Getting started
Import a draft
Bring an existing script into Proscenium, check how its lines were read, and create a new play. Your original file stays unchanged.
Choose a source file
From the Plays screen, choose Import a Draft…, then Choose Files….
Proscenium can read .docx, .odt, .pages, .rtf, .txt, .md, .fountain, .spmd and .fdx directly. You can select several files and review them one at a time.
If your draft is in another format:
- Pages, with a password or tracked changes: in Pages, choose File › Export To › Word, then import the
.docx. - Google Docs: download a Word
.docxcopy. A.gdocfile is a link to the online document, not its contents. - Older Word
.doc: open it in Word and save a.docxcopy. - PDF or a scan: find the editable source document if you can. Proscenium does not extract a script from PDF pages or photographs.
Reading happens on your Mac. Import does not upload the draft.
Review the draft
The Review Your Draft screen shows what Proscenium read. Check the title, then look through the opening and a few exchanges.
Pay particular attention to character cues, stage directions and scene headings. In a document written as ordinary prose, the importer has to infer these from the text and formatting.
Select a paragraph to change its element type where needed. Read any warnings before continuing. You can cancel the import and return to the source document if it needs more preparation.
Create the play
Choose Create New Play when you are satisfied with the review. This creates a new play; it does not replace one you already have. The original source file is retained with the imported play as well as staying in its original location.
Once the script opens, choose a format, check the opening pages, and continue writing. Import gets the text into editable form; give the finished pages a read before exporting them.