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Using the script editor

Spell Slate’s script editor uses Fountain format behind the scenes, a plain-text screenplay standard. You type scene headings, action, dialogue, and character names using simple syntax. The editor formats everything automatically. This page explains the editor interface, element types, keyboard rules, and hot keys. For Fountain syntax details, see Fountain formatting and script elements. Script editor with toolbar and formatted script

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Element types

What you type maps to screenplay elements. The editor recognizes them and applies the correct formatting.
  • Scene Heading: INT. KITCHEN - DAY. Starts a new scene. Type “int”, “ext”, or “int/ext” plus space and it auto-converts to INT., EXT., INT/EXT.
Scene Heading element and toolbar
  • Action: Stage directions and description. Normal paragraph text.
Action element and toolbar
  • Character: Who’s speaking. Type in CAPS, centered. Use Tab from an empty action line to start a character.
Character element and toolbar
  • Dialogue: What they say. Indented under the character name. Press Enter after the character name to go here.
Dialogue element and toolbar
  • Parenthetical: (whispering). An aside in dialogue. Use Tab from dialogue to add one.
Parenthetical element and toolbar
  • Transition: CUT TO, FADE IN. Right-aligned. Use Tab from an empty character line to insert one.
Transition element and toolbar In Action and Dialogue, select text to apply bold, italic, or underline with the floating toolbar. Floating toolbar for bold, italic, and underline

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Enter and Tab rules

Enter and Tab move you between element types. This is the core of fast screenplay writing. Enter key:
  • Scene heading → Action (and saves scene/location to breakdown if the slugline is complete)
  • Character → Dialogue (and saves character to breakdown)
  • Parenthetical → Dialogue
  • Dialogue → Action. Use Shift+Enter for a new line within the same dialogue block.
  • Transition → Scene heading
  • Action → New Action (or an empty action becomes Character)
Tab key:
  • Action (empty) → Character
  • Action (with content) → New Action, then next Tab → Character
  • Character (empty) → Transition
  • Dialogue (empty) → Parenthetical ()
  • Dialogue (with content) → Parenthetical after the dialogue
  • Parenthetical → Dialogue

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Hot keys

  • Cmd/Ctrl + S — Save script
  • Cmd/Ctrl + F — Find & Replace
  • Cmd/Ctrl + Enter — Insert manual page break
  • Cmd/Ctrl + Z — Undo
  • Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + Z or Cmd/Ctrl + Y — Redo
  • Escape — Close Find & Replace panel
  • Backspace on empty parenthetical () — Remove parenthetical; cursor moves to end of character line

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Find & Replace

Click the magnifying glass in the toolbar or press Cmd/Ctrl + F. You can:
  • Search and replace across the script
  • Filter by element type (Scene Heading, Action, Character, Dialogue, etc.)
  • Match case or whole words only
  • Replace one or all. Use Undo (Cmd/Ctrl + Z) to restore after Replace all.

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Autocomplete

As you type, the editor suggests:
  • Scene headings: INT, EXT, INT/EXT, etc.
  • Locations: After the scene prefix (e.g. INT. KIT… → KITCHEN). Uses your breakdown locations and ones from the script.
  • Time of day: After the hyphen in a slugline: DAY, NIGHT, DAWN, DUSK, CONTINUOUS, LATER.
  • Characters: In a character element, shows existing characters filtered by what you type.
Use Arrow Up/Down to navigate suggestions, Enter or Tab to accept, Escape to dismiss.

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Scene heading tips

  • Type “int”, “ext”, “int/ext”, “ext/int”, or “i/e” followed by space or a period. The editor converts it to INT., EXT., INT/EXT., EXT/INT., or I/E.
  • A complete slugline (location + dash + time of day) + Enter saves the scene and location to your breakdown.
  • Supported prefixes: INT, EXT, INT/EXT, EXT/INT, I/E.