Final Draft Blog
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Screenwriting lessons from Spielberg’s Origin Story: ‘The Fabelmans’
What was Steven Spielberg like before he became Steven Spielberg? In the new film The Fabelmans, Spielberg tells the true story of what drove one of the best filmmakers in the history of the industry to become the person he is today. This semi-autobi...
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Take 5: ‘She Said’ shows how two reporters started a movement
What does it take to break a story? In the film She Said, two journalists at the New York Times take on the challenge of exposing systemic sexual assault in Hollywood by going after the notorious producer Harvey Weinstein. Based on the article by rep...
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Take 5: ‘Devotion’ and the art of adapting a true story
Devotion takes place in 1950 at the beginning of the Korean conflict, also known as the ‘Forgotten War.’ In some ways this is true. Rare is the movie that highlights this tumultuous time in our history with the most recognizable example being M*A*S*H...
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'Bones and All' Screenwriter David Kajganich on the many layers of collaboration in adaptations
In the center of Regan’s America, a father desperately moves his only daughter, Maren, out of their double wide for the umpteenth time. They have less than an hour to find a new home before the rest of the community figures out their terrible secret ...
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Take 5: Writing a Coming-of-Age Story in ‘Armageddon Time’
Armageddon Time is a coming-of-age story that follows Paul Graf (Banks Repeta), a sixth-grade boy, who struggles with finding his place in the world during the generational shift from the 1970s into the 1980s. Paul not only begins to learn that his a...
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What ‘The Santa Clause’ franchise can teach us about story
Over the course of the last 28 years, Tim Allen has donned the red suit and appeared on the big and small screen as Santa Claus in the Disney IP The Santa Clause. Built on the premise that a corporate toy executive is legally bound to become Santa, t...
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The Vampire Factor: The character archetype that just won’t die
One thing is certain in the world of cinema: Vampires will never go out of style. From F.W. Murnau’s 1922 black and white silver screen creature of the night Nosferatu through to the sexy, stylized variations that grace our modern small screens, vamp...
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Take 5: A hero must rise in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’
In the latest Marvel Studios film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the citizens of Wakanda are mourning the loss of their king while facing the powerful forces of a new enemy from below the sea and the world powers interested in the Vibranium found w...
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5 Tips to Writing a Great Third Act
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 ...
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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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