Final Draft Blog

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"Arrival" Screenwriter Eric Heisserer on NASA, Palindromes and Breaking the Rules of Writing

December 22, 2016

Eric Heisserer brings the science world to our doorstep and tells us what it's like to break unspoken rules while writing.

"Lion" Screenwriter Luke Davies Talks the "Rapid, Intense Process of Writing"

December 21, 2016

How To Get Out Of Your Own Way

December 21, 2016

I’ve never met a writer at any stage of their career who hasn’t struggled mightily with fear, self-loathing, and writer’s block. Writers may be capable of writing bestselling novels and blockbuster motion pictures and really, really great car owner m...

"Jackie" Screenwriter Noah Oppenheim Discusses the Custodian of a Presidential Legacy

December 21, 2016

Screenwriter Noah Oppenheim talks with us about writing his first screenplay "Jackie" and the inspiration he drew from Jackie Kennedy as the custodian and myth-maker of her husband's legacy.

Five Things Writers Can Learn From National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

December 19, 2016

Like 1983’s Vacation, 1989’s Christmas Vacation was written by John Hughes and likewise based on one of his National Lampoon short stories (this one entitled “Christmas ’59”). A beloved sequel and holiday film, Christmas Vacation has been entertainin...

"Moana" and Writing Realistic Female Adventurers

December 15, 2016

Disney’s new film Moana has dropped anchor at the top of the box office, thanks to its winning combination of music, humor, gorgeous setting—and Moana herself. Critics and audiences alike love this Polynesian heroine who bristles at being called a pr...

Big Break Alumni Rajiv Shah On The Premiere of Contest Spec "Run the Tide"

December 8, 2016

When Rajiv Shah submitted his script Run the Tide to the 2012 Big Break Screenwriting Contest, he never dreamed that a few years later he'd be giving an interview about watching his screenplay go from page to screen, but here we are. Final Draft sat ...

"Westworld" and the Power of Repetition

December 2, 2016

A serene blonde woman walks in a cornflower blue dress that sweeps along the dusty streets of a Western town. As she reaches her horse, she drops a can of milk from her bag. A gallant cowboy, her sweetheart who’s been away, picks it up for her. Or do...

Spec Spotlight: David Hauslein from Big Break to Big Sale

November 29, 2016

Buck Run, a poignant script by David Hauslein, follows the tragic circumstances of rural Pennsylvania teen Shawn Templeton, as he grapples with hardships no one his tender age should have to face. He’s poor, his mom dies of cancer, and he receives pr...