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.

Queen Sugar' Writer Felicia Pride on Her Lifelong Pursuit to be Undeniable on the Page

May 22, 2020

Felicia Pride celebrated her 39th birthday in her very first Hollywood writers room; ironically, about 20 years after her first-ever published piece.

Rising Through the Ranks: Jonathan Barger

May 21, 2020

Jonathan Barger has only been in Los Angeles for six years. Still, since the move he’s optioned an original script, been hired by a production company to do a rewrite, and had a management company attach itself to a feature he co-wrote. It may seem l...

Like a Good Jazz Song, 'The Eddy' is Loose, Unrefined and Will Hit You Right in the Heart

May 21, 2020

The Eddy opens as any good jazz song should, and with some signature Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land) style—multilayered. A tense jazz song is simultaneously presented to us the audience, as well as to an agent on screen looking to sign talent....

Clark Duke Gets His Directorial Debut in 'Arkansas'

May 20, 2020

Arkansas is a movie that feels all at once familiar and surprising. In Clark Duke’s directorial debut, the man mostly known for his off-beat comedy acting points his camera at a cast of simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary characters who make up...

Unscripted: This Week in Screenwriting News

May 20, 2020

Screenwriting career consultant Lee Jessup discusses this week's success stories, industry news, online events, and more.

Writer-Actress Nia Fairweather's 'Four Seasons' Bears Hope for the Indy Filmmaker

May 20, 2020

Back in February, before the novel coronavirus hit and temporarily upended the industry, writer and actress Nia Fairweather’s Four Seasons premiered at the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles. Reception to the film, which follows Charisse...

Write On with 'GLOW' Co-Creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch

May 19, 2020

GLOW co-creators Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive discuss the way they approach character, their choice to take the show to Las Vegas in Season 3, how they got their starts as writers, and more.

Spec Spotlight: Zack Ford Sells 'The Watcher' to Spooky Pictures

May 14, 2020

Zack Ford is hoping to scare audiences with his spec script The Watcher, which recently sold. The psychological thriller is about a newly engaged couple who move to an apartment in New York City, however the fiancée soon feels that she is being watch...

Write On with Hulu's 'The Great' Creator Tony McNamara

May 13, 2020

Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and creator of Hulu's The Great Tony McNamara discusses his approach to writing period pieces, the shifting tones of the show, and more!