Scrivener [used for screenwriting; importing FD files]

lalyil

The Lukewarm
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
173
Reaction score
5
Location
UK
Hello

Well I heard I can make character sheets and an outline all on Scrivener.
I've been using Final Draft 8 to write so far and now I'm halfway through my script I'm tempted to check out Scrivener and move all my character sheets and back story there.

Has anyone used it for scriptwriting? How can I import my Final Draft files there? Or should I stick to Final Draft and my Word documents containing everything else? (is there a way to have character sheets and such on Final Draft that I have yet to discover?)

Thanks
 

shelleyo

Just another face in a red jumpsuit
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 9, 2010
Messages
2,126
Reaction score
342
Hello

Well I heard I can make character sheets and an outline all on Scrivener.
I've been using Final Draft 8 to write so far and now I'm halfway through my script I'm tempted to check out Scrivener and move all my character sheets and back story there.

Has anyone used it for scriptwriting? How can I import my Final Draft files there? Or should I stick to Final Draft and my Word documents containing everything else? (is there a way to have character sheets and such on Final Draft that I have yet to discover?)

Thanks

I have Scrivener, but I know nothing about the screenwriting aspects of it.

You can download it free and try it for 30 days to see if it will work for you. And it's actually 30 days of use, not 30 days consecutive from the time you start the program. One of the best free-trial offers around, IMO.
 

lalyil

The Lukewarm
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
173
Reaction score
5
Location
UK
I have Scrivener, but I know nothing about the screenwriting aspects of it.

You can download it free and try it for 30 days to see if it will work for you. And it's actually 30 days of use, not 30 days consecutive from the time you start the program. One of the best free-trial offers around, IMO.

Yeah I just downloaded the trial :) Getting a bit lost trying to import my Final Draft files though in order to make full use of the tools on Scrivener lol

But I agree it's an excellent free-trial, especially since I think it has all the tools the full version does. Didn't realize it's 30 days of use :D With my busy schedule and lack of writing lately it might last me til June lol
 

Betty Geist

Registered
Joined
Apr 21, 2013
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Pacific Northwest
Has anyone used it for scriptwriting? How can I import my Final Draft files there? Or should I stick to Final Draft and my Word documents containing everything else? (is there a way to have character sheets and such on Final Draft that I have yet to discover?)

You can import just about any text file (doc, rtf, etc).

As for importing from Final Draft 8, I used my Google-fu and found this post about writing screenplays using Scrivener and it says this:

You can import scripts (File→Import→Files) from Final Draft 8+ as an FCF file. For earlier versions of Final Draft, or for other scriptwriting programs, you can import the script as an RTF.
For anything but an FCF file, after importing, go to Format→Scriptwriting→Screenplay to format it properly. Then go to Format→Scriptwriting→Recapitalize Script to capitalize the scene heading and character elements automatically.

Hope I helped. :)
 

lalyil

The Lukewarm
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
173
Reaction score
5
Location
UK
Ooh, thank you so much Betty. I tried the FCF thing earlier and it didn't work properly but the other thing with the reformatting worked well, thank you :)