Do You Use Final Draft? [POLL]
Submitted by Christopher on March 29, 2010 – 1:43 am27 Comments
I made the investment to purchase the Final Draft software quite a while back — before developers started making alternatives really, — but I wonder how many screenwriters still prefer Final Draft even with all the free alternatives available today.
Do you use Final Draft to write your screenplays?
If not, what do you use?
![Do You Use Final Draft? [POLL]](http://www.scriptxray.com/wp-content/themes/arthemia-premium/scripts/timthumb.php?src=/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/finaldraft8.jpg&w=80&h=80&zc=1&q=100)
I use Final Draft where customers expect it, or where its reports more closely match what the project needs. I also find it easier to format headers and footers than in the other tools I’ve used.
For my own writing, I mostly use Celtx and occasionally Adobe Story (to see how it is evolving).
That’s cool. Thanks for the feedback, Andrew!
I currently use Celtix. Sometimes, I find discrepancies between celtix’s pre-set formatting and what I’ve read in “The Hollywood Standard 2nd edition” but alas, I can just type something else and the difference is ultimately, only a slight inconvenience.
Although, I wish I could compare Celtix to Final Draft and the like, I do not expect that I will invest in one unless the program is undeniably impressive.
~MC
I use FD but only because it was given to me as a gift (someone out there faith in me!) but I have not updated it as I find it works fine for me as it is. Of course, it could be tweaked this way or that ad infinitum to suit everyone’s needs but it really doesn’t cause me any long term damage to have to give an additional *click* on some parts of it. I prefer to worry more about what I’m writing not what I’m writing with…
I use FD but only because it was given to me as a gift (someone out there had faith in me!) but I have not updated it as I find it works fine for me as it is. Of course, it could be tweaked this way or that ad infinitum to suit everyone’s needs but it really doesn’t cause me any long term damage to have to give an additional *click* on some parts of it. I prefer to worry more about what I’m writing not what I’m writing with…
I use Celtix,but will try Final draft soon also:)
I purchased Final Draft 8 shortly after it was released. It is the first screenwriting software that I have used. Having bashed away with manually set tabs for years, it was nothing short of a godsend.
Sure, there are a few bugbears here and there, but the basic elements work just fine. I’m a happy customer
I use Final Draft because it was that and MovieMaker when I started, and I never got a working demo of MovieMaker, so the choice was obvious.
Now, since Final Draft has a rather complicated installation procedure with their registration-thing (I had a @#¤%& problems last time) and I also want the program on three computers and not only two, I’m about to take a look at Celtix.
No, I don’t use Final Draft; I use Word (or any other word processor that’s handy); the formatting is pretty much second nature at this point.
If you want to put Final Draft on two machines and still be able to work with your script on a third computer, save your FD files as RTF and work with them in MS Word; save as RTF; and then open as a script when back in Final Draft. Don’t worry about tinkering with the styles in Word, unless for some reason they upchuck and change margins drastically. Watch out for any styles that may accidentally change during the transition. For some reason “KITCHEN” became a character and I had to fix that back in FD.
I use Final Draft, ‘Save the Cat! The Last Story Structure Software You’ll Ever Need and a legal pad.
I purchased Final Draft 7 on student discount years ago and never looked back; I simply didn’t feel the need. ‘SAVE THE CAT! The Last Story Structure Software You’ll Ever Need’ – though not a necessity – works fantastic for getting your story beats down and fleshed out.
I’m curious about this Celtx and may give it a try if only for the scheduling and elements features. My experience with ‘story development’ programs (the product name escapes me) was that the workflow was tedious and an unruly creative time vampire. I stick to legal pads.
Props to those who can use Word and similar word processors to format a script. When you jump ship you’ll wonder why it took you so long, it’s really that easy.
I use Movie Magic Screenwriter. Works like a charm on my Mac. Never had any trouble with it.
I started with Screenwriter over 10 years ago. Sold my first screenplay on that, then was told everybody was only accepting FD, so that’s what I’ve been using for years now. It seems to make life simpler. I only have to ask, “You’ve got Final Draft, right?” everybody says yes, and I email off a script.
I don’t use it to write my plays, because oddly enough, few people in the theatre world seem to know it exists. I still keep the plays on MS Word (the ones that aren’t published, otherwise I simply suggest they BUY a copy).
I purchased Final Draft years ago when I was about to attend a playwright conference and didn’t understand formatting. Long story shorter, I used it to write a stage play during the conference and this play won award at the next conference and an additional award at an international contest as well.
I now use it to write Screenplays. I agree with Chris Dickerson that most theatre people don’t use or know of FD, but those I’ve shown it to are thrilled to see the ease of use of it.
I can’t afford Final Draft. I use Celtx and I think is good and free.
I started with MovieMagic, but everyone I spoke to about screenplays said they were using Facebook. Since I was taking a college course at the time, I got a pretty good deal on the student version. Since then, times, or rather computer, have changed. I haven’t upgraded yet, by so far, I’ve really not had any problems with (shudder) Vista. A couple of places are a little hinky but it works pretty well.
How about Final Draft, not Facebook.
I use Final Draft 8, and DramaticaPro 4. I have also used Movie Magic Screenwriter 6. I like both FD and MM Screenwriter since they make formatting something that the writer doesn’t have to think about. I cannot say the same for MS Word.
I do not use final draft. I use Celtx, its good and free.
Tried caltx, until I lost a script, with associated files, then purchased final draft and haven’t looked back.
I’ve used Scriptware for more than 10 years now. Despite the lack of recent upgrades, I’ve become accustomed to working with it and I’ve completed two screenplays with it.
Thank you all so, so much for leaving your comments — it means the world to me!
@ cwousaret // hah! maybe Facebook should take note of all the screenwriting members and create a new app!
@popularculture // ouch, that had to sting.
I just found out about Final Drafts last month so I voted “No.” But I will definitely be using it now that I know it exists.
Wait a second…I did not know I had to pay for Final Draft until I read the other comments before mine. In short, my using it or not will depend mainly upon how much it costs. If is is too exorbitant, I will stick with MS Word too.
$249 — pretty expensive.
I bought version 6 back in 2001 and have actually wore it out from use. I’m excited by the improvements in version 8 and will buy it as soon as I can scrounge up the cash.
I have used a wide range of writing softwares, celtix, Sophocles etc. I find final draft to be the most convinient