Offline Scriptwriting Software for Mac 6. Highland Software. Highland software works with the Fountain file format, a text-based file compatible with several of the best screenwriting software options. Fountain documents are plain text, so when you write one you don’t fiddle with formatting, and can write it anywhere (GoogleDocs, NotePad, etc). Hello everyone back again with another #filmtips video! Now I know a lot of times writing #scripts can be a pain, especially if you don't know how to layout. This article provides a look at the best script writing software (both free and paid) available to screenwriters in 2021. A screenwriter creates the storyline, characters, and dialogue that will be made into a movie. The script they write becomes the blueprint of the film — without it, production cannot begin.
Just start writing—Slugline figures out the screenplay formatting as you go. You get a powerful Outline, Timeline, and color-coded notes, all without taking your hands off the keyboard. And all based on a plain-text file that’s compatible with everything.
Start Writing for Free
Slugline 2 is a free download, and works without watermarks or limitations until you pass page six, at which point you can upgrade to Unlimited Writing. Kick the tires at no cost — or, if all you write is short films, never pay a dime!
The Darkest Timeline
Slugline 2 has dark mode. And a completely new design that maintains Slugline’s beloved no-buttons simplicity, while providing quick access to formatting options, the Outline Navigator, and the new Timeline, which gives you a bird’s-eye view of your structure and pacing.
A4 paper support
Easier title pages
Courier Prime Sans for writing
Multi-colored Notes
Scene numbering
Formatting helpers
Preferences for new document settings
Auto-save all the time
Slugline 2 uses Fountain, a plain-text screenplay format that’s free, open, and compatible with everything.
Slugline 2 produces beautiful, industry-standard paper and PDF screenplays, with perfect pagination.
And Slugline 2 works with Slugline for iPhone and iPad. Sync your work over iCloud or Dropbox, and write wherever, whenever.
Slugline 2 for Mac
Live Compare, Scene Numbering, Search and Replace, an all-new Timeline, and the drag-and-drop outline. Free for the first six pages, then $49.99 USD to unlock Unlimited Writing and FDX export.
Free Screenwriting Software For Mac
Slugline for
iPhone & iPad
Write and edit your screenplay on your iPhone. Slugline for iOS/iPadOS is fully compatible with Mac, sharing files on iCloud and Dropbox. But it also works on its own, creating perfect Hollywood-standard print and PDF output.
without any restrictions in the number or length of projects or in the duration of usage
DramaQueen FREE is the freely available basic version of DramaQueen. It is the version into which the test version automatically transforms after the test duration expires.
Even DramaQueen FREE offers substantial advantages over what are to date the two most popular script writing applications Final Draft and Celtx.
Many good reasons for DramaQueen FREE:*
Perfect Formatting
With DramaQueen FREE you can format your script either individually or exactly according to the official rules of the Writers’ Guild.
Perfect workflow with Final Draft
Final Draft documents can be imported into DramaQueen with all their formatting and can be exported again from DramaQueen. DramaQueen transfers all text elements from and to Final Draft:
- Characters
- Locations
- Script Notes
- Scene Titles
- Scene Summaries
DramaQueen Free users can work effortlessly together with Final Draft users.
Free export into all popular file formats
DramaQueen FREE allows to export all texts into Word and Final Draft documents (among others), while preserving the formatting. If a document is to be exported from Final Draft or Celtx while preserving correct formatting, the only option is PDF.
Smart-Import of scripts (even from PDFs)
DramaQueen has the best script import which is currently on offer anywhere. The DramaQueen Smart-Import, which is already included in FREE, recognizes a script’s division into scenes. The formatting is automatically processed to adhere exactly to the international script formatting standard. A scene outline is created. Even scripts in PDF form can be imported in this way to be edited in DramaQueen.
Working with steps
Script Writing Software Free For Mac Os
DramaQueen FREE allows to structure a story into Steps.
Drag&Drop-Navigator
DramaQueen FREE offers a substantially better integrated Overview view to “grab” and move steps or scenes. Each step or scene is displayed neatly in one line. The Overview panel also offers room to give each step or scene a one line summary.
Platform independent
DramaQueen works on the Mac exactly as on Windows and even Linux. Handling, features and look are compatible on all three platforms and the text layout is absolutely identical on each (unlike in some other highly popular professional software). With this DramaQueen guarantees the highest user comfort in working across different platforms and operating systems.
Ideas panel
The ideas panel in DramaQueen FREE allows to collect and edit all ideas and research material for a story in one place.
Full screen mode
All panels in DramaQueen have a full screen mode, where the rest of the user interface auto-hides. This enables distraction-free, absolute focus on writing a plot, treatment or script, outlining or collecting ideas – all while making best use of screen space.
Auto-formatting a script
Besides formatting with short cuts, tab-key and popup selection, DramaQueen FREE has an additional option for script formatting that automatically recognizes the type of entered text. The benefit of this mode is that it seamlessly integrates into the flow of writing without additional steps like pressing control keys. The text of the script or selected ranges can even be auto-formatted afterwards with just one click.
Wide ranging layout and numbering options
While layouting the texts DramaQueen FREE offers i.e. a huge selection of fonts, font size, alignment, line spacing, glyph spacing, accentuations (bold, italic, underline, strike through, text color, background color), indents & spacings, page break and¶graph flow, paper size & margins, position of numbers, page headers & footers, formatting options for the different script elements… The numbering of the steps and scenes can be locked or individually set.
Page preview
From the first moment, all texts in DramaQueen FREE are layouted in page preview. The text rendering quality is on par with the Adobe Reader or even better. The display of text is always identically with export or printing, following the “what you see is what you get” principle. When a DramaQueen document is opened or printed by different users, the page preview will match for all of them (independent of operating system, software version or printer hardware). This makes communication much easier, because the last line on page 77 is indeed the same one for everyone. More about page preview and text rendering on our blog.
And of course: DramaQueen FREE is completely free of charge!
* DramaQueen FREE is – like the PRO and PLUS versions – constantly in development towards an open, free basis for the development and writing of (movie) stories.
Product description
- writing of a plot, outline or script (decision for a text-level per document)
- outlining in steps or scenes, parts or chapters (depending on text-level and document type)
- Overview panel with Drag&Drop
- Ideas panel
- smart-import of scripts from PDF, Word, Final Draft, TXT, RTF
- free export of all texts into Word, Final Draft, PDF, RTF
- unrestricted printing of all texts
- page display for the text (WYSIWYG)
- full-screen mode for all panels
- notes linked with the text
- footnotes
- 4 different ways of formatting the script (including Auto-Formatting)
- SmartType feature (auto-completion of characters and locations while typing)
- each scene on a new page
- spelling, grammar and style checking while typing
- dialogue book, reports, statistics
- extensive layout and formatting options: Font size, line spacing, headers and footers, page margins, page number position
- inserting images
- no restrictions in the number or length of projects or the duration of usage