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.

Ghosts of the Ozarks' filmmakers on collaboration and challenges in script-to-screen

February 7, 2022

In post-Civil War Arkansas, a young doctor is mysteriously summoned to a remote town in the Ozarks, only to discover that the utopian paradise is filled with secrets and surrounded by a menacing, supernatural presence.

Order up: Christoffer Boe serves foodie cinematography alongside musings on marriage in ‘A Taste of Hunger’

February 7, 2022

Director and co-writer Christoffer Boe consulted with an unusual combination of professionals for the creation of his latest film, A Taste of Hunger — chefs at renowned Michelin-starred restaurants and marriage counselors — to dig into what it means ...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: How ‘Munich: The Edge of War’ explores the possibility of stopping World War II

February 4, 2022

What if you could stop World War II? That thought is what lies behind the story of Munich: The Edge of War, which follows two friends who, at the cusp of Germany’s takeover of the Sudetenland, find themselves with the ear of two of the world’s foremo...

Write On with 'A Journal for Jordan' Screenwriter Virgil Williams

February 4, 2022

Directed by Denzel Washington and starring Michael B. Jordan, A Journal for Jordan is based on the true story of First Sergeant Charles Monroe King, a soldier deployed to Iraq who begins to keep a journal of love and advice for his infant son. Screen...

Equipped, Part III: Podcasts as a gateway to screenwriting with Paul Bae

February 3, 2022

Welcome to part three of "Equipped," a biweekly interview series picking the brains of your favorite showrunners, show creators, EPs, and all-around legends. In part one, we took a dive into the world of comedy writer-producer Dan O'Shannon, and in p...

History of TV: The ultimate show of 'Power'

February 3, 2022

The Power pilot sets up a whole vibe before introducing any characters, thus surrounding us in a world we’re instantly curious about — maybe even coveting — just like the scores of people behind the velvet ropes of Truth, James’s “Ghost” St. Patrick’...

Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks on channeling their pandemic-induced anxieties with ‘Alone with You’

February 1, 2022

In a dark but perhaps predictable turn, many viewers of Emily Bennett and Justin Brooks’ horror/thriller Alone with You will find themselves living through the feeling of isolation explored in the film, which is being released amid the newest wave of...

5 Screenwriting Takeaways: 'And Just Like That' delivers slow burn

February 1, 2022

Re-booting a classic is not easy, And Just Like That has caught a lot of flack for taking the beloved characters from Sex and the City and giving audiences a glimpse into a less than picture-perfect look at sex, love and aging. But, when a show can s...

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi's ‘Drive My Car’ offers therapy from both the front and back seat

January 29, 2022

Drive My Car is a straightforward story about grief. In another sense, it’s a meta look about how life can take away our innocence in such quick strokes, the blink of an eye really, but if one figures out how to keep going there are more reprieves th...