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Final Draft Blog

All the tips, tricks and information you need to inspire your writing!
Read interviews with the pros, catch up with industry news, and listen to Write On: A Screenwriting Podcast by Final Draft.

Write On with ‘Hip Hop Family Christmas’ Co-Writer Saeed Crumpler – Part II

In this special 2-part episode of Write On we talk to Flatbush Misdemeanors staff writer and co-writer of Hip Hop Family Christmas Saeed Crumpler about his career transition from rapper to screenwriter: "Coming from music, I used to look at each song...

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It Builds Character Part IV: How to write secondary characters

Writing secondary characters takes as much effort as writing your main character or characters. This is because, when they are well written, they become integral parts of your story's tapestry. When written poorly, they can hinder and detract from th...

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Writer-director Sydney Freeland breaks down the authenticity of ‘Reservation Dogs’

Four Indigenous teens lunge into a truck carrying Flaming Flamers hot chips in bulk. They slip the door closed and speed back home, unseen even as they zoom past local police. Seeing these kids do almost anything to raise money for their plan to leav...

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Netflix and Chad Hodge team up for 'Single All the Way'

If you interviewed a celebrity screenwriter whose Christmas romantic comedy just aired on Netflix to rave reviews and made the streaming service's top 10, would you expect the Zoom call to be delightful and fun?

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5 Screenwriting Takeaways: 'Santa Claus Conquers the Martians'

Did you ever wish there was a Christmas film in which Santa Claus is kidnapped by Martians, rocketed off to Mars, and inevitably gives everyone on the planet the Christmas spirit?

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The rise (and rise) of the holiday romance movie

The holiday season is known for gift giving, extreme decor, and, well, romance movies. At this time of year we’re inundated with movies about pairing up and every year the holiday programming starts earlier as networks and streamers try to pull ahead...

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It Builds Character Part III: Character choices and going beyond top level actions

Writing teacher William Zinsser describes creativity as having levels, or orders. The first idea you get is referred to as first order, the second is referred to as second order, and so on. Zinsser encourages his students to think beyond first order ...

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Write On with ‘The Witcher’ Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

The hit Netflix series starring Henry Cavill returns! Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. Showrunner Lauren tells Write On: "I think I always think about...

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History of TV: The 'Arrested Development' saga

Ruminating on Arrested Development is a bit like prepping for American Ninja Warrior. The quirky comedy that, to many, defined the genre for the early 2000s is a minefield of politically (in)correct humor, as deeply layered as the banana business the...

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