Thank you for taking the time to consider Final Draft, the leading Screenwriting program for the Macintosh. Since its introduction in 1991, Final Draft has been used to write many of the film scripts that have appeared in theaters around the world, as well as many that we hope will make it there some day. It has also been used by working writers throughout Hollywood to script numerous television series, sit-coms and stage plays.
We have spent the last few years trying to give Final Draft the most comprehensive set of features while retaining a simple, east-to-understand interface. For the novice, it is easy to quickly get writing without the need to learn any special commands or techniques. For the professional, however, it is packed with sophisticated features to meet and exceed the strict requirements of the most demanding user. Pop-up note windows, revision marks, A and B pages and on and on.
The demo version included with this manual is complete with the following exceptions:
Saving your work to disk
Spell Checker
Thesaurus
For that, you will have to purchase a copy of Final Draft. However, the demo program and the explanations contained in this manual should help you to discover the vast potential of Final Draft and how painless scriptwriting can be with the proper tools.
Remember, this tutorial is merely an introduction to the capabilities built into Final Draft. Feel free to explore some of the other options by trying out the various menu commands. Of course, if you purchase Final Draft, it comes complete with a 200-page reference guide which explains all of the program's more advanced features.
To order Final Draft or for the location of your nearest dealer, contact:
B.C. Software, Inc.
(800) 231-4055
(310) 636-4711
FAX: (310) 636-4688
AOL/AppleLink: BC Softwre
Internet: sales@bcsoftware.com
What is Final Draft?
Final Draft is a word processor designed specifically for writing screenplays, episodic television scripts, sit-coms or stage plays. It combines powerful word processing with screenplay formatting intelligence in one complete package, which allows a writer to focus on what is being written instead of how it appears on the page. It is designed with a simple interface which permits even the novice computer user to get going without the need to learn complicated commands or techniques.
On one level, Final Draft is a complete word processor with all the capabilities Macintosh users have become accustomed to: multiple type faces, styles, and sizes, headers and on-screen rulers, to name a few. Final Draft also knows the many formatting rules which must be followed when writing a script: Slug lines, action, character names, dialogue, scene numbers as well as when and where to break pages.
All of this is done automatically by the program as the script is written. By combining intelligent page-breaking with the automatic insertion of "More's and Continued's", it is possible to see and edit the document on-screen exactly as it will print out.
Why Use Final Draft?
If you have ever tried to write a script, the answer to this question is probably obvious. The entertainment industry has adopted a standard way of formatting scripts so that they will all have approximately the same look and feel. Over the years, these formatting rules have become set in stone, and professional writers who want their script taken seriously always adhere to these standards. While the reasons for these standards are not important to this discussion, keep in mind as a writer that you want your scripts read. After all, if they are returned unread, how are you expected to sell the script? It is this reason, if for no other reason, that dictates some sort of "formatting" program.
The next logical question is "Why Final Draft over a regular word processor such as Microsoft Word?" Granted, using style sheets, some of the formatting logic can be overlayed into your word processor to make your documents look script-like. However...remember that Final Draft is a dedicated, single purpose program that is made from the ground up to do one thing professionally: write scripts. It has a built in character list, it has pop-up post-it notes, it lets you number the scenes, mark text as revised, it interfaces with our movie production programs (sold separately), it automatically inserts such standard stuff as MORE's and CONTINUED's, it formats and paginates as you write, rewrite, insert, delete...and on and on. Frankly, it does everything you will need as a screenwriter except write the script...that, unfortunately, is up to you.
Who Uses Final Draft?
Final Draft has over 10,000 current users that include both well known personalities as well as many aspiring screenwriters who have yet to finish their first work. Among some of the more well known clients are people such as Harry Anderson (Night Court, Dave's World), Sinbad (the Comedian), Brian de Palma, Tom Clancy, Robert Altman ("The Player"), Tom Hanks and many others both in front of and behind the camera.
How about Reviews?
Final Draft has been reviewed in both MacWorld magazine (March 1993) and MacUser magazine (February 1994). MacWorld gave Final Draft 4 stars (out of a possible five) and MacUser gave the program 4 mice (out of a possible five). Please feel free to check out those old issues.
