Scene navigation and filters

The sidebar beside the editor lists scene headings in script order. Select a heading to open the scene. A temporary highlight identifies the destination. The sidebar follows the current scene. Focus mode hides the sidebar.

Summaries show beneath each heading, with the current scene's summary expanded. They never print. Imported Final Draft Summary elements and Fountain = lines work here too.

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File → Scene cards gives each scene a card with its heading, summary, location, time of day, and length in eighths.

• Drag a card onto a different card to move the scene.
• Click a summary to edit it.
• Click a heading to open the scene in the editor.

To move a scene as a writer, drag its handle or select the handle and press ↑/↓. The heading and all scene text move together. One undo reverses the move. While a filter is active, scene moves are unavailable.

Select File → Number scenes to add numbers in the two margins without changing your headings.

• Numbers stay with their scenes. A scene inserted after 12 becomes 12A on the next numbering pass.
• Deleted scenes leave gaps. Later scene numbers do not change.
• Once all scenes are numbered, the command becomes Unnumber scenes.
• Numbers carry into PDFs, the Production report, Final Draft, and Fountain.

In a numbered script, omit a cut scene to keep its production number.

1. Put the cursor in the scene. Select File → Omit scene.
2. To show the scene again, select Restore scene.
3. To reverse either action, use Undo.

The navigator and command palette also have Omit scene. An omitted scene shows a line such as "23 OMITTED". Screencake keeps its text hidden. Omitted scenes keep their numbers, including after Unnumber scenes. They show in the navigator and cards, count as 0/8 on the stripboard, and add no runtime.

PDFs print the OMITTED line. For other formats, refer to Import & export.

Select the filter button, then select filters. The sidebar shows matching scenes and a count such as "4 of 62 scenes". Filters do not change the script.

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• Characters: anyone with a speaking cue.
• Locations and time: places and DAY, NIGHT, or DUSK labels from scene headings.
• Breakdown tags: tagged props, wardrobe, and other production items.
• Story: once beats are linked, unbeated finds scenes without a card.

Linked scenes show a beat count beneath the heading. Click it to open the board.

Select View filtered to make a page-accurate set of matching scenes. Print or share an actor's scenes, a location's scenes, or a prop continuity pass.

The navigator is included in the free desktop app. Filtering, View filtered, and sides are available with Production. For offline details, see Sync & offline.