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.

How To Write a Modern Rom-Com

May 19, 2025

Romantic comedies are more than just lighthearted love stories—they are a cornerstone of popular cinema, blending heart and humor to capture the emotional rollercoaster of falling in love. While they may seem effortless on screen, writing a successfu...

Write On: 'Hurry Up Tomorrow' Director/Co-Writer Trey Edward Shults

May 16, 2025

“It was a lot of empathizing. I would do long phone calls with Abel (Tesfaye, aka the Weeknd) after we had met, just basically talking to him and finding out more of his history, where he was at in different phases of his life, where he’s at today, a...

7 essential films of Nora Ephron

May 15, 2025

Few names in the romantic comedy genre loom as large as writer/director Nora Ephron. Her trilogy of Meg Ryan hits,When Harry Met Sally… (1989),Sleepless In Seattle (1993) andYou’ve Got Mail (1998), sit mightily atop the genre canon, but her talents a...

Write On: 'Nonnas' Screenwriter Liz Maccie and Director Stephen Chbosky

May 15, 2025

“Sometimes it’s easier to find and access your truth through ‘pretend’ characters. So I had this embarrassment of riches of this true story but in my heart, I was like, ‘I totally get to tell my truth!’… So my advice is find a way to do it, and if yo...

How To Find the Time To Write Your Screenplay

May 12, 2025

In a perfect world, we’d all have unlimited time to work on our scripts. Studying for school, working to pay the bills, and family obligations would be taken care of, and there would be plenty of free time consisting of nothing more than you, your la...

Write On: 'Shadow Force' Director/Co-Writer Joe Carnahan and Co-Writer Leon Chills

May 9, 2025

“For me, I don’t know how you could not make [a script] personal. I think drama allows you to hide how personal it is. I think that’s kind of what I like about writing in the genre space. On the outside looking in, it just looks like a big action mov...

Lessons in Breaking Convention from the Writer of ‘Friendship’

May 9, 2025

Friendship writer/director Andrew DeYoung has built one of the most impressive comedy resumes in today’s film and TV world. The Emmy-nominated creator recently had his feature debut with Friendship at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, fol...

‘Clown in a Cornfield’ filmmaker tells how to write a movie that will get made

May 8, 2025

There’s nothing like a filmmaker who refuses to fit neatly into Hollywood’s boxes. Writer/director Eli Craig has made a career of blending horror and humor in ways that studios often struggle to categorize, creating memorable films that dance between...

Write On: 2024 Big Break Short Film Winner Brandon Osterman and Seed&Spark

May 8, 2025

On today’s episode, we speak to writer Brandon Osterman, whose short script The Naughty List won last year’s Final Draft Big Break Short Screenplay Category. As part of his prize package, he received a consultation with Sav Rodgers, Marketing Manager...