How do you do this in Final Draft?

[pizz]

I want to have my script formatted like (British) published stage plays, like so:

Bob: Hello.
Mary: Hi, Bob!
Bob: How are you?
Mary: Fine, and you?

But I can't find the proper template to use in Final Draft as all the templates seem to have the CHARACTER in a different line than the DIALOGUE.

Is this possible with Final Draft? I'm using version 8.

Cheers!

[Kat]

Try looking at some of the stage play templates - I think they work like that.

[pizz]

Kat, thanks for your prompt response. Sadly, none of the templates do that (I've gone thorugh each and every one of them) nor I can find the right settings inside the program.

I haven't downloaded any new templates that might do this (I'm quite new to Final Draft and script writing in general), but I'll look around.

[bilinguru]

If you go to the Final Draft Website, click on Downloads/Script Templates, you will find five different BBC stageplay templates. One of those is probably the one you're looking for.

[pizz]

bilinguru, thanks for your input. Unfortunately I had already tried the templates (and not updated my thread) to no avail.

I've concluded you can't do this with Final Draft, which is a shame, but hey it's pretty darn good at what it DOES actually do...

[CrowsCroft]

I think that Published Play Format is a space saving device used by publishers rather than an accepted method of script formatting.

Maybe you could do it by transferring the FD script to a word processor when its finished and then reformatting using Edit -> Find -> Replace. Not the easiest solution but might be worth a go if you are desperate to have it set out this way.

[Igor]

OK, first question: Why do you want to do THIS in FD? Looks like a job for a standard word processor. I can't figure out what FD offers you in this situation.

As far as I can figure out - though, you can contact FD support and ask them - there is no way to suppress a new/linefeed from one Element to the next.

Anyway, you can open a new document in FD and edit all of the Elements to your liking. Type the Character's name and his/her Dialogue as a DIY Custom Element or simply an Action Element. That get's them both on the same line.

[spinningdoc]

I think that Published Play Format is a space saving device used by publishers rather than an accepted method of script formatting.

Nope, it's the norm for stage plays in the UK.

Whenever I've used it, a hanging indent in a normal WP pretty much does the job.

[bilinguru]

I guess the problem is that Final Draft is a program meant for formatting films and televisions - not stage plays. I think using the customizable elements features of the program would allow you to get the format you're looking for. It's a pain, for sure. But, you'll only have to do it once and then you'll have your template for future plays.

Good luck!!

[craktactor]

MovieMagic Screenwriter has a template for Stage Plays already built in... as well as two differnt sitcom templates, a handful of screenplay templates, and on and on. (BBC templates are available for download too)
I've been using MMS since it's inception and have never had problems whatsoever.
Lucky me, I guess.