic relief brought 30-year-old Kristina Felske and 31-year-old Ellie Race-Moore together. This dynamic writing team has been working together for almost two years now and prove why two heads are better than one.

Write On with 'Perpetual Grace, LTD' Co-Creator Steven Conrad

November 12, 2019

Perpetual Grace, LTD co-creator Steven Conrad discusses managing the different tones of the story, how he incorporates music into his writing and much more. Epix's Perpetual Grace, LTD is a modern noir drama which follows James, a mysterious young gr...

The Fast Five: Format Shows Prove Story Is Critical While Films Look To Resurrect Dead Celebrities To Top the Charts

November 11, 2019

Hollywood is king when it comes to everything old being new again. And a new film is hoping to launch the trend of reanimating classic actors with CGI—anybody who’s seen Grand Moff Tarkin in Rogue One or the face de-aging in The Irishman knows that t...

The Weekend Movie Takeaway: Nostalgia Continues To Wane At The Box Office

November 11, 2019

Just one week after the people behind Terminator: Dark Fate got a stark lesson in franchise narrative management, another sequel playing up its connections to a beloved '80s classic under performed at the box office.

All The Write Moves: 'Watchmen'

November 11, 2019

Once the camera focuses on a newspaper headline that reads, “Global Squidfalls Baffle Experts,” it’s evident that viewers have entered the land of Damon Lindelof. Inventive, mischievous and thoughtful, writer-producer Lindelof has provided some of Pe...

Writer-Director Scott Z. Burns on 'The Report'

November 8, 2019

The Report is a new film written and directed by Scott Z. Burns, who is probably best known for his many collaborations with Steven Soderbergh. Burns has written screenplays for such Soderbergh movies as The Informant!, Contagion, Side Effects, and h...

Weekend Writing Inspiration: A 7-Step Writing Plan to Finish Your Script by Year-End

November 8, 2019

It’s Nov. 8. The end of the year is within spitting distance. Wouldn’t it be great to finish the year strong with a completed draft of your script?

The Bricks of Breaking In: Make Your Own Table Read With This Writing Tool

November 6, 2019

As writers, we often work in isolation; churning out pages then reworking and revising again and again. You’d love to hear your work read out loud, listen as your characters come to life to see if you’ve captured their voices and have consistency to ...

Write On: 2019 Austin Film Festival Wrap Up

November 5, 2019

Recorded at the 2019 Austin Film Festival, we chat with Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont about Liza On Demand, now entering its second season on Youtube, and Ben Cory Jones about Boomerang, the new show he co-created with Lena Waithe. You can learn ...