SceneItAllDocs

AI Features

Translate a script into another language

AI translation converts your screenplay into any of 59 supported languages, so you can share scripts with international cast, crew, and co-production partners. You can also upload your own translated script when you already have a professional or in-house translation — it is stored and displayed exactly like an AI translation. Each translation is stored alongside the original, and you switch between languages in the script viewer at any time. This article explains how translation works, where you trigger it, and how to read the result.

How translation works

The AI translates each scene’s screenplay text into your target language while preserving the formatting, the structure, and character-name casing. Character names stay in uppercase and are not translated, so they read consistently across every language version.

Translation runs as a background job; while it runs, the AI job status bar appears below the top bar with progress and a cancel X. Translation uses credits at 1 credit = 1 scene processed, charged only when the run succeeds. One translation runs per project at a time — a second one cannot start until the first finishes, though a translation can run alongside one other kind of AI job.

Start a translation

To translate a script, open the script viewer’s Preview Options menu, then select the Translate row to open the Translate Script dialog. In the dialog:

  1. Search or browse the language list and select your target language. Languages you have already translated are not listed.
  2. To translate the whole script, leave All scenes on. To translate a range, turn All scenes off and pick the From and To scenes.
  3. Select Translate to start the job.

When the job finishes, the new language becomes available in the language menu next to the Translate row.

Upload your own translation

If you already have a translated version of the script — for example a professional translation — you can upload it instead of generating one with AI. Uploading is free (no credits) and the result behaves identically to an AI translation: it appears in the same language menu and renders the same way.

In the Translate Script dialog, switch the toggle at the top from AI translate to Upload file, then:

  1. Select the target language for the file you are uploading.
  2. Select the drop zone to choose your translated script file. The same formats as script import are accepted: Final Draft (.fdx), Fade In (.fadein), and Fountain (.fountain).
  3. Select Upload.

Review the scene mapping

Before anything is saved, the Review translation mapping dialog shows how each scene in your file was matched to a scene of the script you are viewing. Nothing changes until you select Save translations.

Each row is one scene or sub-scene (an insert, montage, intercut, or series of shots) from your file. Its status shows how it was matched:

  • Matched by number — the scene number written in your file matches exactly one scene in the script.
  • Matched by order — your file has no scene numbers, but it has the same number of scenes as the script, so scenes are paired in order. Sub-scenes are paired in order within their matched scene.
  • Needs a match — no safe match was found, for example an extra scene, a repeated number, or a sub-scene the script does not have.

For every row you can keep the match, choose a different scene from the dropdown, or choose Skip to leave that scene out. A scene can only be matched to a scene, and a sub-scene only to a sub-scene of the same type. Select Compare text to see the translated text next to the original. Skip all unmatched skips every row that still needs a match, and Show only scenes that need a match hides the rows that are already decided.

Save translations is available once every row is matched or skipped and no original scene is chosen twice. When you save:

  • Only the matched scenes receive the uploaded text. If they already had a translation in that language (AI or uploaded), it is replaced.
  • Skipped scenes are not stored. To add them later, correct the file and upload it again.
  • Scenes in the script that nothing was matched to keep their current translation in that language, or show the original text if they have none.

If the script or its translations change while you are reviewing, saving reloads the mapping, keeps your choices where they still apply, and asks you to check it and save again. You cannot save while an AI translation is running in the project; save again when it has finished.

To get the best automatic matches:

  • Keep the scene numbers from the original in your translated file. Matching by number is the most reliable.
  • Export the translation in the same format as the original.
  • Keep sub-scene cues (INSERT, INTERCUT, MONTAGE, SERIES OF SHOTS) in English. If they are translated, the importer does not recognize them: their text stays inside the scene, and the original’s sub-scene shows Needs a match or has no new translation.
  • Upload against the same revision you are viewing; splitting, merging, or omitting scenes after import changes which scenes exist.

Uploaded languages are marked in the language menu with a small upload icon so you can tell them apart from AI translations.

View a translation

The trailing control on the Translate row is a language menu. It shows the language you are currently viewing — Original by default. Once a translation exists, open the menu to switch between Original and any translated language. The active language carries a check mark, so you always know which version you are reading. Select Original to return to the source language.

Reference

Partial translations and blocked scenes

The AI provider’s content-safety filter can block individual scenes (for example, for sexual, violent, hate, or self-harm content). When that happens:

  • The job still finishes and reports a partial result — every scene that was not blocked is translated normally.
  • In the translated view, each blocked scene shows a red Blocked: chip under its scene heading. Hover the chip for the full category and what to do.
  • The successful scene rows remain stored. The completed target language is no longer offered in the AI translation picker, so you cannot retry only the blocked rows for that same language from the current UI.
  • If you need to replace the partial result, prepare a complete professional or in-house translation and use Upload file for the same language. Upload mode allows an existing language and replaces the stored translation of every scene you match.

Translation facts

  • Supported languages: 59. The picker lists every language you have not yet translated.
  • Default view: Original (the source language).
  • Replacing a translated language: translated languages are excluded from the AI picker, and the current UI has no delete/retry action. In Upload file mode every language is selectable, and saving replaces the translation of each matched scene.
  • Uploading your own translation: free (no credits); accepts .fdx, .fadein, and .fountain; you review and confirm the scene mapping before anything is saved.

Tips

  • Well-formatted scripts translate better. Final Draft (.fdx), Fade In (.fadein), and Fountain (.fountain) carry structural information that helps the AI tell dialogue from action.
  • Translate a short range first to check the result, then run the rest.
  • Check your credit balance before translating a full script — translation charges one credit per scene.