Final Draft Blog

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Worldbuilding 101 Using the Star Wars Model

June 23, 2023

“Worldbuilding” is when writers create a world for their characters to inhabit and story to take place.

The Bricks of Breaking In: Showrunners Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker On The Power of Teamwork

June 20, 2023

For showrunners Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker (Abbott Elementary, Harley Quinn), their interests in writing came in very different ways. With Halpern, it was a competition to write a Seinfeld spec when he was just 16 where the winner had the ...

Character Archetype: The Femme Fatale

June 16, 2023

The femme fatale is a notable character archetype in cinema history. Think Catherine Tramell from Basic Instinct or Amy Dunne from Gone Girl. A true femme fatale is as captivating as she’s conniving, and desirable as she is deadly.

How to Harness Dan Harmon's Story Circle to Tell Better Stories

June 13, 2023

Loosely based on / inspired by the Hero's Journey story structure, Dan Harmon's Story Circle has gained a sizable following in recent years, particularly among writers of episodic television. But even feature script writers can benefit from using thi...

Write On: Wednesday Creators Al Gough and Miles Millar

June 7, 2023

The surprise hit and breakout role for Jenna Ortega as the titular character in Netflix's spin off of the Addams Family, Wednesday, was just as exciting to create as it is to watch. "The writer's room started the first week of lockdown, so writing a ...

'The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster' Reinvents Frankenstein for a Modern Audience

June 6, 2023

Writing a Family-Friendly Tale? The Little Mermaid Has Lessons for Screenwriters

June 2, 2023

The Little Mermaid is about a young woman who falls in love with someone who doesn’t know she exists, the dynamic of a father who wants to protect his daughter and how she overcomes impossible odds after being tricked by a sea witch.

The Different Jobs of a Screenwriter

May 30, 2023

There are many different writing jobs a screenwriter can be hired to do in Hollywood. And the more flexible you are with filling one of these roles, the greater your chances you have of creating a long, sustaining career as a professional screenwrite...

Plot Device Cheat Sheet: How to Use Deus ex Machina

May 25, 2023

Every writer knows the meaning of the word "unmotivated." Some days, it's just an uphill slog to find the energy to even approach the keyboard, much less get actual words on a page.