Final Draft Blog
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Why Horror Never Dies
Scary is in. Fear is fashionable. Horror is hot. That’s what we’re told. Judging strictly by box office returns and critical acclaim—not to mention the occasional Academy Award® for best screenplay—horror does seem to be having a moment in the zeitge...
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How to Make Your Characters Sound Different on the Page
If you were to take a scene for your latest screenplay, remove the names and read it out loud, would you know which characters were saying which lines? Or do they all kind of sound the same?
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The Bricks of Breaking In: Kung Fu Writer Richard Lowe On The Power of Persistence
Kung Fu’s Richard Lowe didn’t come from a family of storytellers. His parents had their own business and conversations around the dinner table rose out of newspaper articles that Lowe’s mom clipped from the local paper. Although Lowe didn’t really ma...
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What is a Subplot?
You've almost certainly heard the term "A story." This self-evidently means the main plot of a movie or TV show. The one the logline is about. That protagonist who wants something and the major obstacles, etc. etc. etc.
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Why You Should Write Dark Comedy
Dark comedy, also known as black comedy, is a style of comedy that finds humor in serious or taboo subjects. At its best, dark comedy can be cathartic, helping people confront the absurdities and injustices of existence while making them laugh.
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What Does "Breaking the Fourth Wall" Mean?
What is "breaking the fourth wall?" You may not know what it means or where the phrase originated — but you've definitely seen plenty of examples of it in movies and TV shows.
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Character Archetype: The Femme Fatale
The femme fatale is a notable character archetype in cinema history. Think Catherine Tramell from Basic Instinct or Amy Dunne from Gone Girl. A true femme fatale is as captivating as she’s conniving, and desirable as she is deadly.
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How to Harness Dan Harmon's Story Circle to Tell Better Stories
Loosely based on / inspired by the Hero's Journey story structure, Dan Harmon's Story Circle has gained a sizable following in recent years, particularly among writers of episodic television. But even feature script writers can benefit from using thi...
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Plot Device Cheat Sheet: How to Use Deus ex Machina
Every writer knows the meaning of the word "unmotivated." Some days, it's just an uphill slog to find the energy to even approach the keyboard, much less get actual words on a page.
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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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