Question for writers....

T

therockmts

I am taking a census from screenwriters about what sort of programs they use. What script programs do you use, what have you tried in the past but didn't like.... This is for a potential story/article in the upcoming January 2007 issue of Independent Rising Magazine. Please get in touch with me by sending an e-mail or post a reply here.

Thanks!

Mark Sickle, Managing Editor
Independent Rising Magazine
 
I use Final Draft for script writing and Movie Outline for plotting.

I also have Celtx, because I sometimes need to collaborate with people who can't afford Final Draft.

Hope this helps.
 
Screenplay programs I use

I currently write my outlines and treatments in Open Office. There is also a screenplay template you can download for it. I have been writing my screenplays using SceneWriter Pro from Virtual Amnesia SceneWriter Pro 3.0 is very full featured and cheap (about $30) , but it looks like they are no longer developing this product. I have used Celtix, a freeware program with alot of features, but the fact that it automatically stores your screenplay on their servers creeped me out.
 
Movie Magic. As a writer who also makes movies I like the whole package. I find that many first AD's and UPM's use the Movie Magic scheduling and budgeting software.

What have I tried and didn't like? None. I have tried four (Final Draft, Sophocles, Movie Magic and Scriptware) and liked all of them.
 
I used Final Draft more then a few times! And OpenOffice when I was collaborating with someone who used the program. I like them both.
 
I've tried everything from Word templates to Sophocles. I ended up on Final Draft. I like the interface just a little more than MM Screenwriter, but FD edges it out in terms of market share. Within the industry, FD is pretty much the standard.
 
Heh, I use Wordpad which came with the computer. I don't tend on selling the actual scripts in which I write but rather shoot them myself so I just write in a style that is most comfortable for me. I'm thinking on getting Final Draft however; I tried the demo and I like it's interface pretty good. Right now though, Wordpad and a simple spell checker is A OK with me.
 
Screenwriting software...

therockmts said:
I am taking a census from screenwriters about what sort of programs they use. What script programs do you use, what have you tried in the past but didn't like.... This is for a potential story/article in the upcoming January 2007 issue of Independent Rising Magazine. Please get in touch with me by sending an e-mail or post a reply here.

Thanks!

Mark Sickle, Managing Editor
Independent Rising Magazine
Click to expand...

I started out by using Microsoft Word and the tab key. I then graduated to using ScriptThing which eventually evolved into Movie Magic Screenwriter.

I upgraded to MM YEARS ago when it came out... I still have a copy of ScriptThing (DOS) that runs on an old 386 just in case I need it... Every computer I own (8) has every copy/version of software on it except the 386.

I finally bought a copy of Final Draft because of compatibility problems with others I know and immediately fell in love with it... I know both MM and FD backwards and forwards now and I can honestly say that FD definitely edges it out in performance.

Having said that...

I have used and on occasion still use the following:

1) Celtx
2) Cinergy
3) Sophocles
4) Movie Magic Screenwriter

For my outlines, I use Open Office even though I have Word... I find Open Office faster and easier to work with and along with pushbutton PDF creation... You can't beat it with a stick.

filmy
 
I'm another Final Draft user. I actually wrote my first (and only so far to date) feature length script (118 pages) in Wordperfect 5.1 many years ago, though. I've used FD since version 2.0 and oddly didn't turn out any completed works from it until yesterday when I finished a 5 minute (5 page, spec format) script for my first short film written on version 7.1.
 
You can use anything of course, but when you get to that place where you cant not think in format, it's helpful to be at one (from mind to screen) with something designed to anticipate your next move.

For me Sopohocles does everything I need, and at $60 (student discount price) was worth every cent to finally end the common font, printing and PDF tail chasing I had done for years with more demo versions and templates than I can remember.

:)
 
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