Screenplay File Formats: PDF vs. FDX vs. Fountain

Screenplay formatting is strict for good reasons, and the file format you use can either protect that formatting or quietly wreck it. Most writers end up juggling at least two formats: one to write in, one to share.

Here is a plain comparison of the four you are most likely to deal with.

What are the main screenplay file formats?

The four most common are PDF, Final Draft (.fdx), Fountain (.fountain), and plain text (.txt). Each fits a different job.

Why is PDF the standard for sharing screenplays?

Because it locks the layout. Every reader sees the same pages, the same page breaks, and the same page count, regardless of device or software.

That matters because page count is how readers estimate length. Our guide to page count and runtime explains why. A PDF also prevents accidental edits and opens on virtually any device.

Pros:

• Universal and consistent
• Preserves exact formatting and pagination
• Expected by most contests, readers, and representatives

Cons:

• Not practical to edit
• Structure is visual only. Software has to infer which lines are dialogue from their position on the page
• A scanned PDF is just images of pages, with no selectable text unless it has been run through text recognition

Tip: export your PDF directly from your screenwriting software rather than printing to PDF from another app. That keeps the text selectable and the layout accurate.

What is a Final Draft .fdx file good for?

Editing and collaboration in Final Draft. An .fdx file stores both the text and the structure, so every line knows whether it is a scene heading, action, character, or dialogue.

Pros:

• Keeps element types explicit, which helps any software that reads it
• Commonly used in professional film and television workflows
• Other screenwriting apps can often import it

Cons:

• Recipients need Final Draft or a compatible app to open it properly
• Not the right format for a cold submission unless requested

What is Fountain, and why do writers like it?

Fountain is a plain-text markup format for screenplays. You write in any text editor, and apps that support Fountain render it as a properly formatted script.

The syntax is designed to look like a screenplay even as plain text. Here is a short invented scene written in Fountain:

EXT. BUS STOP - DAWN

Rain. IRIS (17) sits on her suitcase. A bus approaches,
then passes without stopping.

IRIS
(to the bus)
Rude.

A second figure joins her: WALT (70s), umbrella, no hurry.

WALT
That one never stops.

IRIS
Then why is there a sign?

WALT
Optimism.

Some of the main conventions:

• Scene headings start with INT. or EXT. on their own line.
• A character name in uppercase on its own line, followed by dialogue on the next line.
• Parentheticals sit in parentheses under the character name.
• Uppercase lines ending in "TO:" are treated as transitions.
• Special characters can force an element, such as a leading period for a scene heading or a leading exclamation point for action.

Pros: portable, future-proof, works in any editor, and easy to track with version control. Cons: small syntax mistakes can turn an uppercase action line into a character name, or the reverse, so preview your script before sharing.

When is plain text good enough?

When you need to move a few pages quickly, or paste them into another tool. For a full script, plain text usually loses too much.

If you do use plain text, keep the structure recognizable: scene headings in uppercase, character names in uppercase on their own lines, and blank lines between elements. That is essentially Fountain, which is why many writers just use Fountain.

How do you convert between screenplay formats?

Export from your writing app whenever possible, and always proofread the result. Conversions are where formatting breaks.

1. From .fdx or Fountain to PDF: use your app's export function. This is the most reliable conversion.
2. Between .fdx and Fountain: many screenwriting apps can import and export both. After converting, check scene headings, transitions, and dual dialogue.
3. From PDF to editable: some apps can import a PDF and rebuild structure from the layout. Expect to fix a few misidentified lines.
4. From a scanned PDF: run text recognition first, then clean it up. Accuracy varies.

After any conversion, check these problem spots:

• Character names spelled differently in different places
• ALL-CAPS action lines mistaken for character cues
• Transitions merged into action
• Dual dialogue flattened into sequential lines
• Page count changing unexpectedly

Which format is best for hearing your script read aloud?

Any format that keeps structure clear. The cleaner the element types, the more reliably software can separate dialogue from action.

Table Read accepts PDF, Final Draft (.fdx), Fountain, and plain text, or you can paste pages directly. It detects the characters and suggests a voice for each. If your file has inconsistent character names, fix those first so one character does not end up with two voices. For more on what makes script-reading tools work well, see text-to-speech for screenwriters, and for a broader overview, how to hear your screenplay read aloud.

What format should you send to contests and readers?

PDF, unless the guidelines say otherwise. Read each submission's rules carefully; some specify file naming, title page contents, or whether to include your name.

Our contest and reader prep checklist covers those details along with a final listening pass.

What is a sensible format workflow?

Write in an editable format, keep backups, and export PDFs for sharing. Keep one master file so versions do not drift.

1. Write in your preferred app, in .fdx, Fountain, or your app's own format.
2. Name drafts clearly with a date or draft number.
3. Export a PDF for every draft you share or listen to.
4. Never edit the PDF. Edit the master file and export again.

Whichever reading tool you use, Table Read included, upload the freshly exported file rather than an old copy, so you are always hearing the current draft.

Simple habits like these keep formatting intact, and they make the listen, note, and revise workflow much easier, because you always know which draft you are hearing.