Writing software or manual? Page 2

I downloaded a demo of Movie Magic Screenwriter 6 to just give it a try. From what I could make out you get the full programme to use free for 14 days. I had the manual open and it seemed relatively straight forward to use but I just couldn't understand how to use the templates so I found that a bit frustrating.

I was also surprised at how fast it downloaded. It was less that a minute and I have quite a slow broadband connection.

All in all I don't think I will invest in any expensive software like this or FD until a producer actually shows some interest and it warrants me paying out the cash.

Quote: Deferenz @ 29th July 2014, 5:13 PM BST

I downloaded a demo of Movie Magic Screenwriter 6 to just give it a try. From what I could make out you get the full programme to use free for 14 days. I had the manual open and it seemed relatively straight forward to use but I just couldn't understand how to use the templates so I found that a bit frustrating.

I was also surprised at how fast it downloaded. It was less that a minute and I have quite a slow broadband connection.

All in all I don't think I will invest in any expensive software like this or FD until a producer actually shows some interest and it warrants me paying out the cash.

View original

I promise I'm not on commission but give Scrivener a look - especially in light of your other post in 'writing stages' and how you like to work.
I think it might suit.
It's about £30 and I think there's a months trial available.

Quote: Lazzard @ 29th July 2014, 6:14 PM BST

I promise I'm not on commission but give Scrivener a look - especially in light of your other post in 'writing stages' and how you like to work.
I think it might suit.
It's about £30 and I think there's a months trial available.

View original

I have read some reviews on this and it sounds like an excellent organisational tool to manage a writing project but it seems to suggest not necessarily great for the actual script writing itself. What are your thoughts on this?

At the moment I do things the old fashioned way so I make notes with a pad and pencil and then type up more fleshed out details onto ms word.

Quote: Deferenz @ 29th July 2014, 11:07 PM BST

I have read some reviews on this and it sounds like an excellent organisational tool to manage a writing project but it seems to suggest not necessarily great for the actual script writing itself. What are your thoughts on this?

At the moment I do things the old fashioned way so I make notes with a pad and pencil and then type up more fleshed out details onto ms word.

View original

It's great for script writing - it just requires a slight mind shift in as much as each scene should be a new document - you put them together at the end in the 'compilation' stage.
The huge upside to this is you can move scenes around - ditch them, insert new ones etc etc.
(eg If there are scenes I'm not sure about, I just dump them in a 'spare scenes ' folder)
You can view these as index cards as well...
When it comes to writing you simply select 'screenplay' mode for the document and off you go.
You need to learn a couple of shortcuts - but you do on any writing software.
It's 100% customisable (is that a word?) and, as you say, organisationally it's brilliant.
Currently working on a six part comedy-drama and I have the whole series mapped out in the one document - along with references, music, photos, notes etc etc.
And when you're done - export to PDF, Final Draft, Word or whatever.
Undoubtedly , it's hugely over-specced for just straight forward script writing - there are things in there I haven't even touched yet.
But it's good to know they're there!
Worth a look, I'd say.

Quote: Lazzard @ 29th July 2014, 6:14 PM BST

I promise I'm not on commission but give Scrivener a look - especially in light of your other post in 'writing stages' and how you like to work.
I think it might suit.
It's about £30 and I think there's a months trial available.

View original

Given the way the trial works if you have time then it is well worth checking Scrivener out.

The month trial is actually something like a trial of 28 or 30 individual days, meaning if you only use it a couple of days a week you can use it for 14 or 15 weeks. A lot better than most trials that just start the clock running when you install/first run.

After that, the Mac version is about £30. I can't remember if the Windows version is slightly cheaper as it's missing a few features that are on the Mac version - though don't ask me what they are.

IIRC it's available for win/mac/linux but was originally a Mac product.

BTW I've not yet used Scriv for screenplay/radioplay, but it's been great for some non-linear fiction I've been working on.

I know I'm a bit late but I used CeltX for ages and now use Fade In Pro.
It's fantastic, very easy to use. The shortcuts are second nature for me now.

There's already a little thread: https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/30349#P1075715

And I know that the developer, Kent Tessman (yes American), was watching so if you have any gripes you may even be able to suggest changes.

Mike

So have I got this right? A bloke from:
- East of the River Medway is a Man of Kent.
- West of the River Medway is a Kentish Man.
- America is Kent Tessman.

(Whereas I'm just an utter Kent for using someones name for attempted humour)

I'm impressed with your knowledge, JD.
Or googling speed.
I thought Man of Kent was a boozer (by which I mean pub not alcoholic).

Quote: mikemcc @ 1st August 2014, 8:24 AM BST

I'm impressed with your knowledge, JD.
Or googling speed.
I thought Man of Kent was a boozer (by which I mean pub not alcoholic).

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TBH I can never remember which way round they are, so wrote the post then Googled to check... and had to edit my post as I'd got them the wrong way round.

And on topic:
I wrote the post in celtx then transferred it to Scrivener before finally copy and pasting it into the web browser window.

Actually, alongside Open Office, I do use both Celtx and Scrivener and like them both for how I tend to work. Since I like them I've not really checked out anything else as there are only so many hours in the day and you can either be testing/researching writing software or actually writing/planning/editing.

Yeah, back on topic.

I just found a BBC radio play template in FadeIn.
And changed my font to Courier Screenplay.

If this stuff is important to you then you are as sad as me.
Also, you should spend the thirty quid.

Mike

Hi Mike

I've had a read of the FadeIn website and have a few questions:

* It states that it saves your script work to the cloud. Can you also save it on your own computer?

* Do you have to be online to use it or can it be used offline?

* Does it have the templates that sitcom writers would use? such as TV Three Camera Format, TV Screenplay or BBC Taped Sitcom Format?

* Does it have any form of tutorial or manual to start you off with how to use it?

* $50/£30 seems really good value for this? (that's more rhetorical really)

So far I have tried a demo of Movie Magic Screenwriter 6 which I quite liked. I tried to download a demo of Final Draft but I could not find an access code anywhere to open it up so no luck there. I am going to look at Scrivener and FadeIn Pro next.

I'm no expert but...

Quote: Deferenz @ 1st August 2014, 1:45 PM BST

* It states that it saves your script work to the cloud. Can you also save it on your own computer?

View original

Yes, I never use the cloud part. I save to my computer and back the files up to an external hard drive.

* Do you have to be online to use it or can it be used offline?

It's installed on your PC. You don't need the interweb to use it.

* Does it have the templates that sitcom writers would use? such as TV Three Camera Format, TV Screenplay or BBC Taped Sitcom Format?

There are templates available on the download page but they may not be what you need (I haven't looked at them all). I think templates are quite easy to create and you could always request them.

* Does it have any form of tutorial or manual to start you off with how to use it?

The help is good and there's a knowledge base at http://www.fadeinpro.com/kb/. There is a demo version so give that a try - you've got nothing to lose.

Mike.

I love scrivener - and it only takes a day or two to get the hang of it, especially if you go through the tutorial

Well I downloaded the demo of Fade In and so far I am really enjoying using it. After a bit of an initial play and mooch around it becomes really easy to use and is free of all the clutter I have found in a few other things I've tried. It is so easy to just start writing a project and then saving it to your chosen file type.

I had a question that I couldn't find an answer to and so I emailed Kent Tessman, the developer as I had heard he gets back to customers quickly. I can certainly vouch that he did as I emailed him Saturday evening and he replied with the answer on Sunday afternoon. I would agree with others who have said he certainly cares about his product.

As an aspiring sitcom writer I think this is a really good tool, and at $49.99 (approx £34) for the software I think it's really good value for money.