Final Draft Blog

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Billy Wilder: A Role Model For Screenwriters

January 13, 2017

In my opinion, the greatest success story in screenwriting belongs to Billy Wilder. The Austrian-born Wilder was a Jewish scribe in the prewar German film industry. When Hitler and the Nazi regime began their rise of power, Wilder, who was very stree...

Writing Three-Dimensional Villains

January 11, 2017

Actor Ben Mendelsohn has been getting his share of acclaim for his portrayal of Rogue One’s main villain: Imperial Officer Orson Krennic. No doubt, it’s a wonderful performance, but credit should also be given to the writers for creating a three-dime...

Write a Role a Movie Star Wants to Play

January 6, 2017

This might sound obvious enough, but many novice writers make the mistake of writing a spec script that’s not easily attachable. They write a script that doesn’t have a clear-cut lead or the lead character isn’t appealing to an actor. Although not im...

Holiday TV Movies: The Busiest Genre You May Have Overlooked

December 30, 2016

2016 is on its way out but there’s still time for you to research a busy and often overlooked genre: Holiday TV movies. While there are those who would scoff at the idea of deliberately striving to work in the world of TV movies, that just means ther...

Macworld: Final Draft 10 review - New ways to plot your next Oscar-worthy screenplay

December 29, 2016

by J.R. Bookwalter, Contributor, Macworld With more than 100 templates specifically tailored for stage and screen, Final Draft 10 is the leading screenwriting software used in film and television productions.

"Gold" Writing Team Patrick Massett & John Zinman Teach Us How to Write Practical Scenes

December 23, 2016

To write "Gold", duo Patrick Massett & John Zinman drew from their background in acting to develop practical scenes. They also looked to "Amadeus" for inspiration on "peeling back layers" and "turning over the final card".

"Hunt for the Wilderpeople" Writer/Director Taika Waititi Talks Keeping Your Audience Engaged

December 22, 2016

Writer, actor, director Taika Waititi tells us about creating a new comedy scene in New Zealand and how to keep people feeling like they're a part of your story. He also let slip the inspirations for his What We Do in the Shadows character Viago: His...

Five Overused Comedy Bits to Avoid

December 22, 2016

Naturally when writing a comedy, the writer will want to lampoon certain trends in our culture. The best satire is always a commentary of the times. That being said, the shelf life of a fresh joke isn’t particularly long. What might seem funny to you...