“Screen story” credit is given when a screenplay is based on source material, but the screenplay’s story is new and substantially different from the source material’s. You can read more about this and other credits at the WGA’s screen credits policy page. More from johnaugust.com The essentials of adaptation Determining credit Screenwriters don’t just adapt, […]
Is Final Draft on the iPad?
Yes. As of August 2012, Final Draft Writer is available for iPad for $49.99. FDX Reader by Quote-Unquote Apps can be used to read Final Draft 8 documents (.fdx files) on the iPad or iPhone, but is not a script editor. More from johnaugust.com FDX Reader now in iPhone We made an app Screenwriting software […]
What is Final Draft?
Final Draft is a word processor built specifically for scriptwriting. It is considered the industry standard screenplay writing software. Final Draft versions 1 through 7 produce .FDR files; Final Draft 8 uses .FDX files, which can be read on the iPad with FDX Reader. While Final Draft is the industry standard scriptwriting software, it […]
How long is a short film?
There is no official consensus or definition for the length of a “short.” Any film shorter than 50 minutes qualifies as a short film for the Sundance Film Festival, while any film with a run-time under 40 minutes is eligible for the shorts categories at the Academy Awards. The longest of the ten movies nominated […]
What is a feature film?
A feature film (or just “feature”) is a full-length film, the kind you buy a ticket for at your local theater. The term is also used to distinguish between films that are first shown theatrically versus those made for television. A modern feature is typically between 80 and 180 minutes long, but different groups have […]
How many acts does a movie have?
A typical movie is said to have three acts, but this is not a steadfast rule. Film acts are not defined as strictly as play or TV show acts, which are set off with act breaks. The johnaugust.com glossary explains that “Since screenplays never show act breaks, an ‘act’ is really a theoretical concept. Screenwriters […]