Editorial Review:

Amazon.com:
Eligibility note: You are eligible to purchase the academic version of Final Draft only if you are: a teacher; a full-time student; a school administrator or a faculty member; or purchasing for an accredited school, college, university, or home school.

You have a story to tell. Use Final Draft to write it. Use your creative energy to focus on the content; let Final Draft take care of the style. Final Draft is the number-one selling word processor specifically designed for writing movie scripts, television episodics and stage plays.

It combines powerful word processing with professional script formatting in one self-contained, easy-to-use package. There is no need to learn about script formatting rules--Final Draft automatically paginates and formats your script to industry standards as you write.

Key Features

100% Cross-Platform
Final Draft scripts are identical on both Windows and Macintosh platforms and can easily be exchanged between both.

Import/Export
Files from any word processor can be imported easily, no need to re-type your script. Export to multiple file formats (including PDF) to easily and securely share scripts with anyone.

Script Registry
Final Draft is a preferred file format and the only scriptwriting software with an authorized agreement with the WGAW online registry service.

Production Features
Handles production functions with ease, including scene numbering, A and B pages, multiple revisions, character sides and specialized reports.

Tagger
A separate application that enables you to break down Final Draft scripts into their various elements and export them into any scheduling software.

ScriptCompare
Dynamically compares two scripts and highlights any changes, allowing you to easily see the differences from one file to the next.

Templates
Over 50 television show, movie and stageplay templates are included, complete with characters and locations.

ScriptCompare examines two scripts and displays their differences. Click to enlarge.

A template is a reusable document that contains all of the attributes of the script type that you want to write: element settings, page layout, header and footer, mores and continueds, title page, SmartType lists and macros. A number of script and TV templates are included with Final Draft. Click to enlarge.

ScriptNotes are pop-up windows which can contain ideas, suggestions, notes or script fragments without taking up space in the script. Click to enlarge.

Guidance, tips and insights are available from scriptwriting expert Syd Field, veteran television writer Larry Brody and accomplished playwright Jon Dorf. Click to enlarge.

Format Assistant
Checks your script for common formatting errors, such as missing dialogue, extra spaces, carriage returns and blank elements.

ScriptNotes
Pop-up windows which can hold ideas, notes, suggestions or scene fragments without taking up space onscreen.

CollaboWriter
Write, edit and discuss a script with other Final Draft users in real time, over the internet, anywhere in the world

Text to Speech
Have your script read back to you by assigning different voices to your characters. It's like having a live script reading in your computer. Click here for more info

Ask the Expert
An interactive problem-solver with legendary screenwriting teacher Syd Field, television writer Larry Brody, playwright Jon Dorf and WGAW's The Creative Rights Handbook.

What's new in Version 7

The next step in the evolution of screenwriting software. Final Draft is now an even more powerful writing tool that allows you to write and see your script in a variety of new ways.

The Panels System
Like most writers, you probably need to keep a lot of things at the front of your mind while you're writing: How does the Act 3 argument scene you're writing today connect to the argument scene in Act 1? Where should the first-kiss scene go? How many scenes are in the chase sequence? What are the plot points in Act 3? Like no other screenwriting program, Final Draft 7 can show you what you need to see while you're writing.

You can split your screen into separate panels and view your script pages in one panel and index cards in the other. If you enable the new Navigator panel [a consolidated, linear, top-to-bottom list of the Scene Headings] you can simply double-click on a scene heading and Final Draft will jump to that scene in the script panel.

Or view Page 3 of the script in one panel and Page 66 in another, side-by-side or stacked for easy viewing.

New Index Cards
For years Final Draft users have relied on the Scene Navigator as a quick map of their script. We've kept this tried-and-true tool but added a whole new dimension of functionality: Now every card has TWO sides and you can write on one of them! The Script side works just the way you're used to in Scene Navigator but the Summary side lets you type in development ideas, notes, sequence or act markers, comments, locations, blocking... anything you need to build and organize your story. And the text you type into the Summary Cards will appear as under the Scene Headings in the Navigator, so you can always see where you are in the story.

To put it simply, brainstorming, structuring, writing and rewriting your script will be a lot easier when you have with this comprehensive, interactive overview at your command.

Tagger
A new stand-alone application that enables you to 'tag' elements of a script [cast, costumes, props, etc.] and export the results into any movie scheduling software. Created with the help of veteran assistant directors, producers and unit production managers, Tagger means no more going over a paper script again and again with highlighters.

With the Panel System, Final Draft 7 can show you what you need to see while you're writing. Click to enlarge.

Brainstorming, structuring, writing and rewriting your script will be a lot easier with new index card functionality at your command. Click to enlarge.

Tagger is a new stand-alone application that enables you to 'tag' elements of a script [cast, costumes, props, etc.] and export the results into any movie scheduling software. Click to enlarge.

Templates
Over two dozen new templates. These include new television shows and improved screenplay and stageplay templates.

Newest templates include:


American TV:

• Arrested Development
• Boston Legal
• Cold Case
• CSI Miami
• CSI NY
• Deadwood
• Desperate Housewives
• Entourage
• Hope & Faith
• Joey
• Law And Order CI
• Lost
• The OC
• The Shield
• The Wire
• Two and a Half Men

BBC:

• Screenplay for TV
• Screenplay
• Taped Sitcom
• Three-Camera Show

New Online Template Library
Final Draft's Online Template Library allows registered users to download templates directly from www.finaldraft.com. New TV templates for Final Draft version 7 will be uploaded as they are developed. Plus, Dramatist Guild approved template coming soon.

There's More
We've also improved Final Draft's Cast List, Revision Header, PDF exporting, the Title Page, CollaboWriter and more. The 'Ask the Expert' feature with screenwriting guru Syd Field has been expanded to include expertise from television writer Larry Brody, playwright Jon Dorf and WGAw's The Creative Rights Handbook.

If You're Still Using Final Draft 4 or 5...
Here are some other features you've been missing:

• Customizable Reports
• Format Assistant
• Improved Final Draft Courier Font
• Built for OS X and designed for Windows XP
• ScriptCompare
• Ability to save in [and email] Adobe PDF format
• Smart Drag and Drop
• ScriptNotes
• Updated TV Templates
• Script Registry. Final Draft is a preferred file format and the only scriptwriting software with an authorized agreement with the WGAw online registry service.

Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

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• Syd Field's Screenwriting Workshop Win/Mac [DVD]
• The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script
• Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting
• Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
• Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
• see more

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Rating: - Final Draft... Financial Disappointment
I'm a writer, here's my story. I bought Final Draft mainly because I felt I needed to upgrade from Microsoft Works or get left behind. Well, I've worked with Final Draft for a while, and to be honest I do not think it was worth the $150.00 dollars + postage. It's very hard to format scripts, especially ones that had been saved in other formats - it adds all these extra spaces and it's terribly time consuming to remove them. Also, it sometimes adds in a character heading when one isn't needed and it's very difficult to get rid of those showing up all the time.
I cannot figure out how to use the Tagger part at all. The most disappointing part for me was that it DOES NOT read the scripts back - it does however save your script in a new format that you cannot add to. And finally my last complaint is that the disk explaining how to use it is NOT INCLUDED and sells for $30.00 extra bucks. Now, maybe it's just my computer - it's an Everex with Microsoft Windows XP that's not even a year old. Maybe it's just my bad luck.

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Rating: - screenwriting format
This software is excellent for formatting screenplays. Technical support answered my naive questions. Highly recommend.

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Rating: - Displeased
Unfortunately, I decided to send the product back.
I ran into some glitches from the start. So, I figured
this isn't for me. It was supposed to be easy, but, it
was not. Then, I found out that if I wanted tech support,
I would have to pay after only twenty minutes of free assistance.
That alone was reason enough to send the item back. To charge at
both ends is ridiculous, at least that's my opinion.

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Rating: - Fantastic!
Final Draft is so great for anyone looking to work with scripts. It's not that script writing is terribly difficult, it's just a lot of tedious formatting. This program makes it so simple and easy to write out a script and make it look polished and professional. As an added bonus, it's set up to work with Toon Boom Storyboard Pro - which just makes film making so much easier.

As most of you probably know, working on a film from start to finished is a lot of work; programs like Final Draft, Toon Boom's Storyboard Pro, FrameForge 3D Studio 2, etc. are great tools that help people who don't have a lot of resources create professional results and cut down on the immense amount of time that it would take (especially one person or a small group) to finish an entire film.

Overall, this is a great product that I haven't had any problems with at all.

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Rating: - FINAL DRAFT MEANS FINISHED WORK!
I purchased Final Draft to help me put ideas into stories and stories into screenplays! The easy to follow formatting requiremnts and predicted text made the task easier and faster! I recommend this product to anyone trying to write for film/television!