Screenplay

Write, edit, and manage your project's screenplay using industry-standard Fountain format with a full-featured code editor.

Overview

The Screenplay Editor is where you create and refine the script for your production. It uses Fountain markup — the industry-standard plain-text screenplay format — with syntax highlighting, formatting shortcuts, and validation. Breakdown — extracting assets and shots from your screenplay — is driven by your connected AI agent (see Connect Your Agent); a breakdown that changes an existing storyboard triggers a diff resolution workflow.

Key Concepts

• Fountain Format: A plain-text markup language for screenplays. Scene headings, character names, dialog, and transitions are formatted using simple conventions
• Screenplay Validation: Before saving, the editor checks your Fountain formatting for errors and warnings
• Breakdown: Your agent parses the screenplay and extracts assets into the Asset Manager — see the full list of extracted types below
• Diff Workflow: When your agent re-breaks-down the screenplay into the storyboard, the system detects what changed and lets you review the impact on your shots

When to Use the Screenplay Editor

The Screenplay Editor is where you:

• Write your screenplay from scratch, or ask your agent to draft one
• Import existing scripts from Final Draft (.fdx) or plain text files
• Edit and format using Fountain markup with toolbar shortcuts
• Export to PDF or Final Draft format
• Save changes and persist your screenplay content

Your connected agent extracts assets and shots across all supported types — see Connect Your Agent.

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Accessing the Screenplay Editor

From the Project Dashboard

1. Navigate to your project
2. Click the Screenplay tab in the main navigation

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Creating a Screenplay

You have three ways to start:

Write from Scratch

Simply start typing in the editor. Use the toolbar buttons or keyboard shortcuts to format your text as Fountain elements.

Create with Your Agent

Ask your connected agent to draft a screenplay — describe the genre, characters, plot, and setting. The agent generates a complete screenplay in Fountain format and loads it into the editor.

Import from File

You can import screenplays from external files:

1. Click the Import button in the toolbar
2. Select a file:
   • Final Draft (.fdx) files are automatically converted to Fountain format
   • Plain text (.txt, .fountain) files are loaded directly
3. The imported content replaces the current editor content
4. Review and Save when ready

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Understanding the Interface

Toolbar

The toolbar sits at the top of the editor and provides quick access to all actions:

Editor

The main editing area is a code editor with:

• Line numbers along the left margin
• Syntax highlighting that color-codes Fountain elements (scene headings, characters, dialog, etc.)
• Active line highlighting to show your cursor position
• Line wrapping for long lines

Fountain Symbol Toggle

By default, Fountain formatting markers (like . before scene headings or @ before character names) are hidden for a cleaner reading experience. Click Show Fountain Symbols in the toolbar to reveal them for precise editing.

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Fountain Format Reference

The editor uses standard Fountain markup. Here are the key elements:

Scene Numbers

Scene headings automatically receive scene numbers (e.g., #1#, #2#). These are managed by the editor — you don't need to add them manually.

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Saving Your Screenplay

Save Process

1. Make your edits in the editor
2. Click Save in the toolbar or press Ctrl+S (Cmd+S on Mac)
3. The editor validates your Fountain formatting
4. If validation passes with no issues, the screenplay is saved immediately

Validation

Before saving, the editor checks your screenplay for formatting issues:

If issues are found, a validation dialog appears:

• Fix issues: Close the dialog and correct the problems
• Save Anyway: Save despite warnings (only available when there are no errors)

What Happens After Saving

Saving only persists your screenplay content — it does not automatically update the storyboard or trigger any pipeline. To push screenplay changes to your storyboard, ask your connected agent to break down the screenplay again. When a breakdown detects differences from the existing storyboard, the Storyboard switches to Diff View where you can review and approve or reject each change. See the Storyboard guide for details on the diff resolution workflow.

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Regenerating a Screenplay

If you want to start fresh with an agent-generated screenplay based on your project metadata, ask your connected agent to regenerate it. Regenerating replaces your entire screenplay, and any manual edits will be lost. Export or copy your current screenplay first if you want to keep it.

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Breaking Down Your Screenplay

Your connected agent parses your screenplay and extracts assets into the Asset Manager.

1. Ensure your screenplay is saved
2. Ask your agent to break down the screenplay
3. The agent parses your screenplay scene by scene and extracts:
   • Locations from scene headings (with interior/exterior classification)
   • Cast Members — named characters in dialogue and action
   • Extras — background or unnamed characters
   • Props — objects and items referenced in action
   • Costumes — wardrobe mentioned in descriptions
   • Set Dressing — furniture, decor, and set pieces
   • Makeup & Hair — specific looks described in the screenplay
   • Vehicles — cars, ships, and other vehicles
   • Livestock — animals
   • Greenery — plants and foliage
4. The agent also enriches locations with visual descriptions gathered across all scenes where they appear
5. Extracted assets appear in the Asset Manager

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Exporting

Export to PDF

1. Click the Export menu in the toolbar
2. Select Export PDF
3. A formatted PDF screenplay downloads to your computer

Export to Final Draft

1. Click the Export menu in the toolbar
2. Select Export Final Draft
3. An .fdx file downloads, compatible with Final Draft and other screenwriting software

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Unsaved Changes Protection

The editor tracks unsaved changes and protects you from losing work:

• The Save button is highlighted when you have unsaved changes
• If you try to navigate away with unsaved changes, a confirmation dialog appears
• If you try to close the browser tab, the browser's built-in "unsaved changes" warning appears

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Permissions

Screenplay editing respects your project role:

• Supervisors and Admins can edit and save the screenplay
• Other roles see the screenplay in read-only mode with a warning banner
• Read-only users can still export and view the screenplay

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Tips and Best Practices

• Save frequently to avoid losing work
• Use keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+7) for faster formatting
• Ask your agent to break down the screenplay after significant changes to keep your assets in sync
• Export a backup before regenerating if you want to preserve your current version
• Toggle Fountain symbols when you need to debug formatting issues

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Common Questions

My screenplay won't save — what's wrong?

Check the validation dialog for errors. Fix any formatting issues highlighted in red, then try saving again. You can save with warnings but not with errors.

How do I format a dual dialogue?

Use the ^ character after the second character name to indicate dual (simultaneous) dialogue. The Fountain format handles this automatically.

Can I use the screenplay editor offline?

The editor requires an internet connection to save, export, and use AI features. You can type in the editor while offline, but you'll need to reconnect to save.

What happens to my storyboard when I edit the screenplay?

Saving your screenplay does not affect the storyboard. To update the storyboard with your screenplay changes, ask your connected agent to break it down again. If changes are detected, the Storyboard enters Diff View where you can approve or reject each change. See the Storyboard guide for full details.

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Next Steps

• Storyboard - Break down your screenplay into shots
• Asset Manager - Manage characters, locations, and props extracted from your screenplay
• Keyframe Editor - Create visual keyframes for your shots