Final Draft Blog
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Read interviews with the pros, catch up with industry news, and listen to Write On: A Screenwriting Podcast by Final Draft.
Interview: Joe Martin Discusses Us and Them
With the political and economic unrest felt by the majority of the world, it is timely that Joe Martin’s debut feature film, Us and Them, had its World Premiere at SXSW in the Narrative Spotlight section this year. The film follows Danny, angry and f...
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Screenwriting Role Models: Colin Higgins
A unique voice and iconoclast, Colin Higgins was one of the most important screenwriters of the 1970s and early 1980s. Born in France but raised in Australia by an Australian mother and American father, Higgins was a young man searching for his place...
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"Hidden Figures" Writer Allison Schroeder & Writer/Director Ted Melfi Discuss Layered Storytelling
In our first ever double episode, we talk with Allison Schroeder and Ted Melfi about Hidden Figures and how subverting expectations can lead to complicated, layered characters and compelling storytelling.
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"Man Alive" Screenwriter Joseph Greenberg on How to Navigate Rewrites, Notes and Pitch Meetings
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Writing For Ensemble Casts
Writing a story with an ensemble cast is like serving a pie with equal slices. You might start with an idea delicious enough for five or more characters, but if you don’t balance them just right during the writing process, one or two of the character...
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Write a Role a Movie Star Wants to Play
This might sound obvious enough, but many novice writers make the mistake of writing a spec script that’s not easily attachable. They write a script that doesn’t have a clear-cut lead or the lead character isn’t appealing to an actor. Although not im...
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"Gold" Writing Team Patrick Massett & John Zinman Teach Us How to Write Practical Scenes
To write "Gold", duo Patrick Massett & John Zinman drew from their background in acting to develop practical scenes. They also looked to "Amadeus" for inspiration on "peeling back layers" and "turning over the final card".
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"Hunt for the Wilderpeople" Writer/Director Taika Waititi Talks Keeping Your Audience Engaged
Writer, actor, director Taika Waititi tells us about creating a new comedy scene in New Zealand and how to keep people feeling like they're a part of your story. He also let slip the inspirations for his What We Do in the Shadows character Viago: His...
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"Arrival" Screenwriter Eric Heisserer on NASA, Palindromes and Breaking the Rules of Writing
Eric Heisserer brings the science world to our doorstep and tells us what it's like to break unspoken rules while writing.
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What’s new in Final Draft 13?
WRITING GOALS &
PRODUCTIVITY STATS
Set goals and get valuable insights to take your work to the next level
TYPEWRITER
A new typewriter-like view option improves your focus
EMOJI
Craft more realistic onscreen text exchanges and make your notes more emotive
And so much more, thoughtfully designed to help unleash your creativity.
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