Final Draft Blog

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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...

How Watching Movies Taught Quentin Tarantino and Can Teach Screenwriters

January 30, 2023

It’s important for aspiring screenwriters to watch movies: older films as well as current ones. Many of the films of today have been inspired by films of the past, and in some cases, this knowledge can lead to box office success, multiple awards, and...

5 Tips To Finishing a Screenplay

January 30, 2023

In my article “5 Tips To Starting a Screenplay,” I offered advice on how an aspiring screenwriter can start writing, which is often the most difficult part of the process. However, a lot of writers — whether they’re aspiring or seasoned professionals...

What ‘Poker Face’ Teaches Us About Writing Procedural TV

January 30, 2023

If you’re looking to create a ‘Who Dun It,’ the master to follow these days is Rian Johnson. Known for his clever murder mysteries Knives Out and Glass Onion, this writer/director can show you plenty of ways to write a suspenseful tale with quirky ch...

Take 5: How ‘M3GAN’ uses the dark side of technology to scare

January 22, 2023

Dolls are creepy, especially when they get a mind of their own. The new film M3GAN follows in the footsteps of other possessed doll-like creatures such as Chucky, Annabelle and Slappy where a child’s toy comes to life and all hell breaks loose. What ...