 The program is free software, licensed under the GPL3.Screenwriter-mode is a fork of screenplay-mode, a major mode for GNU Emacs that enables screenplay formatting, including a running database of character names and locations.Klaatu announced on the "GNU World Order" that he decided to fork screenplay-mode because he'd written a patch for it to provide transition elements and improved keyboard shortcuts but had not heard back from the original author, Vance L. Simpson, after several months of attempting contact.