Final Draft Blog

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Adapting ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ and the evolution of the war movie

November 11, 2022

Author Erich Maria Remarque would have never wanted the films based on his highly-acclaimed 1929 novel All Quiet on the Western Front to be considered adventure films. On the first pages of the great novel, he even writes that death is not an adventu...

Write On with 'The Northman' Co-Writers Robert Eggers and Sjón

November 10, 2022

From visionary director Robert Eggers, The Northman follows a young Viking prince (Alexander Skarsgård) on a quest to avenge his father's murder. Eggers and his co-writer, Sjón, chatted with Final Draft about the collaborative process of working on t...

5 Tips to Writing a Great Third Act

November 9, 2022

A film industry professional continues reading a screenplay because it has a great first act, but it’s the third act that’s likely to stick with them afterwards. When you finish watching a film, isn’t it the ending that’s freshest in your mind? It’s ...

Take 5: ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ scares off nostalgia for a new generation

October 7, 2022

Nostalgia is big business. The biggest movie of 2022 continues to be Top Gun: Maverick, which swims in nostalgia. Some of the most highly anticipated TV series to stream this year have been A League of Their Own and Cobra Kai, so it's no wonder that ...

‘Thirteen Lives’ writer on turning true stories into emotional narratives

October 3, 2022

For over 40 years, William Nicholson has been writing screenplays, two of which garnered Oscar® nominations. His latest film Thirteen Lives matches him up with Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard in a film delivering an emotional adventure as E...

How breaking the fourth wall in ‘The Good House’ brings out character

September 30, 2022

There’s nothing traditional about The Good House. It’s a story with a protagonist who has her AARP card. It’s a story about a drunk who often has her act together. It’s also a story in which protagonist Hildy Good (Sigourney Weaver) breaks the fourth...

There Isn’t a Perfect Screenplay

September 28, 2022

There isn’t a perfect screenplay.

Write On with 'Send Help' Co-Creators Jean Elie & Mike Gauyo

September 21, 2022

From Insecure alumni Jean Elie and Mike Gauyo, Send Help follows a first-generation Haitian American (Elie) struggling to overcome the challenges in Hollywood while coming to terms with a recent family tragedy. Gauyo shares his thoughts on how partne...

Advice on Using Voiceover in Your TV Pilot from 'Physical' Showrunner

September 13, 2022

Creator and showrunner Annie Weisman (The Path, Desperate Housewives) pulled from her own decades-long struggle with an eating disorder to create an unflinching exploration of the dark inner life of Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), a perfectly put-together...