Highland 2
Final Draft features for much less
Free, offers in-app purchases FROM Quote-Unquote Apps, quoteunquoteapps.com NEEDS macOS 10.12 or later
Screenwriting app Final Draft rules the entertainment world and claims to be used in 95% of film and TV productions. It’s very good, but it’s also expensive at £199. Highland 2 promises to deliver the Final Draft features you need for a fifth of the price (the base version is free, too), and with some flourishes of its own.
The most obvious one is it formats as you type. Type INT for interior, the name of a character or “CUT TO:” and it applies the correct formatting. It also offers autocorrect for locations and character names. The navigation bar shows you all your different locations for easy access, and you can use character highlighting to see exactly who does what in your script. We also like the gender analysis tool, which checks for any unconscious bias in your work.
There are some things it can’t do. It lacks Scrivener’s ability to store and organise every passing thought, plot idea and bit of research for any conceivable kind of writing, and it doesn’t have Final Draft’s collaboration tools, beat sheets, alternate dialogue or story mapping. What it does have, though, is a fast, flexible and highly customisable workspace that’s a joy to use. And for £48.99 you get 13 templates, 10 themes, priority support, and any watermarks are removed from your printouts.