That will automatically center the dialogue. But in Highland, all you need to do to format dialogue is type a character’s name in all capitalized letters and write dialogue underneath it.

For example, if you wanted to write a character’s name in Final Draft so you can write dialogue underneath it, you’d have to hit the tab key. That means it allows you to start typing and formats the text as you write. Highland is distinguished by its plain text philosophy. Currently known as Highland 2 (though August refers to it as Highland and notes that is what future versions of it will be called), this software originally began as a tool that August had asked software engineer Nima Yousefi to create that would be “a digital hammer that could smash open PDF and take the text out of it.” August then wondered what would happen if he could take the text and turn it back into a PDF, which led him and his employees at Quote-Unquote Apps to develop Highland as screenwriting software. In addition to writing films such as Big Fish (2003) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), August is the creator of Highland, a prominent Final Draft alternative. Everyone’s used to it, and they’ve gotten up to speed with it, so it feels weird just to try to change,” says screenwriter John August. “I think there’s a sort of Stockholm syndrome that’s kicked in with Final Draft. And some contend that Final Draft’s great popularity is not because of its prowess as screenwriting software, but more because of a kind of complacency, an acceptance of Final Draft’s limitations without actively seeking for, or creating, alternatives.

Some screenwriters have complained about its high price, glitches, and the specifics of its feature set, saying the program doesn’t support their creative process enough and doesn’t have features they need.

Final Draft’s great success-complete with a Primetime Emmy Engineering Award it received in 2013- has led it to become known as the “industry standard” for screenwriting.īut at the same time, Final Draft has attracted a fair amount of criticism. Co-founded in 1990 and now in its 12th version, the Final Draft screenwriting software boasts both a user-friendly interface and features related to both outlining and production. If you’re a screenwriter or want to be a screenwriter, then at some point you will have used Final Draft. Schulman, also offers insider tips and tricks to save time and improve the quality of scripts, and a bonus chapter on using Final Draft Writer on iOS-to take scripts wherever inspiration strikes.Arc Studio, Celtx, Craig Mazin, Fade In, Final Draft, Highland, Highland 2, john august, Kelly Marcel, Michael Sarnoski, WriterDuet Your guide, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Roger S.H. Highlighted are the latest cutting-edge features in version 12 that enable brainstorming, alternate versions of dialog, and more. This step-by-step, interactive course gets aspiring screenwriters-or pros who haven’t yet used Final Draft-up to speed quickly. Final Draft 12 is a leader in the creation and revision of screenplays of all types, and is the go-to tool for novices and veteran screenwriters alike. As communication has grown increasingly visual-and video technology has become increasingly accessible-the art and craft of screenwriting has found powerful additional uses in everything from politics to marketing to education. Writing scripts for the big or small screen is a dream for countless aspiring creatives.

Final draft software interface