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The Final Draft software is one of the highest-rated and most popular screenplay writing programs on the market. It also comes with one of the highest price tags, causing many to turn to a Final Draft review and other resources to determine if the screenwriting software is worth the money.
But Final Draft makes the whole process much easier. As there are options for buying Final Draft specifically for a platform, I was worried that maybe just buying this code wouldn't be 'enough,' but it's worked fine. And now that I've registered, Final Draft lets me recover my code if I can't find it (cough, disorganization, dead laptop). Can Final Draft 12, Final Draft 11 and / or Final Draft 10 share collaboration sessions? Number of Views 1.2K In a collaboration session, I can't access the Beat Board, index cards or other views of the script, and some icons and me.
Many high-level writers/directors/producers use the Final Draft software, including Doug Ellin and Guillermo Del Toro, making it the number-one selling software of it's kind. They have found that it works for them. This Final Draft review should help you decide if the scriptwriting software will work for you.
Final Draft: Overview
Final Draft has been around for nearly 30 years. It began when co-founders Marc Madnick and Ben Cahan decided to address the need for a dedicated screenplay software. They knew the industry needed something that could keep up with the rigorous Hollywood standards.
The software has been perfected and improved many times over the last 30 years. It is currently on its 11th official version of Final Draft, with new and improved features being released each update.
It is touted as the most professional screenplay writing software in the industry. However, some struggle because of the price. In this Final Draft review, I will go over all the main features of the software as well as look at the improvements and additions that come with Final Draft 11.
Before you begin your screenwriting adventure though, it’s important to go over the basics and ensure you know what you’re doing. Check out this detailed and comprehensive guide on how to write a screenplay. This will arm you with the appropriate knowledge before diving into the software.
Final Draft Software Features
Final Draft has an incredible amount of features, tools, and abilities, all catered to helping you write that screenplay with ease and efficiency. The amount of small, helpful details is vast. But, there are several key features that act as the main selling point.
The following features are some of the Final Draft staples that remain the same from Final Draft 10 to Final Draft 11.
Formatting
Final Draft makes it easy to format your script according to industry standards. It has the same tab and enter functionality that much screenplay writing software has. Using tab and enter you can easily follow the correct format as you go.
Or, you can make a quick selection from the format menu and choose which type of line you need to enter next.
In addition to this, Final Draft also includes a formatting assistant for advanced formatting checks and help. It will look for several things:
- Missing dialogue.
- Carriage returns.
- Blank elements.
- Extra spaces.
- Other common formatting mistakes.
You can run it manually at any time, or you can set it to run automatically each time you print. This can save you from having to go back and print again if you forget to run it.
Templates
Final Draft comes with a few standard templates for you to choose from. Many like to work with a template as it keeps them moving in the right direction.
In addition to the templates included, you can download from a library of over 100 classic TV show, movie, stage play, and graphic novel templates.
These templates can be useful when you’ve already chosen the direction of your script. Specific templates will help you write exactly what you’ve set out to write. However, some writers don’t like feeling too confined when they’re writing.
If you’re looking for a helpful but straightforward template designed for more general screenplay writing, this one is a fantastic choice:
A screenplay writing template will help you structure your story and it will make sure you include all elements required of a screenplay.
Index Cards
The index cards are a pretty universal feature when it comes to writing software. There are different versions, but they all serve the same purpose. Virtual note cards can be arranged on the screen, in a similar fashion to a corkboard.
What’s special about the Final Draft index cards is the fact that they’re double-sided. On one side you can write or outline the scene itself.
The other side contains a summary. You can flip them around depending on what you’re trying to do - create an outline, work on the plot, rearrange some parts, etc.
You can also print these notes onto standard 3x5 or 4x6 cards if you like to visualize your story in a more physical or “real-life” way.
Character Features
Your characters are a huge part of your story, meaning they appear many, many times throughout your script. There are two key character features that allow you to keep character development organized and efficient.
First, you can change the character names globally. This means you can change the name in every location - dialogue, action, parentheticals, etc - all at the same time. The name will retain its proper casing throughout. This will save you a lot of time if you decide to change a character’s name.
Second, is the character highlight feature. This allows you to highlight each character’s dialogue with a different color. This is perfect if you’re planning a table reading. It can also let you see if one character is talking too much, or perhaps not enough.
Writing Management
The writing management tool tracks your progress and lets you check it whenever you want with the statistics report.
You can also track specific things like how much one character interacts with another. This helps you create and maintain balance in your story.
Final Draft Student
If you’re a student you can save a lot on Final Draft 11. Final Draft student access will require you to prove your affiliation with an academic organization of some sort. There are some documents that must be filled out.
Once you do this, you can gain access to the program in its entirety for much less than the average customer.
Final Draft 11 New and Improved
The above features have stayed the same, but there are many that have been improved from their Final Draft 10 previous versions, and some brand new ones that were added to Final Draft 11.
Final Draft 10 Improved Features
Three key features have been improved in the new update. They existed in Final Draft 10 but they’ve made some adjustments for Final Draft 11.
Collaboration
The real-time collaboration is one of the most useful features of this software for those that want to work together. There are many tools that make collaboration easy and effective. The ability to collaborate is a dealbreaker for some.
For Final Draft 11, they added a chat room option. So, you can converse with your team and work on the project simultaneously.
Beat Board
The beat board is a board where you can layout anything you need. Beats can be anything from characters to plot points. It can also be used to create storyboards.
For Final Draft 11, they added a few features to the beat board to make it even better:
- Insert images by dragging and dropping.
- Drag content to and from your script and retain the format.
- Color code beats with new custom colors.
- Export beats to PDF.
Story Map
The story map is a fantastic tool that lets you plan your story in both a linear and visual way. In Final Draft 11, they added the ability to put images in the story map.
This makes the story map that much more dynamic and helpful when plotting, or even just getting a quick overview of what you’ve already done.
Final Draft 11 New Features
With the Final Draft 11 update, they added a series of brand new features. They will make the experience even more comprehensive and productive:
Image Support
Image support was added to the beat board, title page, and general script.
Visualizing the story is helpful for all types of writers. Now, you can do it in multiple places within the software.
Tagging
Tagging is a powerful way to organize and sort everything within your project. You can use the tags to track and then report on story elements that you choose and customize.
You can also break down your script for budgeting and scheduling.
Night Mode
This is a simple but handy addition.
If you prefer to work with a dark background and light text, you can make the switch quickly and work in night mode.
Speech to Script (Mac Only)
This new feature is only available on Mac as it utilizes Mac’s built-in dictation feature. Final Draft uses this to help you write your script through speech if you wish.
This makes it easy to give yourself a hands-free experience if that works better for you. It also means you can keep working through aches or injury if you’re experiencing any.
Multi-Language Support
Another simple but amazing feature.
You can now write in over 95 different languages. This is incredible for those who struggle with English or who are native to another language and would prefer to write their script with that one.
A Simple Alternative
Final Draft is a cutting edge software that is constantly evolving and improving. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood swear by it, and for good reason. It’s robust and comprehensive, with such a long list of features that all have their place and purpose.
It works well for high-level writers and/or groups that need to work together. For the price tag though, you better be sure you’re going to use all the features and get your money’s worth.
If you think you aren’t going to fully utilize the software, look into a simpler option. I suggest going with Squibler.
Squibler is fantastic writing software for those who are looking for a more simple and streamlined experience. The interface is organized and easy to understand while covering all the bases of completing your project:
- Create an outline.
- Store and organize your research.
- Take notes and filter them with tags.
- Break your writing up into chapters/scenes/sections - whatever you need.
- Drag and drop sections to rearrange with ease.
- Use the built-in text editor to help you catch mistakes
Squibler has a lot to offer a writer who is flying solo. It’s not ideal if you need to collaborate with many others, but it works immensely well when you’re on your own.
Final Draft Software Pricing
Final Draft can be bought for a one-time price. Once you pay this fee, you have access to the software for life. However, it only applies to the version you bought. Upgrades to new versions will cost additional money.
Final Draft has a few different levels of pricing, depending on what exactly you’re looking for:
Pricing Options | |
---|---|
Final Draft 11 Software | $249 for full individual license. |
Final Draft Upgrade | $99 upgrade fee if you already own the program and want to upgrade to a newer version. |
Final Draft Student License | $129 with proof of academic affiliation. |
Final Draft for iPhone and iPad | $9.99. A useful extra tool for jotting down notes or adding to the project on the go. |
Is Final Draft Worth it?
For a prolific, regular writer who wants to get projects done fast and needs to work with many others - yes, it is worth every penny. It has helped craft the success of many world-renowned directors, producers, screenwriters, etc.
Make sure you do your research though and ensure its list of features are things that you need. It will not be worth your money if you’re not going to put at least most, if not all, of the program to good use.
How do you go about writing a screenplay? There are a few of us who sit down at the computer, like some modern day Dalton Trumbo at his trusty Remington, type FADE IN: and keep going until the cigarette packet is empty.
If you are one of this talented few, script formatting applications like Celtx, Movie Magic and Final Draft are great productivity tools. These take the hassle out of capitalising, indenting and laying out a script in the format demanded by the Hollywood movie moguls.
They also remember the names of your characters and scene locations. They’ll check your spelling, allow you to classify and rearrange scenes, and produce shooting scripts and script reports for your production team.
Final Draft™ has fought its way to the top in the screenplay formatting wars. If you believe the hype, it is “used by 95% of film and television productions.”
But for most of us, writing a screenplay begins long before we sit down at the keyboard with that real or virtual clean sheet in front of us. If you follow The Story Department’s advice, and have visited Logline It, you know the drill. You will have refined your logline, described the inciting incident, and developed a 3-act structure. You will have laid out the main beats and arcs and possibly covered your wall with scrawled library cards before you type EXT.
There are a few computer applications that can help you with this early stage. Pre-scripting is by definition a messy job with lots of redundancy.
Final Draft 10 aims to pull the whole process together into a single software package. (Declaration of interest: I’ve been a voluntary beta tester on Final Draft 10 for the past 18 months, but I have no financial interest in the software.)
In this review I’ll assume that the script formatting aspect of Final Draft needs no explanation or comment. I’ll confine myself to the meta-script aspects and the new and improved pre-scripting tools.
NAVIGATOR
This tabbed panel is not new — it’s been part of Final Draft for the past 3-4 versions at least, but its utility has been improved.
If you’re already using Final Draft you’ll be familiar with how use it to jump to, drag, rearrange and colour-code scenes. You know how to keep track of characters and define their arcs; and add script notes.
Now the Navigator is linked to The Story Map, which multiplies its usefulness.
STORY MAP
While the Navigator provides a running overview of your screenplay as you are writing it, the Story Map is an omnipresent, interactive view of your story.
It is a horizontal bar at the top of the window, providing an overview of your script at a glance.
Before you begin, you set a target length in pages, define Structure Points (eg. acts, mid-point) and add Beats. These become page targets in the Story Map. You can, of course, drag these targets around, add new points or erase them at will.
As you write new scenes, they appear in the Story Map along with any colours you added in the Navigator. Double clicking on a scene in the Map takes you to that scene in the script. You can zoom in to examine your scene sequence, or zoom out for a birds-eye view of your screenplay.
BEAT BOARD
The Beat Board is the most obvious new feature in Final Draft 10. It’s your pin board, where you scribble on virtual library cards and drag them around until they make sense.
The Board is totally free format, equally useful for brainstorming, structuring and making notes. Double click anywhere on the board to create a card, then change its size and colour and location and drag it into position.
What you put on these virtual cards is up to you: ideas, notes, character sketches, scene descriptions, “beats,” reminders, phone numbers, shopping lists…
I’ve never been an enthusiastic user of library cards and preferred Scrivener to structure my story. However, I’ve become a fan of the Beat Board for this visual process of brainstorming, rearranging, refining and editing.
It is instinctive and almost infinitely flexible. I’d appreciate more colours and a “snap to grid” option, though. Maybe that is my OCD speaking. And I’d like to be able to add hyperlinks and images, but maybe these will come in later versions.
(NB. The Beat Board is not related to the Index Cards view, which has been an option under the VIEW menu since Version 1.)
SPLIT
In Final Draft 9, you had the ability to split the screen vertically or horizontally, but now you can drag your Beats directly into your screenplay from the Split view.
ALT DIALOGUE
Now here’s a handy feature: say you can’t decide whether a character is a Yank or an Aussie; whether he says “Wassup dude?” or “G’day mate?”
This handy refinement enables you to include any number of alternatives.
Just click on the small “+” beside the line and type in the Yank/Aussie lines.
Both alternatives remain in the screenplay until you decide which market you are selling to.
COLLABORATION
I’ve been collaborating on a script with a writer in the USA. We used to email copies back and forth and mark our contributions and changes using Script Notes and colours.
With FD10 and Skype it’s as though we are sitting side-by-side. It’s as simple as clicking “Collaborate”, obtaining a Session ID Number and Skyping (or emailing) the number to him. He clicks Collaborate and enters the ID Number and my script appears on his computer.
We pass Control back and forward and any changes one of us makes, the other sees in real time. You can communicate interactively using text or speech, though we prefer to run a Skype session beside it. It’s as painless as your bandwidth allows.
Final Draft 10 Update
Unfortunately, the Beat Board, Splits and several other new features are greyed out in Collaboration mode. I hope they are going to be included in versions 10+.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
There are a lot of smaller improvements in Version 10, too. You’ll find more scene numbering options, header and footer improvements, revision versions. A long-overdue improvement is in the Dictionaries: Australian English works at last and I’ve tried it with French and German. And here’s a neat trick: when I’m collaborating with my American colleague, his spell-checker reads US English and mine is Australian English.
WORTH THE PRICE?
If you’re a serious scriptwriter, Final Draft 8 or 9 were always worth the investment. MacOS and Windows Final Draft documents are interchangeable and it delivers a script that won’t be rejected on formatting grounds by those picky Hollywood producers’ assistants. There are now Final Draft apps for iPhone and iPad, for both reading (free) and writing (US$10). So you can take it anywhere.
Let’s face it, Final Draft 10 is an investment, whether you are buying it or upgrading. If you’re not being paid for scriptwriting, perhaps stick with Celtx (free) and library cards for a while. When you’re ready to step into the bear pit, download the Free Trial from finaldraft.com, and explore the introduction screens and videos.
If you think it’s for you, check this site for the best price!
Final Draft 10 Torrent
FINAL DRAFT 10: FINAL THOUGHTS
Final Draft 10 is a new ball game, with useful, powerful and stable pre-scripting tools and the best collaboration feature on the market.
There are a few options that I hope appear in 10.1: more colours and a snap-to-grid in the Beat Board. Equally useful would be hyperlinks, and the ability to past graphics. Extending the collaboration capability to the Beat Board will double its usefulness.
Final Draft 10 Mac
-Ian Hart
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Final Draft 10 Dictation
Final Draft 10 Mqc
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