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.

AAPI Women to Watch in Hollywood

July 20, 2021

Shyree Mezick is an Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) transracial adoptee who’s yet to find out her exact biological make-up. Mezick became a casting agent in Los Angeles because she wants to “position othered others into their own stories, ...

The Bricks of Breaking In: Showrunner Marc Guggenheim on distinguishing yourself as a writer

July 20, 2021

For showrunner Marc Guggenheim (DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow), being a professional writer wasn’t something he thought about in his youth, despite his love for the written word.

The Lodge': A Work of Ultra Minimalist Horror

July 20, 2021

The dead of winter has a way of creating gloom, anxiety and profound isolation; in other words, exactly the atmosphere of contained horror feature The Lodge (2019).

Director Malcolm D. Lee on creating 'Space Jam: A New Legacy' and career longevity

July 20, 2021

In the animated/live-action epic adventure Space Jam: A New Legacy, LeBron James goes on a wild adventure alongside timeless Tune Bugs Bunny to save his son from rogue AI G. Rhythm. Malcolm D. Lee directs from a screenplay by Juel Taylor, Tony Retten...

Write On with Producer and Creative Executive Thomas Pettinelli

July 20, 2021

Thomas is Director of Development for Los Angeles-based production company Branded Pictures Entertainment and talks to Write On’s Phil Galasso about what the company looks for in a screenplay. "I think the [scripts] that really stand out are when som...

Write On with Showrunner and #StartWith8Hollywood Mentor Jeffrey Lieber

July 20, 2021

Showrunner, writer, and mentor Jeffrey Lieber and our host Phil Galasso discuss what Jeffrey looks for when putting together a writer's room, his transition from acting on the stage to writing for the screen, his work helping new writers gain meaning...

The walk of shame: why Hollywood won't hire talent with disabilities

July 19, 2021

Imagine having to write with a giant ticking bomb under your chair. Tick. Tick. Tick. What if you had to write with Annie Wilkes from Misery in the room? A third scenario: you have to write with everyone you love shackled to the wall. Held hostage. B...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: 'I Think You Should Leave' is the off-kilter sketch comedy we all deserve

July 19, 2021

It feels rare to get a good sketch comedy show these days. There aren't currently many on the air at all. There’s SNL. Black Lady Sketch Show. Michael Che’s That Damn Michael Che. And while topical sketch is invaluable to making sense of the often no...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: 'Black Widow' keeps MCU fresh

July 16, 2021

Black Widow has a lot of expectations and excitement behind it. Part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow aka Natasha Romanoff made her first appearance 11 years ago with the release of Iron Man 2. Not quite an origin story, Black Widow take...