Screen Writing Programs at DVinfo.net

James Sullivan · February 14th, 2004, 06:14 PM

Does anyone know of a good screen writing program? Thanks.....

Keith Loh · February 14th, 2004, 06:56 PM

Microsoft Word.

Okay, that's just what I use but I've written three feature-length screenplays with my own custom template and it's done fine for me. All people care about is if you have the proper formatting.

Ken Tanaka · February 14th, 2004, 07:56 PM

Final Draft is a defacto standard. After using a suite of Word macros designed for screenwriting I finally succumbed to Final Draft last year. I now lament delaying the purchase.

John Locke · February 14th, 2004, 08:00 PM

Ditto on Final Draft. It lets you focus on the writing and leaves all the formatting to a few intuitive key strokes.

Andrew Hogan · February 15th, 2004, 08:12 PM

which one do you use Ken, Final Draft 6 or Final Draft AV2?
thanks

Ken Tanaka · February 15th, 2004, 09:50 PM

Final Draft 6.

Carl Russo · February 16th, 2004, 12:34 AM

A few years ago I picked up Movie Magic Screenwriter by Screenplay Systems. The salesman told me it was Final Draft under a different name, for a much cheaper price. I compared the features listed on both boxes and, sure enough, they were virtually identical.

Beautiful program. I love the index card shuffler best.

Carl Russo

Steve Nunez · February 16th, 2004, 12:47 AM

MacAddict usually puts in a free/demo screenwriting program every few CD's. I know I've seen a few different ones on past CD's.....check their website or some old CD's if you're a subscriber- you may have one!
Good luck!

Richard Alvarez · February 16th, 2004, 07:24 AM

Final Draft and Scriptware are the top two used in the profession. Scriptware being the first and oldest, (And what I write on) but Final Draft now replacing it at a higher rate. Movie Magic is very good as well. Final Draft AV is specifically for AV dual column scripts. Scriptware has dual column in it.

James Sullivan · February 16th, 2004, 09:28 PM

THanks for your imput. I will look around for those titles. Thanks

-James

Marco Leavitt · January 8th, 2005, 10:04 PM

I gotta agree with Keith Loh. I have absolutely no use for screenwriting programs. He's got some downloadable templates on his site you might try. I just programed a handful of macros in my version of Word and it does everything I need. One problem with Final Draft and programs like that is that they're proprietary. If you ever need to open your file on another machine you're out of luck. It also makes problems if you need to e-mail your script to anybody. This is a major problem in my opinion. Some screenwriting contests do require Final Draft though, so that's something to consider.

Valeriu Campan · January 10th, 2005, 07:04 AM

You can save the FinalDraft script as .RTF files and it can be viewed and "edited" by other programs too. With Mac OSX you can "print" as PDF as well.

Marco Leavitt · January 10th, 2005, 07:56 AM

Yeah, but you don't want to be switching back and forth. There's just too much formatting in a screenplay. RTF files never quite work right for me. Something always gets messed up. RTFs and PDFs that I've sent to cast members never come out at the proper page length either.

February 14th, 2004, 06:14 PM	#1
James Sullivan Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Camarillo Posts: 27	Screen Writing Programs Does anyone know of a good screen writing program? Thanks.....

February 14th, 2004, 06:56 PM	#2
Keith Loh Air China Pilot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 2,389	Microsoft Word. Okay, that's just what I use but I've written three feature-length screenplays with my own custom template and it's done fine for me. All people care about is if you have the proper formatting. __________________ -- Visit http://www.KeithLoh.com \| stuff about living in Vancouver \| My Flickr photo gallery

February 14th, 2004, 07:56 PM	#3
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Final Draft is a defacto standard. After using a suite of Word macros designed for screenwriting I finally succumbed to Final Draft last year. I now lament delaying the purchase. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

February 14th, 2004, 08:00 PM	#4
John Locke Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Austin, TX USA Posts: 2,882	Ditto on Final Draft. It lets you focus on the writing and leaves all the formatting to a few intuitive key strokes. __________________ John Locke SursumFilms.com

February 15th, 2004, 09:50 PM	#6
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	Final Draft 6. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

February 15th, 2004, 08:12 PM	#5
Andrew Hogan Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Canberra AUSTRALIA Posts: 169	which one do you use Ken, Final Draft 6 or Final Draft AV2? thanks

February 16th, 2004, 12:34 AM	#7
Carl Russo New Boot Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: San Francisco Posts: 15	A few years ago I picked up Movie Magic Screenwriter by Screenplay Systems. The salesman told me it was Final Draft under a different name, for a much cheaper price. I compared the features listed on both boxes and, sure enough, they were virtually identical. Beautiful program. I love the index card shuffler best. Carl Russo

February 16th, 2004, 12:47 AM	#8
Steve Nunez Trustee Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Pembroke Pines, Florida Posts: 1,418	MacAddict usually puts in a free/demo screenwriting program every few CD's. I know I've seen a few different ones on past CD's.....check their website or some old CD's if you're a subscriber- you may have one! Good luck! __________________ Steve Nunez-New York City www.stevenunez.com

February 16th, 2004, 07:24 AM	#9
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Final Draft and Scriptware are the top two used in the profession. Scriptware being the first and oldest, (And what I write on) but Final Draft now replacing it at a higher rate. Movie Magic is very good as well. Final Draft AV is specifically for AV dual column scripts. Scriptware has dual column in it.

February 16th, 2004, 09:28 PM	#10
James Sullivan Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Camarillo Posts: 27	THanks for your imput. I will look around for those titles. Thanks -James

January 8th, 2005, 10:04 PM	#11
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	I gotta agree with Keith Loh. I have absolutely no use for screenwriting programs. He's got some downloadable templates on his site you might try. I just programed a handful of macros in my version of Word and it does everything I need. One problem with Final Draft and programs like that is that they're proprietary. If you ever need to open your file on another machine you're out of luck. It also makes problems if you need to e-mail your script to anybody. This is a major problem in my opinion. Some screenwriting contests do require Final Draft though, so that's something to consider.

January 10th, 2005, 07:04 AM	#12
Valeriu Campan Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 223	You can save the FinalDraft script as .RTF files and it can be viewed and "edited" by other programs too. With Mac OSX you can "print" as PDF as well.

January 10th, 2005, 07:56 AM	#13
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Yeah, but you don't want to be switching back and forth. There's just too much formatting in a screenplay. RTF files never quite work right for me. Something always gets messed up. RTFs and PDFs that I've sent to cast members never come out at the proper page length either.