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Final Draft 10

Printed From: NYC Midnight : Creative Writing & Screenwriting
Category: GENERAL DISCUSSION
Forum Name: Screenwriting Bar & Lounge
Forum Description: Discuss NYC Midnight Screenwriting Competitions or Screenwriting in general.
URL: https://forums.nycmidnight.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=19194
Printed Date: 28 Mar 2024 at 10:13am
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Topic: Final Draft 10
Posted By: Suave
Subject: Final Draft 10
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2018 at 9:34pm
I purchased Final Draft 10 earlier this year, the other day I get an email asking me for another $80 to upgrade to 11.  I contacted them and asked why if I just bought this they would not upgrade it to 11 - I thought this is really tacky and just a mistake.  They said no, they would not upgrade me as I was outside their free upgrade window of the last of July.  Buy software, and almost immediately they try and sell me an upgrade - Final Draft has seen the last dollar they will ever get out of me.


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Replies:
Posted By: Talespinner
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2018 at 3:57am
Final Draft, barely used, final purchase.

With apologies to Hemingway.Wink


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Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2018 at 6:10am
but you can add images to the beatboard now

dont you want to pay $80 for that


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Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2018 at 9:02am
Fade In seems a good substitute AND it allows for images.

Doesn't have a beat board, tho.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2018 at 10:52pm
Originally posted by cheezopath cheezopath wrote:

but you can add images to the beatboard now

dont you want to pay $80 for that

Ya, haha, that would make it worth it!


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2018 at 11:32am
Originally posted by Talespinner Talespinner wrote:

Final Draft, barely used, final purchase.

With apologies to Hemingway.Wink


I am sure he would agree with you!


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Posted By: cyberk
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2018 at 11:56am
I've switched to using WriterDuet, which is rock solid, flexible and developed by one guy who is super responsive to emails. It's SUPER great for collaborating or working with copy editors on your script.


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2018 at 12:31pm
Originally posted by cyberk cyberk wrote:

I've switched to using WriterDuet, which is rock solid, flexible and developed by one guy who is super responsive to emails. It's SUPER great for collaborating or working with copy editors on your script.


Wordstar was developed by one guy who was super responsive, until he wasn't.  The company that bought it tried to create a new release, but nobody could read his code.  Now only old gnomes who live in machine rooms with grey ponytails on bald heads and sit at green screen terminals all day writing impossibly cryptic command lines in csh know about it.  A bit like Wordperfect; that was the best word processor in the world until Microsoft bought the third best and murdered it.

I actually got FD11.  Not sure why, other than I could.  Haven't used it yet (I only used FD10 a couple times, and found out you can create corrupt files easily during a screenwriting contest).  I used to think I wanted to be a screenwriter, and maybe I still do (even though I don't watch TV or movies), but I did a suicide scene that was almost entirely self-talk and realized you can do things with prose that are pretty heart-breaking.  Getting completely lost in a book is still my favorite pastime. 

I'll tell you what I think of FD11 next weekend.  Maybe I'll get as annoyed with it as I was with FD 10 and use WriteDuet.  I hear it's written by one guy who is super-responsive to emails...  Big smile


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Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2018 at 1:09pm
Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:

Originally posted by Talespinner Talespinner wrote:

Final Draft, barely used, final purchase.

With apologies to Hemingway.Wink


I am sure he would agree with you!


Oh baby, that is a shoe-in!


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Pithy sayings are for the apt. For a longer message, you need a condo.



Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2018 at 1:13pm
BTW, I found that WriterDuet (online) is super easy to use, as is Amazon Storywriter, as long as you understand the basics of screenwriting (what the tags are, such as DIALOGUE or CHARACTER, and so on). And collaboration is super easy.

I'm collaborating with someone in another country where wifi/internet is spotty and expensive, so we're using a combination of WPS Office (he's using a tablet) and Fade In (I'm using a desktop). We'll see how it goes. He can get and send files in bursts, but it's difficult and costly to get on-demand wireless, and data plans are wildly expensive. There aren't any "free" hot spots that are easy to get to during his normal day-to-day activities.

I can't imagine using a tablet to do real work, TBH. I need the physical keyboard as my fingertips get sore if I use the glass screen of the tablet too much.


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Pithy sayings are for the apt. For a longer message, you need a condo.



Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 07 Oct 2018 at 8:41pm
Originally posted by stephenmatlock stephenmatlock wrote:

BTW, I found that WriterDuet (online) is super easy to use, as is Amazon Storywriter, as long as you understand the basics of screenwriting (what the tags are, such as DIALOGUE or CHARACTER, and so on). And collaboration is super easy.

I'm collaborating with someone in another country where wifi/internet is spotty and expensive, so we're using a combination of WPS Office (he's using a tablet) and Fade In (I'm using a desktop). We'll see how it goes. He can get and send files in bursts, but it's difficult and costly to get on-demand wireless, and data plans are wildly expensive. There aren't any "free" hot spots that are easy to get to during his normal day-to-day activities.

I can't imagine using a tablet to do real work, TBH. I need the physical keyboard as my fingertips get sore if I use the glass screen of the tablet too much.


I am sure there is a good story to go with this, probably good enough to be a story in its own light.  Of all the countries that I know of where data can be so expensive, I can only think of Canada, lol, but still . . .


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 09 Oct 2018 at 12:55am
Originally posted by cyberk cyberk wrote:

I've switched to using WriterDuet, which is rock solid, flexible and developed by one guy who is super responsive to emails. It's SUPER great for collaborating or working with copy editors on your script.


I think there are many good alternatives to chose from out there, no reason to pick the most expensive as they will just try and scam you outa money as you go.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 12:46am
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by cyberk cyberk wrote:

I've switched to using WriterDuet, which is rock solid, flexible and developed by one guy who is super responsive to emails. It's SUPER great for collaborating or working with copy editors on your script.


Wordstar was developed by one guy who was super responsive, until he wasn't.  The company that bought it tried to create a new release, but nobody could read his code.  Now only old gnomes who live in machine rooms with grey ponytails on bald heads and sit at green screen terminals all day writing impossibly cryptic command lines in csh know about it.  A bit like Wordperfect; that was the best word processor in the world until Microsoft bought the third best and murdered it.

I actually got FD11.  Not sure why, other than I could.  Haven't used it yet (I only used FD10 a couple times, and found out you can create corrupt files easily during a screenwriting contest).  I used to think I wanted to be a screenwriter, and maybe I still do (even though I don't watch TV or movies), but I did a suicide scene that was almost entirely self-talk and realized you can do things with prose that are pretty heart-breaking.  Getting completely lost in a book is still my favorite pastime. 

I'll tell you what I think of FD11 next weekend.  Maybe I'll get as annoyed with it as I was with FD 10 and use WriteDuet.  I hear it's written by one guy who is super-responsive to emails...  Big smile

Personally, I have tried the Fade In and it works well, I only bought the FD10 because so many others had it, and I had the money, lol.  But that is the last money they will see from me.


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Posted By: Zblugg
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2018 at 11:14am
Originally posted by stephenmatlock stephenmatlock wrote:

Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:

Originally posted by Talespinner Talespinner wrote:

Final Draft, barely used, final purchase.

With apologies to Hemingway.Wink


I am sure he would agree with you!


Oh baby, that is a shoe-in!

As a fellow punster, allow me to groan my appreciation, sir.


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Posted By: callmedeb
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2018 at 1:58pm
I think I have FD9 (or maybe 8), I won it in another contest. Haven't upgraded.

I hand write early drafts anyway, so it's more of a word processor for me. I also use their App in my iPad in a pinch - I have a keyboard, there's no way i'd touch type on the screen, even for 5 pages, lol.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2018 at 11:18pm
Originally posted by callmedeb callmedeb wrote:

I think I have FD9 (or maybe 8), I won it in another contest. Haven't upgraded.

I hand write early drafts anyway, so it's more of a word processor for me. I also use their App in my iPad in a pinch - I have a keyboard, there's no way i'd touch type on the screen, even for 5 pages, lol.

5 pages would seem a lot to touch type on the screen.


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Posted By: JeffreyHowe
Date Posted: 13 Oct 2018 at 12:26am
Most tablets pair nicely with small Bluetooth keyboards. In many cases (iPad especially) they are built to act as covers too. I will be writing my entry on one tomorrow. Smile

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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2018 at 10:20pm
Good news:
  • The five page screenplay with title page did not blow up FD11


Bad News:

  • All five pages sucked; the suckiness of the actual screenplay exceeded only by the banal suckiness of the title page.


Overall rating: It appears FD11 doesn't produce an output any better than that typed into it, which makes me wonder what value it provides.  If I get crap out from crap in I could use any formatting application out there.  The hope was there would be a button that said something along the lines of "Save as Masterpiece", but I couldn't find it. 



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Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2018 at 11:13pm
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

The hope was there would be a button that said something along the lines of "Save as Masterpiece", but I couldn't find it. 


Ah. You still have the beta of FD11. The full release can do that.

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2018 at 12:02am
Originally posted by stephenmatlock stephenmatlock wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

The hope was there would be a button that said something along the lines of "Save as Masterpiece", but I couldn't find it. 


Ah. You still have the beta of FD11. The full release can do that.

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.


I think I know what happened in the previous screenwriting contest.  I like to run stuff through Grammarly and the only way to do that is to save it as a pdf and then open it in Word and then there is no way to get it back into FD so I was doing side by side and saved to the wrong file and sent the wrong one in.  I wish they would make the FD a little more friendly to other programs instead of being like Microsoft. 


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 18 Oct 2018 at 10:46pm
Originally posted by JeffreyHowe JeffreyHowe wrote:

Most tablets pair nicely with small Bluetooth keyboards. In many cases (iPad especially) they are built to act as covers too. I will be writing my entry on one tomorrow. Smile


How did it go?


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Posted By: Scarlet Screenwriter
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2018 at 6:46am

FD10 has been out for a few years.  I have been using Final Draft since Version 5 ... 1996?  Best thing ever ... it is second nature now.  I am considering upgrading to 11 ... you can try it for a month, which is pretty generous.  I wrote this entry on it and it was brilliant ... much more intuitive... the $79 upgrade fee is fair, considering it is almost a whole new package. 








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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 19 Oct 2018 at 6:55am
Originally posted by Scarlet Screenwriter Scarlet Screenwriter wrote:


FD10 has been out for a few years.  I have been using Final Draft since Version 5 ... 1996?  Best thing ever ... it is second nature now.  I am considering upgrading to 11 ... you can try it for a month, which is pretty generous.  I wrote this entry on it and it was brilliant ... much more intuitive... the $79 upgrade fee is fair, considering it is almost a whole new package. 








Fair unless you just bought the FD10 program, I just got another email trying to get me to upgrade to the 11 for $80 when I just bought the 10.  Ya it works, but so do the others.  I have found that trying to import into the FD is not all that easy if possible at all.  I have esportedin the pdf so that I could open it in grammarly but there is no way to get it back into the FD once I have made the checks and fix my errors, have to manually input it, u would think if it is the same pdf that you exported that it would open it, but not for me.  I tried opening some of the fade in files I had, same result.



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Posted By: Ioshkafu
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2018 at 12:01am
Hi, I'm only an occasional creative writer and mostly a translator of movie scripts (from Italian to English). I do about 75% of my work on an iPad Mini (no external keyboard), in txt mode using Fountain markup... then once done, I import the "fountainized" script into Fade In and from there export to FDX (8) because most production companies here want the output in Final Draft and in PDF (generated by FD). 

The iOS apps of both Final Draft and Fade In are horrible for handhelds... so I use Notebooks which offers Connective Editing - an  idea of mine that ace programmer Alfons Schmid of Austria kindly implemented that makes most of the standard (meat-and-potatoes) Editing operations actually faster on a handheld than what's normal on a computer. 

Editing power is very important to me because translation is editing on steroids, the process being: load the original, read a portion, translate that portion, forward delete the old, move on to next portion and repeat... then Approx. 20K words later... "FINE"  gets translated to - "THE END" - and canceled. But that's only the beginning of the end, because now I have to take it to the top and put the job through a polish... now it's a bit closer to what you "creativi" do... in any case, it's English on English.

Anyhow... I'm a big Fountain to Fade In  aficionado... Fountain gives me the freedom to work on any device. (All allow txt mode). Then the iPad mini running Notebooks (with Connective Editing) allows me to work slouched in bed, in the car, al fresco at a cafe bar, strolling... and I mean WORK PRODUCTIVELY (5-6K words a day). 

Connective Editing has a very shallow learning curve... (mostly getting the hang of it)... 

Of course, in the end, what matters is house training the eternal puppy (on the paper! Get the sh on the paper!)... so whatever works for you is fine... and there's the word AND... handheld AND computer, not so much handheld vs computer. Just rest assured that editing on an iPad Mini is now crazy fast!



Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 25 Oct 2018 at 9:38pm
Originally posted by Ioshkafu Ioshkafu wrote:

Hi, I'm only an occasional creative writer and mostly a translator of movie scripts (from Italian to English). I do about 75% of my work on an iPad Mini (no external keyboard), in txt mode using Fountain markup... then once done, I import the "fountainized" script into Fade In and from there export to FDX (8) because most production companies here want the output in Final Draft and in PDF (generated by FD). 

The iOS apps of both Final Draft and Fade In are horrible for handhelds... so I use Notebooks which offers Connective Editing - an  idea of mine that ace programmer Alfons Schmid of Austria kindly implemented that makes most of the standard (meat-and-potatoes) Editing operations actually faster on a handheld than what's normal on a computer. 

Editing power is very important to me because translation is editing on steroids, the process being: load the original, read a portion, translate that portion, forward delete the old, move on to next portion and repeat... then Approx. 20K words later... "FINE"  gets translated to - "THE END" - and canceled. But that's only the beginning of the end, because now I have to take it to the top and put the job through a polish... now it's a bit closer to what you "creativi" do... in any case, it's English on English.

Anyhow... I'm a big Fountain to Fade In  aficionado... Fountain gives me the freedom to work on any device. (All allow txt mode). Then the iPad mini running Notebooks (with Connective Editing) allows me to work slouched in bed, in the car, al fresco at a cafe bar, strolling... and I mean WORK PRODUCTIVELY (5-6K words a day). 

Connective Editing has a very shallow learning curve... (mostly getting the hang of it)... 

Of course, in the end, what matters is house training the eternal puppy (on the paper! Get the sh on the paper!)... so whatever works for you is fine... and there's the word AND... handheld AND computer, not so much handheld vs computer. Just rest assured that editing on an iPad Mini is now crazy fast!



That sounds interesting, and not that easy.  I am supposing that it gets complicated when you need to make judgement calls on what something means in English.  How is the pay for something like that?


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Posted By: Ioshkafu
Date Posted: 26 Oct 2018 at 2:04am
Hello Suave,
Well it can be hard... but nothing compared to the blank page that creative writers must face, with the godlike task of creating everything out of thin air.

I don't start with a blank screen, but with 20K of someone else's bla-bla. Sure, I need to be creative... but in a cage, while the "creativi" must be creative out in the wild.

In any case, the actual physical work of formatting and editing is identical. What you do in Final Draft or Fade In or the others, I have to do as well...

All resistance to the American industrial formatting standard has disappeared. So now, whether done in Final Draft or not, the end product must "look" like it was done in Final Draft.

I use Final Draft only and precisely for its namesake... the Final Draft... the draft I deliver. Otherwise I'm not at all fond of the program... because it's very sluggish for editing and totally in the thrall of what I call the "Microsoft Whammy"...

But bear in mind that I'm just a scribe, so I don't need all the undeniably great database functionalities of a scriptwriting program. All I need is the formatting! For example, what am I gonna do with a corkboard?

My contribution to humanity was to make editing on handhelds - yes, even on an iPhone, incredibly more snappy than anything out there.

The big boys, the programming heavies missed something huge about txt editing... that it's CONNECTIVE.

Connective in its blind mechanics, its pondered purpose, it's
Geography (no I'm not crazy)... and 9 times outta 10 in its practice.


Posted By: JeffreyHowe
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2018 at 1:46pm
Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:

Originally posted by JeffreyHowe JeffreyHowe wrote:

Most tablets pair nicely with small Bluetooth keyboards. In many cases (iPad especially) they are built to act as covers too. I will be writing my entry on one tomorrow. Smile


How did it go?

Sorry, just getting back here after more real life distractions. It worked fine. Finished up at home with the full version the next day.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 23 Nov 2018 at 11:22pm
Glad the small devices worked for you - haha, work with what you have, or don't work at all!


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2018 at 4:39am
Bump!

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Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 30 Nov 2018 at 5:01am
i ended up picking up fd11 in black friday sale...

going to use it this weekend. I'll let you know if it was worth it


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2018 at 2:49am
Man, I am having a lot of troubles with the saving and working on files when I need to save as pdf and still retain the final draft for working.  Sent out the same wrong pdf to two beta readers while telling them it was the new and improved version.  I mean, maybe it is just me not paying attention, but I am pretty sure this sunk me in the earlier Short Screenplay contest of 12 pages.


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Posted By: JeffreyHowe
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2018 at 9:58am
There are probably built-in tricks for this, but I just use the tried and true method: save as with a draft number. You're on Script 1.fdx, export to script 1.pdf, then save as script 2.fdx to keep working. It isolates both an fdx you can go back to quickly and a pdf synched to that point. Repeat as needed.




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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 02 Dec 2018 at 10:18am
Originally posted by JeffreyHowe JeffreyHowe wrote:

There are probably built-in tricks for this, but I just use the tried and true method: save as with a draft number. You're on Script 1.fdx, export to script 1.pdf, then save as script 2.fdx to keep working. It isolates both an fdx you can go back to quickly and a pdf synched to that point. Repeat as needed.




Yes, I am sure if I pay way more attention to what I am doing it would work out, but when am in the thick of things and saving an moving on I am always sure i have done it right, lol.


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Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2018 at 11:24am
Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:

Originally posted by JeffreyHowe JeffreyHowe wrote:

There are probably built-in tricks for this, but I just use the tried and true method: save as with a draft number. You're on Script 1.fdx, export to script 1.pdf, then save as script 2.fdx to keep working. It isolates both an fdx you can go back to quickly and a pdf synched to that point. Repeat as needed.



Yes, I am sure if I pay way more attention to what I am doing it would work out, but when am in the thick of things and saving an moving on I am always sure i have done it right, lol.


I try very carefully to save every version because just in case I go "WTF have I done here?" I can revert. My software also has version control.

But still I get out of synch.

I did get my final version PDF'ed and submitted. But I was at Version 16 and in my tracking I was only at Version 8, so somewhere I got sidetracked.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2018 at 7:49pm
Originally posted by stephenmatlock stephenmatlock wrote:

Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:

Originally posted by JeffreyHowe JeffreyHowe wrote:

There are probably built-in tricks for this, but I just use the tried and true method: save as with a draft number. You're on Script 1.fdx, export to script 1.pdf, then save as script 2.fdx to keep working. It isolates both an fdx you can go back to quickly and a pdf synched to that point. Repeat as needed.



Yes, I am sure if I pay way more attention to what I am doing it would work out, but when am in the thick of things and saving an moving on I am always sure i have done it right, lol.


I try very carefully to save every version because just in case I go "WTF have I done here?" I can revert. My software also has version control.

But still I get out of synch.

I did get my final version PDF'ed and submitted. But I was at Version 16 and in my tracking I was only at Version 8, so somewhere I got sidetracked.


Now your talking.  I also like to save everything, backup backups.  This is where I run into trouble.



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Posted By: Scarlet Screenwriter
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2018 at 7:53pm
Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:

Originally posted by stephenmatlock stephenmatlock wrote:

Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:

Originally posted by JeffreyHowe JeffreyHowe wrote:

There are probably built-in tricks for this, but I just use the tried and true method: save as with a draft number. You're on Script 1.fdx, export to script 1.pdf, then save as script 2.fdx to keep working. It isolates both an fdx you can go back to quickly and a pdf synched to that point. Repeat as needed.



Yes, I am sure if I pay way more attention to what I am doing it would work out, but when am in the thick of things and saving an moving on I am always sure i have done it right, lol.


I try very carefully to save every version because just in case I go "WTF have I done here?" I can revert. My software also has version control.

But still I get out of synch.

I did get my final version PDF'ed and submitted. But I was at Version 16 and in my tracking I was only at Version 8, so somewhere I got sidetracked.


Now your talking.  I also like to save everything, backup backups.  This is where I run into trouble.


Well, I've upgraded to FD11 now for $99 and it is smoking hot!  Worth the upgrade. 







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They seek him here, they seek him there, those damned writers seek him everywhere.
Is he in heaven or is he in hell, that damned elusive Scarlet Screenwriter! (Oh, phuck, that doesn't even rhyme!)


Posted By: sgspeed
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2018 at 8:53pm
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Good news:
  • The five page screenplay with title page did not blow up FD11


Bad News:

  • All five pages sucked; the suckiness of the actual screenplay exceeded only by the banal suckiness of the title page.


Overall rating: It appears FD11 doesn't produce an output any better than that typed into it, which makes me wonder what value it provides.  If I get crap out from crap in I could use any formatting application out there.  The hope was there would be a button that said something along the lines of "Save as Masterpiece", but I couldn't find it. 


They charge extra for the anti-suckiness option of the application.



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MF250 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r1-gr-79-the-mother_topic57105.html" rel="nofollow - The Mother
250 MF RD.2 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic58184_post627978.html#627978" rel="nofollow - Hush Little Baby


Posted By: sgspeed
Date Posted: 03 Dec 2018 at 8:58pm
I use Writer Duet.  Honestly, I just want a program that knows more about formatting than I do.  I lost my internet all Sunday through the deadline. The thought of writing without auto formatting was worthy of a horror script.  I just burned all my data on my cell and used it as a hot spot. 

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MF250 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/r1-gr-79-the-mother_topic57105.html" rel="nofollow - The Mother
250 MF RD.2 https://forums.nycmidnight.com/topic58184_post627978.html#627978" rel="nofollow - Hush Little Baby


Posted By: FMau
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2018 at 5:16am
Originally posted by sgspeed sgspeed wrote:

I use Writer Duet.  Honestly, I just want a program that knows more about formatting than I do.  I lost my internet all Sunday through the deadline. The thought of writing without auto formatting was worthy of a horror script.  I just burned all my data on my cell and used it as a hot spot. 

You should be able to create a template in Word (something to keep you entertained over Christmas?). Create the styles (click bottom right corner of Styles) selecting and naming sections using the same Character, Dialogue, Action etc labels and parameters as the software on an existing screenplay you have in Word, Save As and select Word template from the dropdown, and that should work (I think it makes a .dotx file). It's partially automatic, after that, but you just need to select and click, at most. I haven't had to do this for a while, so my memory is rusty but here's a screenshot of the instructions from my editor when I last did it.
(and if it doesn't work......apologies.... but if it does, you won't need to burn your data.)

Windows: Go to File > Save as > Browse. From the drop-down menu, select Word Template and ensure the document is saved in the Custom Office Templates folder.
Mac: Go to File > Save as template.
It will now appear in the menu of template options the next time you launch a new document in Word. (In Windows, make sure ‘Personal’ rather than ‘Featured’ is selected at the top of the template menu.)

Step 2: Apply styles to your manuscript. The template has been set up with the main headings and sections in place so that it is straightforward to write into.

Follow these steps to apply styles to the manuscript in Word:
1. Open the Styles pane.
Windows: Click on the small square in the bottom right-hand corner of the Styles section of
the Home ribbon.

Mac: Click on the Styles Pane button on the far right-hand side of the Home ribbon.
2. Filter the list to ensure that only the relevant styles in use are shown.

Windows: Click on Options … at the bottom of the Styles pane. Then, under ‘Select styles to show’, select ‘In
current document’.
Mac: Select ‘Styles in Use’ from the List menu at the bottom of the Styles pane.



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Ch1 G34 https://tinyurl.com/yaanmn8r" rel="nofollow - Dream Spinners -3 pts
Ch2 G34 https://tinyurl.com/yc4z7hna" rel="nofollow - Sporty,Ginger,Delicia & Dick - 10pts


Posted By: JeffreyHowe
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2018 at 9:44am
Having seen more than a few problematic PDFs converted from Word template screenplays, I would advise taking care to proofread the PDFs before sending them to anyone. Actually, that applies generally, no matter what the source "code." There's little sadder than being a judge, reading a really snappy script, and finding out it stops a page and a half too soon because the PDF conversion ate the ending.

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https://bit.ly/38KfLIN" rel="nofollow - R1 G33 Honed
https://bit.ly/3tclE8H" rel="nofollow - R2 G6 The Price of Kohlrabi


Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2018 at 9:53am
dropping out competition twice because you exported a dud pdf that FD would do correctly without even thinking would already have cost you more than the licence


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http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Winners/EdHicks.htm" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Challenge 2017 winner


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2018 at 10:13am
Originally posted by cheezopath cheezopath wrote:

dropping out competition twice because you exported a dud pdf that FD would do correctly without even thinking would already have cost you more than the licence


There you go bringing economics into it.

The time you spend trying to get a tool ill suited to the job working correctly pays for the license as well [1].

[1]: At re:Invent last year I found myself in a moderately long line for a 'free' adult beverage.  Someone noted the length of the line, and the likely income of the persons forming it given where we were and what we do for a living.  A quick Fermi calculation yielded a combined annual income in excess of $2M*, all waiting for a free beverage costing $2.

* She Who Must Be Obeyed thinks re:Invent would be the perfect place for her college-mates (all female) given there are 40,000 mostly male, many single, socially inept IT guys who probably make a decent living.


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Posted By: cheezopath
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2018 at 12:28pm
should have asked one of the guys near the front to give you their drink! power move


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http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SC/Winners/EdHicks.htm" rel="nofollow - Screenplay Challenge 2017 winner


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 04 Dec 2018 at 12:42pm
Originally posted by cheezopath cheezopath wrote:

should have asked one of the guys near the front to give you their drink! power move


SWMBO is that smart, I'm not.  Several years ago I took her to the Re:Play party.  The music was louder than flight operations on an aircraft carrier (I know these things) and the lines for food were as epic as the music was loud.  A huge gap formed in one of the lines as someone took too long to decide which slice of pizza they wanted; she jumped in and got what she wanted from the next table while the other 300 people waited patiently.

Sometimes it's good to be married to someone who sees the world differently.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2019 at 8:25pm
Bump

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https://shorturl.at/oFHX0" rel="nofollow - SP Butterflies and Bumblebees
https://shorturl.at/sxQU6" rel="nofollow - SS Drama/ A Touch of Humanity


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2019 at 8:56pm
Originally posted by Suave Suave wrote:

Bump


Yup.  If past performance is any indication of future returns I will use my (expensive) copy of FD 11 to successfully not make it into round two.




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Posted By: Basha
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2019 at 11:55am
For the ssc I used Celtx and at the time I thought it was great because it's so intuitive, it basically teaches you how to write a script, and the 48hrs (which ended up being about 6hrs for my first round) gave me the push I needed to actually sit down and learn it. I had attempted to write one on there a year ago, but that was on my own time and I didn't really give myself the time I needed to figure it out, so in that way the contest was really great for me. 

Unfortunately Celtx is constantly asking you to upgrade and pay a ton of money annually. You can say no as long as you want to...until you write your third script and then it's no more free for you. I had the joy of finding this out right before the last round I was allowed to compete in, which is not the time to start researching what screenwriting software is the best one (that I could afford). So I used another email address to get another Celtx account for my last script.

I've recently purchased Fade In to continue writing scripts on my own and so far I really like it. The only thing I'm not loving is that when trying to import a script from Celtx it doesn't stay formatted as is. So I'm having trouble with that. But the price, interface, and intuitiveness are all to my liking...so far.  


Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2019 at 8:41pm
Originally posted by Basha Basha wrote:

For the ssc I used Celtx and at the time I thought it was great because it's so intuitive, it basically teaches you how to write a script, and the 48hrs (which ended up being about 6hrs for my first round) gave me the push I needed to actually sit down and learn it. I had attempted to write one on there a year ago, but that was on my own time and I didn't really give myself the time I needed to figure it out, so in that way the contest was really great for me. 

Unfortunately Celtx is constantly asking you to upgrade and pay a ton of money annually. You can say no as long as you want to...until you write your third script and then it's no more free for you. I had the joy of finding this out right before the last round I was allowed to compete in, which is not the time to start researching what screenwriting software is the best one (that I could afford). So I used another email address to get another Celtx account for my last script.

I've recently purchased Fade In to continue writing scripts on my own and so far I really like it. The only thing I'm not loving is that when trying to import a script from Celtx it doesn't stay formatted as is. So I'm having trouble with that. But the price, interface, and intuitiveness are all to my liking...so far.  


I used the Fade In before I got rich and thought I would buy the 10.  The Fade In worked great, I just had the urge to buy something for my new endeavor of screenwriting - like deciding to become a writer and buying the most expensive laptop you can find to try it out.  On top of that I had a few problems with the way the 10 was set up outa the box that caused me some loss of work and to enter the wrong work into the contest - but that could just be because I trusted that their setup would be good, never trust a vendor, lol.


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https://shorturl.at/oFHX0" rel="nofollow - SP Butterflies and Bumblebees
https://shorturl.at/sxQU6" rel="nofollow - SS Drama/ A Touch of Humanity


Posted By: NilesPerry
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2019 at 12:31am
I'm still using Final Draft 7 on my old Windows 7 machine. It works fine for my needs. If it ain't broke, why fix it? Lol. So, they're up to 11 now? Wow.


Posted By: NilesPerry
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2019 at 12:41am
Originally posted by FMau FMau wrote:

You should be able to create a template in Word...
There are some pretty decent and well thought out Word templates already created and available on the Internet for free. However, if anyone is running Windows, then you can still locate the installer for Celtx standalone on several freeware/shareware sites. It does not stop working after the third script, as being standalone, it doesn't need to connect to the Internet or the Celtx website to stay functional. It's not perfect, but it formats your work close enough to Hollywood standards that it's worth the price... free!
:) (Note: there is no standalone installer for Celtx for Mac.)


Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 9:39pm
bump

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https://shorturl.at/oFHX0" rel="nofollow - SP Butterflies and Bumblebees
https://shorturl.at/sxQU6" rel="nofollow - SS Drama/ A Touch of Humanity


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 10:13pm
Grind.

Oh, wait.  Wrong genre.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 13 Apr 2019 at 10:19pm
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Grind.

Oh, wait.  Wrong genre.


Haha.  Got a question for ya.  If I am introducing a person that is call both father and Mr. Smith in my screenplay, how do I do that? 


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https://shorturl.at/oFHX0" rel="nofollow - SP Butterflies and Bumblebees
https://shorturl.at/sxQU6" rel="nofollow - SS Drama/ A Touch of Humanity


Posted By: ChristiLB
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 3:04am
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Hahaha LOVE THIS! LOLLOLLOL


Posted By: ChristiLB
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 3:17am
I had some real fun issues with FD when preparing for this competition. I’d gotten version 7 or 8 years ago when I had a windows laptop and have since upgraded to a MacBook Pro but hadn’t used the FD program in a while.

I tried to install it in my new computer and it said my version was too old for my computer. So, I went to the FD site to download the next newest version but they said my Mac OS program was too outdated to support the download. SOOO THEN, I updated my Mac OS program and tried again. This time i got a message saying my updated version of Mac OS was too new for the version of FD I wanted and i needed an older version of Mac OS to support it!Angry

In the end I wound up having to purchase FD 11 from the site. All the features are cool but honestly I don’t foresee myself using most of them. 


Posted By: JeffreyHowe
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 10:06am
I didn't need any of the production features until a couple of months ago. Still figuring them out. Smile


Originally posted by ChristiLB ChristiLB wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Hahaha LOVE THIS! LOLLOLLOL

Lucky. Mine keeps defaulting to the eighteenth draft of ISHTAR.


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https://bit.ly/38KfLIN" rel="nofollow - R1 G33 Honed
https://bit.ly/3tclE8H" rel="nofollow - R2 G6 The Price of Kohlrabi


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 10:29am
Originally posted by ChristiLB ChristiLB wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Hahaha LOVE THIS! LOLLOLLOL


Miss Attributed.  That's a StevenMatlock quote.

I'm not that clever.


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Posted By: JeffreyHowe
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 10:34am
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by ChristiLB ChristiLB wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Hahaha LOVE THIS! LOLLOLLOL


Miss Attributed.  That's a StevenMatlock quote.

I'm not that clever.

I always just assumed you two were the same person.  Like Clark Kent and Superman.  Or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.


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https://bit.ly/38KfLIN" rel="nofollow - R1 G33 Honed
https://bit.ly/3tclE8H" rel="nofollow - R2 G6 The Price of Kohlrabi


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 10:48am
Originally posted by JeffreyHowe JeffreyHowe wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by ChristiLB ChristiLB wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Hahaha LOVE THIS! LOLLOLLOL


Miss Attributed.  That's a StevenMatlock quote.

I'm not that clever.

I always just assumed you two were the same person.  Like Clark Kent and Superman.  Or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.


Dibs on Hyde.



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Posted By: JeffreyHowe
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 11:54am
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by JeffreyHowe JeffreyHowe wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by ChristiLB ChristiLB wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Hahaha LOVE THIS! LOLLOLLOL


Miss Attributed.  That's a StevenMatlock quote.

I'm not that clever.

I always just assumed you two were the same person.  Like Clark Kent and Superman.  Or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.


Dibs on Hyde.


Well duh. Big smile


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https://bit.ly/38KfLIN" rel="nofollow - R1 G33 Honed
https://bit.ly/3tclE8H" rel="nofollow - R2 G6 The Price of Kohlrabi


Posted By: stephenmatlock
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 1:10pm
Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by ChristiLB ChristiLB wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Hahaha LOVE THIS! LOLLOLLOL


Miss Attributed.  That's a StevenMatlock quote.

I'm not that clever.


You summoned me?


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Pithy sayings are for the apt. For a longer message, you need a condo.



Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 1:42pm
Originally posted by stephenmatlock stephenmatlock wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

Originally posted by ChristiLB ChristiLB wrote:

Originally posted by Random Random wrote:

But it turns out it's always saving a copy of THE MALTESE FALCON.

Hahaha LOVE THIS! LOLLOLLOL


Miss Attributed.  That's a StevenMatlock quote.

I'm not that clever.


You summoned me?


Running low on that potion, Doc, and we're in the middle of a contest.  Hook me up, would ya?


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 14 Apr 2019 at 7:41pm
Final Draft 11 is open! (Cue dramatic music).

Unfortunately the page is blank.  I was expecting an entry, at the very least.  What, exactly, did I pay for besides the ability to monitor the inclusivity of characters and their dialog?


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Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2019 at 10:23pm
Save

Often

Even in version 11.  Not as bad as version 10 (then the file would be corrupt), but still...crashes suck.  I'm also saving as PDF now and then so if 11 gets corrupt I'm not dead...this is horror, after all, and dead happens.


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Posted By: Suave
Date Posted: 20 Apr 2019 at 3:02am
bump

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https://shorturl.at/oFHX0" rel="nofollow - SP Butterflies and Bumblebees
https://shorturl.at/sxQU6" rel="nofollow - SS Drama/ A Touch of Humanity


Posted By: Random
Date Posted: 20 Apr 2019 at 8:26am
In the night.

Got the genre right this time...  Big smile


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