Final Draft Blog

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Rising Through the Ranks: Screenwriter and playwright Lisa Dring on the love of linguistics

March 10, 2022

From the moment Lisa Dring begins speaking, you can’t help but be drawn in—her beautiful command of language is pure poetry. It’s something the Emmy®’s took note of as well, awarding Dring’s 2021 Outstanding Interactive Program win for Welcome to the...

History of TV: How 'Orange is the New Black' redefined television

March 10, 2022

The year after the Collins English Dictionary declared “binge-watch” the word of the year, Orange is the New Black premiered on Netflix. In June 2013, we met Chapman (Taylor Schilling), Morello (Yael Stone), Red (Kate Mulgrew), Burset (Laverne Cox), ...

Pamela Adlon reflects on the final season of 'Better Things'

March 8, 2022

Pamela Adlon’s nearly singular vision for Better Things has always been bright, even when willing to embrace darkness. As the show enters its final season, it’s also a triumph. It survived scandal when Adlon’s collaborator and champion Louis C.K. adm...

Write On with 'Mass' Writer-Director Fran Kranz

March 7, 2022

Winner of the Robert Altman Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Mass is the story of the aftermath of a violent tragedy that affects the lives of two couples in different ways. Writer-Director Fran Kranz talks to Write On about his inspirati...

Big Gold Brick' filmmaker Brian Petsos on allowing stories to be

March 7, 2022

Starring Emory Cohen (Blue Bayou), Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Eleven), Megan Fox (Transformers Franchise), Lucy Hale (Pretty Little Liars), and Oscar Isaac (Dune), Big Gold Brick recounts the story of fledgling writer Samuel Liston and his experiences with...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: How ‘Cyrano’ finds its musical voice from a beloved play

March 4, 2022

It’s human to love someone but be too afraid to share your feelings, especially when you feel something about your physical appearance would make you less desirable. That’s what makes Cyrano such a human story. The original play, Cyrano de Bergerac b...

International Sports Film Festival Houston and Event Horizon Films launch Sports Script Championship

March 4, 2022

If you've ever dreamed of penning the next Rocky or Rudy or Hoop Dreams, or think you have the next Field of Dreams on your hands, then you might consider submitting your script to the Sports Script Championship, which is sponsored by the the Interna...

History of TV: The many lives of ‘La Femme Nikita'

March 4, 2022

I was a teenager the first time I watched La Femme Nikita, which is probably why it stuck so prominently in my memory. This woman was fierce. Yet…not. She was something we hadn’t seen a lot of on television or in film yet, though clearly craved, as s...

‘House of Gucci’ screenwriter Roberto Bentivegna on adapting his first feature film

March 1, 2022

The second Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga) laid her eyes on Maurizio Gucci (Adam Driver), she knew there was something. He was awkward and shuffling behind a bar and even though it was a chance encounter, Patrizia recognized the importance of this meet...