Final Draft Blog

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History of the World, Part II Showrunner on Mel Brooks: ‘I Get Chills Every Time I Say His Name’

May 18, 2023

Editor's Note: This interview took place before the 2023 WGA strike. The year was 1981. Not sure if I should admit this, but I’m old enough to remember going to the movie theater, not the kind with stadium seating, but the kind with sticky floors and...

What is a Spec Script?

May 9, 2023

If you're a new screenwriter you might be wondering what a spec script is. Well, it's spelled S-P-E-C, it's pronounced "speck" and it stands for "speculation."

Andor Showrunner Tony Gilroy on the Importance of Finding a Hook in Action Scenes

April 6, 2023

Andor is a dark, sci-fi-thriller that follows the adventures of Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), a Rebel Alliance intelligence officer, as he searches for his missing sister while trying to evade the evil Empire. The show is set five years before the even...

What Genre Is My Screenplay?

March 27, 2023

Knowing what film genre you’re writing in is important for several reasons. Whether or not you’re playing into genre conventions or defying them, it’s useful to know what tropes have frequently appeared in certain kinds of films. Also when submitting...

Big Nate Writer Emily Brundige Shares What it Takes to Break into Animation

March 24, 2023

There is no single form of animation. Any parent can tell you about sitting through Cocomelon with their toddler then Big City Greens and Bluey with their kids before sending them to bed so they can watch South Park or Family Guy. That doesn’t even i...

The Bricks of Breaking In: Abbott Elementary Writer Brittani Nichols On The Importance Of Community As A Writer

March 17, 2023

How did WGA nominated and NAACP Image Award winning writer, actor and comedian Brittani Nichols (Abbott Elementary, A Black Lady Sketch Show) first fall in love with entertainment? Just like so many, her passion came from watching television. She exp...

Bobby Farrelly Says Comedy is About Flawed Character and Surprising Your Audience

March 7, 2023

Bobby Farrelly, along with his brother Peter Farrelly, are known for their iconic comedies like There’s Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber, and Fever Pitch. These films have firmly established the brothers as one of America’s premiere comedy direc...

‘Your Place or Mine’ Writer Aline Brosh McKenna on Creating Modern Romantic Leads

February 19, 2023

If you love writing romantic comedies, you’re in luck - they are making their way back to the audiences that adore them. While recent titles like Ticket to Paradise (starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney), The Lost City (starring Sandra Bullock) ...

Writer Tony Basgallop On His Gripping New Series The Consultant

February 19, 2023

Creator and showrunner, Tony Basgallop, well known for his Apple+ series Servant, brings another engaging series to the screen with The Consultant starring Christoph Waltz, Brittany O’Grady and Nat Wolff.