Final Draft Blog

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Film School Spotlight: The UCLA Extension Writers' Program

February 13, 2019

As with all artists, there is one place writers go for a sense of direction when lost: The basics.

Playwriting for the Screenwriter II: Submissions & Successes

January 10, 2019

Photo courtesy of Julieta Cervantes / www.broadway.com So you’ve written a play! You’ve honed your characterization and dialogue, you’ve kept in mind theatre’s technical challenges, and you’ve generated ideas to creatively inspire an audience. Congra...

All the World’s a Stage: Playwriting for the Screenwriter

December 28, 2018

When it comes to dramatic writing, the allure of the stage is clear. Picture this: every year, approximately 50 thousand scripts are registered with the WGA, and that’s not even taking into the account the number of screenwriters who never register t...

Write on with David E. Talbert

November 15, 2018

Acclaimed playwright and filmmaker David E. Talbert discusses his 25-year career in theater, honing his cinematic skills by learning on the job, and how his experiences growing up influence the stories he tells. David is currently developing an origi...

Reclaiming the American Past, Part 2

November 5, 2018

WHERE ARE OUR JAMES GRAHAMS, WHEN WE NEED THEM? You probably don’t know the name of James Graham right now, though Americans are likely to become more familiar with him in a short time. He’s an extremely prolific and extremely successful playwright f...

Reclaiming the American Past, Part 1

October 5, 2018

In this column, once and hopefully twice a month, I hope to bring to your attention not just issues and developments affecting today’s playwrights, but issues and plays of the past that are worth reconsidering. As a matter of habit by now, I read a f...

Writer-Director Timothee Hochet on Selling Horror Series 'Calls' to Apple

September 26, 2018

For French filmmaker Timothée Hochet, what people do not see — and the versions of hell we store in our heads — is more scary than anything we will ever watch on television.

Sundance Lab Spotlight: Brett Weiner and Emma Fletcher

July 6, 2018

Each year, Sundance Institute labs bring together aspiring writers and directors who want to take their projects to the next level. Notable projects that evolved in these labs include Damien Chazelle's Whiplash; Cary Fukunaga’s Sin Nombre and Ryan Co...

Tech Tip: Launching the Most Recent Document

June 1, 2018

You did it. You hit your writing quota for the day. Whether it’s 5, 10 or even 15 pages, you’ve successfully fulfilled your daily creative endeavor and have earned a well-deserved break, so go ahead and close Final Draft. Yes, you read that correctly...