So you've got a blockbuster movie idea floating in your head and you want to break into show business? Final Draft won't put dialogue on the pages of your screenplay for you, but it'll do almost everything else. With plugs on the back cover from such notables as Tom Hanks and Oliver Stone, it's obvious that at least some folks in Hollywood actually use Final Draft for their final drafts.

Writing for stage and screen has its own arcane set of rules. Break them, and your masterpiece is likely to be tossed in the garbage before it ever gets considered. Courier is the only typeface that's acceptable, dialogue must be centered, "foreground" is abbreviated f.g., while "interior" is INT. Final Draft promises it will sweat these details for you while you just churn out those magic words that will make box-office millions. The program also converts text to speech, so you can assign different voices to characters and have your computer read your masterpiece out loud. A function called SmartType anticipates what a given word might be, saving writers from repetitive typing. If your script goes into production, the program has a revision mode to create A and B pages. ScriptNotes is another nifty feature that allows writers to create separate windows within a script for notes or comments--without taking up script space.

This isn't really a "how to be a screenwriter" program. The assumption here is that the user already has a grasp of screenwriting basics. This program's format is designed for big screen, stage, and television episodics and movies--it won't work for television-news scriptwriting or any other format that requires two columns with visuals on the left and sound on the right. Now get out there and write the next Cats. --Anne Erickson
With Final Draft, screenwriting is easy. The Script Reader text-to-speech feature assigns different voices to different characters and allows you to listen to your script read aloud. It's like having a table reading without hiring live actors. Complete with full Internet capability, Final Draft lets you e-mail a scene to your writing partner, or the whole script to a producer. Visit the Final Draft Web site, or e-mail tech support, all with a click of the mouse, and without leaving the program.

Customer Rating:
Summary: The Hands of Fate Have Issued a Gold Mine
Comment: To see a program work so well is very rare indeed. Looking at Final Draft made me uneasy for the price was so high. But do not, I repeat do not let the price take you away from this program. [the money] is well worth it. The interface is easy and very user friendly. I am not going to go in depth on what it has to offer, because you can just read it for your self at the website (finaldraft.com). If you are looking for easy to use format then this is the place. It is so good I am even thinking using this to type up my school research paper. Get the demo at the website, and buy at Amazon. You truly will not be let down by product this buy.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Can't live without it.
Comment: Agents, studios, instructors or just about anyone who reviews a screenplay will expect it in "standard" screenplay format. There are dozens of rules regarding font, typeface, margins, indentations, grammer, syntax etc. On top of that you need to write the screenplay iteself!

Enter Final Draft.

It takes the work out of formatting, remembering what goes where and what syntax to use and leaves you to do what you originally intended to : write screenplays.

Final Draft automatically lays out your pages correctly. It indents slug lines, scene descriptions, speech etc. perfectly. It even ensures that you can't hit Enter twice without selecting something new to put into the script (i.e. a scene heading). The package is easy to use right out of the box. Take half an hour to get used to it and you're off. However, if you've never taken a screenwriting class or read a book or two, it might get a little confusing. The online help is pretty good, but it is basic. If this is your first screenwriting attempt may I suggest the Screenwriter's Bible (Trottier) to help you understand what Final Draft is trying to do.

A feature that I find really amusing is the script readback feature. It allows you to assign computer "voices" to different characters in your script. The speech synthesizing has a LONG way to go, but it's very funny to listen to.

Final Draft organizes index cards for you (if you use them to manage your scenes) and can print them out on card stock. Other neat little features include dual dialogue, which is very easy to use, tracking of changes, script "locking" for portions of a script, character name database, spellchecker, online script registration and, of course, the accomanying video (worth viewing, for sure). If you've tried using a standard word processor, even with your own templates, you will feel as though you've died and gone to heaven.

Final Draft is an excellent, and should be essential, part of any screenwriter's suite of tools.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Screenwriting Marvel
Comment: This is a great combo. Final Draft 5.0, aside from being the leading professional screenwriting program, is extremely simple to use and very stable. With is Mac and Windows compatiblity, it can be used by anyone regardless of previous screenwriting knowledge. This softwares helf menu is very pleasing as well. If there is a term or function that you don't know the meaning of, it will explain exactley how to use the funtion in a professional way. For example, the 'INT.' means interior. If this is new knowledge for you, you just go to the help menu and instanty be explained that it is a prefix for a scene inside. The smart type is another fantastic function that cuts typing time in half. When there is dialog between two characters, the computer automatically begins to put the next characters title in the center of the page for ease and speed. All the heading and prefixs are already built in. (V.O.), (con't), and other additions are as simple as a press of the arrow keys and a return. No previous knowledge is needed to use this software. It has a clean interface that is very similar to such populat software as MS Word. It has customizibility, a good spell checker, a name database with over 90,000 names in it, thesaurus and one of my favorite features, the Speech simulator. Assign voices to your characters and listen to them speak the words you've written. The video itself is another wonderful thing. Syd Field is a down to earth man who mencourages and helps you understand the art of screenwriting. He give you the tips that make great screenwriters of people and in a conginial way that you feel comfotable with. Whether you are a professional writer or ameteur, this collection is the best choice you can make.

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