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.

Do You Have to Live in LA to be a Screenwriter?

December 2, 2024

This is a question that’s commonly asked by many aspiring screenwriters: do you have to live in LA to be a screenwriter? Speaking from my own personal experience, I know you don’t need to live in LA to land your first screenwriting job or sell your f...

This Is What Managers Look for in a Script

June 25, 2024

These days it’s uncommon for a screenwriter to sell a script or get an agent without being repped by a manager beforehand. Management companies have become the de facto filtering system of the screenplay marketplace.

3 Must-Ask Questions Before You Write a Sellable Script

April 9, 2024

In my article "Big Story, Small Budget," I wrote about how you should be mindful of production costs when deciding what to write because it’s a major factor in why scripts get bought and produced. Generally speaking, the more cost-effective the proje...

How to Work Your Win: Catching Up with 2020 Big Break Winner Ben Johnson Jr.

May 8, 2023

Writer Ben Johnson Jr. had a very specific goal when entering Final Draft’s Big Break – to get repped. “Because I live in South Africa, I knew I needed a manager or agent to champion me and my work in the American market,” he shares. “So I researched...

What Genre Is My Screenplay?

March 27, 2023

Knowing what film genre you’re writing in is important for several reasons. Whether or not you’re playing into genre conventions or defying them, it’s useful to know what tropes have frequently appeared in certain kinds of films. Also when submitting...

Screenplay Options vs. Screenplay Sales

January 31, 2023

Most aspiring screenwriters dream of selling their script. However, many times — especially in the earlier days of a screenwriting career — a writer is more likely to have their script optioned by a producer or production company. But what exactly is...

Big Story, Small Budget

December 16, 2022

Many aspiring screenwriters don’t consider budgets when writing a spec script, even though it’s a major factor to why certain scripts get bought and produced.

There Isn’t a Perfect Screenplay

September 28, 2022

There isn’t a perfect screenplay.

5 Tips to Writing a Great Opening

September 7, 2022

In my article 5 Clichés to Avoid in the Opening of Your Script, I stressed the importance of grabbing industry professionals in the first couple pages of your spec script. Whether it’s a feature screenplay or a television pilot, most managers, agents...