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Final Draft Integration

Final Draft is the industry-standard professional screenwriting application. ACT3 AI integrates with Final Draft through file import, file export, and direct copy-paste workflows — so you can move your screenplay between the two tools at any point in production.

Importing a Final Draft Script​

Import via File Upload​

  1. Open or create a project in ACT3 AI
  2. In the Script Panel, click File → Import → Script
  3. Select Final Draft (.fdx) as the format
  4. Browse to your .fdx file and click Open
  5. ACT3 AI parses the file and maps its contents:
    • Scene headings (INT./EXT.) → Scene cards in the Outline
    • Character names → dialogue tracks and Actor name entries
    • Dialogue blocks → per-character speech in each scene
    • Action lines → scene description fields
    • Transitions → noted as shot transition hints
  6. Review the import preview — verify scene count, character names, and act structure
  7. Click Confirm Import to apply to your project

The importer preserves all Final Draft formatting elements including scene colors, revision marks, and locked pages when present.

Handling Large Scripts​

For feature-length scripts (90+ pages), the import may take 10–20 seconds. During this time, ACT3 AI:

  • Creates all acts and scenes in the project hierarchy
  • Registers all character names found in dialogue
  • Generates a scene-by-scene summary using AI for use in the Outline view

You can begin adding shots to scenes immediately after import while ACT3 AI continues processing in the background.

Exporting a Script to Final Draft​

If you write or revise your script inside ACT3 AI and want to open it in Final Draft:

  1. In the Script Panel, click File → Export → Script
  2. Choose Final Draft (.fdx) as the export format
  3. Choose what to include:
    • Full script (all acts and scenes)
    • Selected scenes only
    • Current act only
  4. Click Export
  5. The .fdx file downloads to your computer — open it in Final Draft normally

Exported scripts preserve all screenplay formatting: scene headings, action lines, character names, dialogue, and parentheticals. ACT3 AI-specific metadata (shot assignments, camera notes) is not included in the export — it lives in the project data, not the screenplay file.

Copy-Pasting Between Final Draft and ACT3 AI​

For quick transfers without a file export/import cycle:

From Final Draft → ACT3 AI​

  1. In Final Draft, select the scene or scenes you want to transfer (Cmd+A for all)
  2. Copy (Cmd+C)
  3. In ACT3 AI, open the Script Panel and click in the script editor
  4. Paste (Cmd+V)
  5. ACT3 AI detects the screenplay formatting and auto-applies element types:
    • Lines beginning with INT. or EXT. become scene headings
    • ALL CAPS lines after action lines become character cues
    • Indented lines following character cues become dialogue
    • Everything else becomes action

Review the pasted content in the Script Panel and correct any element types using the Element Type dropdown.

From ACT3 AI → Final Draft​

  1. In the ACT3 AI Script Panel, select the text you want (Cmd+A for all, or select specific scenes)
  2. Copy (Cmd+C)
  3. In Final Draft, click in the script document
  4. Paste (Cmd+V)
  5. Final Draft will apply its own auto-formatting — review for any element type corrections needed

Tips for Clean Paste Results​

  • Copy complete scenes rather than mid-scene fragments for cleaner element detection
  • If character names paste as action lines, click the line in the Script Panel, open the Element Type dropdown, and change it to Character
  • Paste into a blank scene rather than mid-script to avoid mixing content unintentionally

Re-Importing After Revisions​

If you revise your script in Final Draft and want to sync the updates back to ACT3 AI:

  1. In ACT3 AI, open Project Settings → Script → Re-import
  2. Upload the updated .fdx file
  3. Choose Merge (preserves existing shots, notes, and actor assignments — only updates script text) or Replace (full overwrite)
  4. Confirm

Merge is the recommended option during active production — it keeps all your shot work and only applies the script text changes.

Supported Final Draft Versions​

ACT3 AI supports Final Draft .fdx files from Final Draft 9 through Final Draft 13 (current). Older .fdr format files from Final Draft 8 and earlier must be resaved as .fdx in Final Draft before importing.