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.

"Downton Abbey"'s Julian Fellowes On Why He Writes Alone

July 6, 2015

Julian Fellowes is a bit of a modern-day renaissance man when it comes to creating engaging and inspiring entertainment. After becoming a successful actor, starring in such British television shows as Monarch in the Glen and films like Tomorrow Never...

The Final Draft/New York Film Academy Fellowship

June 8, 2015

What happens after you win a screenwriting contest? For far too many writers, not a whole lot. Winners and finalists of the Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest have a very good track record for success, but the company wanted to do more to em...

Brave New Worlds

June 5, 2015

You all know the trailer voice over cliché “In a world ... ” which was kind of the trademark of the late Don Lafontaine, who even used it in a couple of trailers for movies I wrote. There’s even a great little indie film by Lake Bell called In A Worl...

Flawed Characters We Love

June 3, 2015

This marks my second workweek without an episode of Mad Men to discuss with co-workers. All of my fellow fans know what I’m going through. The void has driven me to reflect on what it was that made me adore that series so much.

How I Broke In: Brian Duffield

June 1, 2015

Today we are talking with Brian Duffield. Brian’s spec sales include his Black List script, Your Bridesmaid is a Bitch, Worst Honeymoon Ever, Jane Got a Gun and The Babysitter, which just sold in an auction to McG’s production company. He also wrote ...

Echo Lake Entertainment's Zadoc Angell

May 3, 2015

Zadoc Angell is one of those names. Not only does it sounds like it belongs to a super hero, in reality it is the moniker of one of the hardest working guys in the industry, who comes from simple beginnings and has built one of the most stellar reput...

Myth of the Likeable Lead

April 27, 2015

The one note you always get from producers is that your lead character - your protagonist - needs to be likeable. I swear, it’s as if it’s on the checklist. You have your first meeting on the script and they insist you make the protagonist more likea...

What Would Elmore Do?

April 21, 2015

Final Draft contributor John Evans interviews Dave Andron, who co-wrote the recent series finale of the acclaimed FX drama Justified and was a producer on the show from the beginning of its six-season run.

Complications Ensue

March 31, 2015

Whenever I get roped into reading contest finalists, one of the common problems with scripts is often that they are sketchy. They seem like the rough draft (and maybe they are) - the artist's charcoal sketch before they break out the brushes and oils...