Final Draft Blog

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Take 5: What ‘Avatar 2: Way of the Water’ Can Teach Screenwriters of Any Genre

January 4, 2023

Not everyone has $350+ million to spend on making a technological marvel like Avatar 2: Way of the Water, but at the end of the day, it’s a movie that requires compelling characters and a story that excites the audience in order to be successful. Ava...

Roxanne Benjamin On Directing Horror in There’s Something Wrong With the Children

January 4, 2023

As part of the Blumhouse Television and MGM+ deal to produce a slate of films together, director Roxanne Benjamin has brought to life her new film There's Something Wrong With the Children. For someone who loves filming outdoors and on location, the ...

Choosing a Setting for Your Script

December 30, 2022

5 Tips To Staying in Screenwriting Shape

December 22, 2022

It’s not always easy to stay inspired and maintain a creative mindset on a regular basis. Many times screenwriters feel burnt out or spent after an extended period of writing. They’ll stare at an empty page and not feel the same excitement they initi...

How a filmmaker used her low-budget skills to create a $50k union feature

December 22, 2022

What does “low budget” mean? It’s all based on context. One person’s $50,000 film might be low budget, but so would a $10 million dollar Ridley Scott studio picture.

How To Write a Topical Screenplay

December 21, 2022

Inserting topical issues into a screenplay can add an extra layer of depth and make your script fresher and more relevant. The best managers, agents and producers have their finger on the pulse, and if they think your script is reflecting our times a...

Big Story, Small Budget

December 16, 2022

Many aspiring screenwriters don’t consider budgets when writing a spec script, even though it’s a major factor to why certain scripts get bought and produced.

How to find the time to write your script when you have a full-time job

December 16, 2022

You love writing. You dream of finishing your screenplay. You dream of selling your screenplay. There’s just one problem – you have a full-time job. You might even have a family or other responsibilities. Life, to say the least, is busy. So how do yo...

What is a "Vomit draft" and do you need to write one?

December 16, 2022

Everyone hates the dreaded first draft. The thought of forming a single coherent sentence – let alone 90 pages – is enough to conjure so much anxiety that you’d rather not write anything at all. This is why many people recommend writers starting thei...