Final Draft Blog

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Animation World Network: Final Draft Releases Final Draft 10

September 26, 2016

Packed with new and improved features, the latest version of the Emmy Award-winning screenwriting software is now available.

The Story Department: Final Draft 10 Reviewed

September 23, 2016

How do you go about writing a screenplay? There are a few of us who sit down at the computer, like some modern day Dalton Trumbo at his trusty Remington, type FADE IN: and keep going until the cigarette packet is empty.

Spec Spotlight: Calvin Starnes Talks Transitioning from Grip Department to Spec Script Sales

September 19, 2016

FD: How did you get started in the entertainment industry?

Asking Questions of Your Work

September 12, 2016

How well do you know your own screenplay? Do you know what your story is really about? What is your central idea? Can you condense these answers into a short and concise logline?

The Benefit of "Negative Space" in Your Storytelling

September 9, 2016

If you have a background in the arts or graphic design, you may already have a good understanding of "negative space" - the empty space around or between objects - and the role it can play in capturing audience attention. But what can negative space ...

When Narration Works

September 6, 2016

Bad narration is like watching a movie with someone chatting in the seat behind you, except you can’t turn around and tell him or her to be quiet. Narration, or voice-over, seems counterintuitive to film, which ideally speaks to us in action, images ...

How to Write a Comedy Set: Inspired by Michael Bluth and Liz Lemon

September 1, 2016

Arrested Development may be one of the best “character comedies” of the last decade. If you aren’t familiar with the show, it revolves around Michael Bluth: son, father, brother, hermano, uncle (maybe), boss and client to some of the most outlandish ...

Back to School: How to Get Back In the Writing Class Groove

August 29, 2016

As the blistering days of summer fade into the crispness of autumn one thing, and one thing only, is on the minds of students everywhere: school will be starting again soon. Say goodbye to lazy, hazy days and hello to study, stress and hectic schedul...

Redemptive Character Arcs and Why We Love “Stranger Things”

August 26, 2016

Like many of you, I nerded out watching Stranger Things. It’s fun in so many wonderful ways. I loved the science fiction. I loved the nostalgia. I loved the visuals. But most of all I nerded out about the writing. The redemptive story arcs are a thin...