Final Draft Blog

All the tips, tricks and information you need to inspire your writing!
Read interviews with the pros, catch up with industry news, and listen to Write On: A Screenwriting Podcast by Final Draft.

Write On with 'Burning Cane' Writer-Director Phillip Youmans

January 14, 2020

Burning Cane writer-director Phillip Youmans discusses the real-life inspiration for the film, how he made the film while still in high school, getting picked up for distribution by Ava DuVernay's ARRAY, and much more.

The Fast Five: ‘Joker’ Leads Oscar® Nominations, While Robots Take Charge at Warner Bros.

January 13, 2020

While it can feel like awards’ season goes on forever, this morning’s announcement of the 2019 Academy Award® nominations takes us one step closer to the finish line. Technology also takes a front seat in this week’s film and TV news, as Samsung rele...

The Weekend Movie Takeaway: Oscar® Contender '1917' Leads the Weekend Box Office

January 13, 2020

One major Oscar® contender emphatically proved itself at the box office this past weekend, slipping into the race for wide audiences right before nominations were announced.

Weekend Writing Inspiration: Wrapping Up Your 2019 Writing Year

January 10, 2020

Being Seen Is A Radical Act: Chinonye Chukwu On 'Clemency'

January 8, 2020

What do you think of when someone brings up prison wardens? Hollywood has trained us to imagine imposing, burly, middle-aged white men. Does someone like Alfre Woodard come to mind? This legend plays the lead in Clemency, the second feature film of d...

Write On with Filmmaker and Sensitivity Reader Alex Creswick

January 7, 2020

Alex Creswick discusses what a sensitivity reader does and how it can benefit your story, her work as a development executive, the film The Blackout which she produced, and more. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Write On Podcast on iTunes!

5 Takeaways From Episode One Of 'The Mandalorian'

January 6, 2020

Your weekly break-down of a popular movie or television episode to see what a screenwriter—or any writer, for that matter—can take away from what’s on screen: what worked, what didn’t, and how you can use what’s popular to craft your own stories.

The Fast Five: Wrapping the 'Tumultuous Tens' In Film and TV News

January 6, 2020

The last thing anybody wants to do on their holidays is pay attention to the news. Let’s be honest, nothing overly good was in the news in 2019, and thankfully it’s behind us. Now we’re in the Roarin’ Twenties, a decade with a much cooler nickname th...

The 'Holiday' Movie Takeaway: Audiences Are Shelling Out for Unique Narrative Over Brand Recognition

January 6, 2020

The holiday rush to post-New Year’s period at the box office saw some longstanding notions about the power of macro narratives hold firm, but perhaps more importantly, showed how micro narratives can take hold of the public imaginations—and that bran...