Final Draft Blog

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Take 5: ‘Shotgun Wedding’ Uses Tried-and-True Tropes For a Modern Action Rom-Com

February 10, 2023

Darcy and Tom are soon-to-be bride and groom and have chosen to have their luxurious destination wedding on a Philippines island. Unfortunately, the wedding guests are taken hostage by a group of pirates who want $45 million.

A Look at Lincoln and How to Write Historical Figures into Movie Characters

February 10, 2023

In a nod to Abraham Lincoln's birthday on the 12th, we wanted to take a look at how the nation's most written about president has been portrayed in film and what lessons you can take away when writing about a historical figures.

How to become a successful writer of multiple genres

February 6, 2023

Screenwriters frequently get mixed advice.

From Detroit to Park City – A Filmmaker Heads to Sundance for the Second Time

February 6, 2023

When Qasim Basir reflects upon the time a few years when he watched some of his old movies, his faces brightens up. He recalls the innocence of being in his twenties and roaming around Detroit shooting movies.

The Midpoint: It Doesn't Have to Be Where Your Screenwriting Dream Goes to Die

February 4, 2023

As a former screenwriting student and now as a current screenwriting instructor, one of the most common problems I've seen writers struggle with is the middle of their script. I stopped keeping track years ago of how many times I encountered a screen...

Character Breakdown: ‘Living’ Explores How a Terminal Man Finds the Meaning of His Life

February 3, 2023

What would it take for you to change your life? It’s often the basis for a plot for film and TV shows: a protagonist receives grim news about their health and becomes determined to alter how they live their life. Impending death = motivation. Living,...

How to make Rom-Coms great again

February 1, 2023

It’s Valentine’s Day and you want to watch a rom-com. There are plenty of tried-and-true classics like Pretty Woman, Sleepless in Seattle, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but there are also even more tired-and-dull rom-coms too (My Best Friend’s Gi...

Screenplay Options vs. Screenplay Sales

January 31, 2023

Most aspiring screenwriters dream of selling their script. However, many times — especially in the earlier days of a screenwriting career — a writer is more likely to have their script optioned by a producer or production company. But what exactly is...

The Bricks of Breaking In: Writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe On Being Ready For Opportunity

January 31, 2023

Looking back on his youth, Robert Hewitt Wolfe (Prodigal Son, Elementary, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) was always writing. He started his first novel at the age of ten. Started his second in high school and his third in college, although he didn’t fin...