Which file format should a screenplay be?
Send a PDF when anyone needs to read your screenplay, because it looks the same everywhere and can't be accidentally changed. Use Final Draft (.fdx) or Fountain when you need to keep editing in other software or share an editable draft. Fountain is plain text, so it opens anywhere and lasts forever.
The standard for reading. Competitions, agents, producers and actors expect a PDF. Always check the pages look right before sending.
Final Draft (.fdx)
The industry's long-standing editable format. Production teams often ask for .fdx files because their scheduling tools read them. Many apps, including True-Script, import and export .fdx.
Fountain
A simple plain-text format where formatting comes from how you type (for example, a line in capitals followed by dialogue becomes a character). It's free, open and future-proof.
Which should you use?
- To be read: PDF.
- To keep editing elsewhere: Final Draft or Fountain.
- For a safe backup: Fountain, plus your app's own backup.
The main formats
- PDF is what you send to readers, agents, producers and competitions. It looks the same on every device and can't be accidentally edited. Always send a PDF unless someone specifically asks for something else.
- Final Draft (.fdx) is the industry's working format for productions. If a script is going to be scheduled, revised and locked, it will usually end up in .fdx. Most screenwriting apps can import and export it.
- Fountain (.fountain) is a plain-text format with simple rules, such as a line in capitals starting with INT. becoming a scene heading. Because it is plain text, it opens anywhere, survives forever and works well with version control.
- Word (.docx) is sometimes used for treatments and early drafts, but it is poor at keeping screenplay formatting intact across page breaks.
Which should you use?
Write in whatever app suits you, keep your working copy in that app's own format, and export a PDF to share. Export Final Draft when someone on a production needs to work on the file, and Fountain when you want a future-proof backup or are moving between apps. Keeping a Fountain copy of every finished draft is a cheap insurance policy: even if an app disappears, a text file can always be opened.
What to check after exporting
- Open the PDF and check the first and last pages, a page break in the middle of a speech, and the title page.
- For .fdx, open it in the receiving app and check that scene headings and character names have kept their element types.
- Check that scene numbers, if you use them, have come through unchanged.
File names
Use a clear, consistent name that includes the title, draft and date, for example Lighthouse_Draft3_2026-11-01.pdf. Avoid "final" in file names: there is always another draft. True-Script exports PDF, Final Draft and Fountain, and can import Final Draft and Fountain files, so you can move scripts in and out without retyping.
Common questions
Should I send my screenplay as a PDF?
Yes. Unless someone specifically asks for an editable file, always send a PDF so your formatting is preserved.
Can I open a Final Draft file without Final Draft?
Yes. Several screenwriting apps, including True-Script, can import .fdx files and keep the scene headings, characters and dialogue intact.
Is Fountain good enough for professional work?
Fountain is widely used by professional writers for drafting and backups. For sending to others, export a PDF; for productions, convert to Final Draft if asked.