Title: FOUNT: DEFINITIVE TUTORIAL
Credit: Written by
Author: Beetle and Bee
Source: Based on the Fount Screenwriting Software
Draft date: April 27, 2026
Contact:
    beetle@idonhaveadomainyet.com
Notes:
    This document is both a screenplay and a technical manual.
    Read it to learn everything about Fount.


# ACT I: THE HEARTBEAT

INT. THE APARTMENT - NIGHT

= Beetle and Bee sit in the soft glow of a terminal. The cursor blinks like a steady pulse, a green spark in the dark.

A single laptop sits on a wooden desk. The room is quiet, the only sound the distant hum of the city and the rhythmic tapping of keys. 

BEETLE (20s) leans in, his face illuminated by the screen. BEE (20s) rests her head on his shoulder, her breath warm against his neck.

BEE
It’s so... quiet. Like the world stopped.

BEETLE
That’s the magic of it. No menus, no ribbons, no noise. Just the heartbeat.

Beetle types a period at the start of a line.

.THE BEGINNING OF US

BEETLE (CONT'D)
See that dot? That’s a forced scene heading. If our location doesn't start with INT. or EXT., just add a dot. Fount hides it when you move away, leaving the page clean.

BEE
(whispering)
And where are we?

BEETLE
Check the status bar at the bottom. It shows our **W**ord count, **L**ine count, and where we are in the universe. It’s subtle, so you don't lose focus.

!Beetle taps a key. The status bar flickers and disappears.

BEE
Wait, where did it go?

BEETLE
Focus Mode. `/set focus`. It strips away everything but the words. We can even toggle Typewriter Mode with `/set typewriter` to keep our active line perfectly centered.

BEE
It feels like we’re *italics* floating in **bold** space.

BEETLE
(smiling)
Even the emphasis is simple. One star for italics, two for bold, three for ***both***. And if we want to shout...

!!THE CAMERA SWINGS WIDE

BEETLE (CONT'D)
Double exclamation marks for a SHOT. 


# ACT II: THE SKELETON

INT. THE APARTMENT - LATER

= They begin to map out the structure of their story using Sections and Index Cards.

Beetle hits `Ctrl+H`. A sidebar slides out on the left.

BEETLE
The Scene Navigator. It picks up every heading, section, and synopsis. 

BEE
Wait, why is that scene heading red?

BEETLE
Markers. Double brackets with a color name. 

[[red]]

BEETLE (CONT'D)
It tints the entry in the navigator and the index cards. It’s how we track the mood of each scene. Red for passion, blue for sorrow.

BEE
(running her fingers over the keys)
And these hashtags?

BEETLE
Sections. Type one or more `#` symbols. It’s the skeleton of the script. It won't print in the PDF, but it keeps us organized.

Beetle types `/ic`. The screen transforms into a grid of cards, each representing a scene.

BEE
Oh, Beetle... it’s like our corkboard in the old studio.

BEETLE
This is the Story Architect. Every scene is an index card. Use the `Arrow Keys` to move, or `Shift+Arrows` to swap them. Swapping the cards moves the actual text in the script.

BEE
(pointing)
Look, I can edit the synopsis right here. 

BEETLE
Press `Enter`. Change the heading, then the synopsis. It’s like we’re rearranging our memories before they even happen.

BEE
What about the parts we aren't ready for yet? The things we want to hide?

/*
This is the Boneyard.
A place for deleted scenes, half-formed thoughts,
and the words we aren't brave enough to say yet.
Everything in here is ignored by the exporter.
*/

BEETLE
The Boneyard. A safe place for our ghosts.


# ACT III: THE ECHO

INT. THE APARTMENT - NIGHT

= Demonstrating the rhythm of dialogue, dual dialogue, and the Ensemble Sidebar.

Bee takes the keyboard. Her fingers move with a newfound confidence.

BEE
I want to hear us talk. Truly talk.

BEE
Are we real? Or just characters in a machine?

BEETLE ^
As real as the ink. As real as the pulse.

BEE (CONT'D)
The `^` at the end of your name... Dual Dialogue. We’re speaking at the same time, overlapping like a song.

BEETLE
Speaking of songs...

Bee types a tilde.

~ We’re just echoes in a terminal...
~ Lost in the lines of code...
~ Writing our way back home.

> THE END OF THE SONG <

BEE
Centered text for the finale. Just use the brackets.

Bee hits `Ctrl+L`. A list of characters appears on the right.

BEE (CONT'D)
The Ensemble Sidebar. It shows every character, how many words they’ve spoken, and where they appear. It’s a map of everyone we’ve ever imagined.

BEETLE
And if you ever get lost, just press `F1`. The Cheat Sheet shows every shortcut we have.


# ACT IV: THE PERSPECTIVE

INT. THE APARTMENT - LATER

= Using X-Ray Mode to analyze the pacing and balance of their creation.

The script has grown into a thick stack of virtual pages. Beetle types `/xray`. 

BEETLE
Let’s see the soul of this thing. The X-Ray doesn't lie.

BEE
What am I looking at? It looks like a heartbeat monitor.

BEETLE
The Pacing Map. Action vs. Dialogue. If it’s too heavy on one side, the rhythm of the story is off. We need to find the balance between the silence and the sound.

BEE
(navigating with `1`, `2`, `3`)
And the Character Analysis... it says I dominate the dialogue.

BEETLE
(teasing)
By 15% now. 

BEE
I’m the heart, Beetle. You’re the logic.

BEETLE
Press `3`. Scene Analysis. It estimates the page count for each scene. It flagged scene 12 as "Over-Limit". We’re lingering too long in the rain.


# ACT V: THE FEVER DREAM

INT. THE APARTMENT - DEEP NIGHT

= The intensity of Writing Sprints, the safety of Snapshots, and the mood of Themes.

Rain streaks the window in long, jagged lines. Bee is typing with frantic, beautiful energy. A timer in the status bar ticks down like a bomb.

BEE
Don't stop me. I’m in a Sprint. I can feel the words coming.

BEETLE
`/sprint 15`. Fifteen minutes to say everything we’ve been holding back. 

BEE
(frantic)
What if I break it? What if I change something I can't take back?

BEETLE
Type `/snap`. 

A gallery of time-stamped versions appears. 

BEETLE (CONT'D)
Automated Session Snapshots. Fount saves a copy every time we hit save, or every 30 seconds if we're too busy to think. Press `Enter` to restore, or `o` to open it in a new buffer and compare. You can never truly lose your way.

BEE
(breathless)
I want it to feel different. I want it to feel like the deep ocean.

BEETLE
Press `Ctrl+P`. Navigate to the Theme option. Or just type `/theme moonlight`. 

The screen shifts from the stark terminal white to a deep, vibrant blue. 

BEE
There. Now the words can breathe.


# ACT VI: THE FINAL POLISH

EXT. THE BALCONY - DAWN

= The final touches: Search & Replace, Production Tools, and the Export.

The sun begins to peek over the horizon, painting the city in shades of gold and grey. Beetle and Bee sit together on the small balcony, the laptop resting on their laps.

BEETLE
One last thing. We need to change the name of the protagonist. "The Writer" is too distant.

BEE
(nodding)
Search for "The Writer". Replace it with "Us".

Beetle types `/search The Writer`. The screen lights up with yellow highlights on every page. 

BEETLE
Use `Alt+Up` and `Alt+Down` to find each one. Press `r` to replace this one, or `R` to replace them all at once. And if we need to see what we did last... `Alt+/` recalls our last command.

BEE
And the scene numbers? For the director?

BEETLE
`/renum`. It numbers everything sequentially. If we were heading to set tomorrow, we’d use `/locknum` to freeze them, so any new scenes would be 14A, 14B... 

BEE
It’s time to let it go.

BEETLE
Wait. One more thing.

Beetle types `/addtitle`. A title page block appears at the top. He fills in their names.

BEE
Now?

BEETLE
Now.

===

BEE
A page break for the end.

Beetle types `/export` or presses `Ctrl+E`. The Export Pane appears, offering PDF, CSV, and Character Reports.

BEETLE
Where should we send it?

BEE
To anyone who’s ever been afraid to start.

> FADE OUT.

[End of Tutorial. Use `/home` to go back to the start screen. Happy writing!]