What's the best package and are they worth investing in? Are UK sitcom formatting outlines catered for?
Final Draft etc.
Cetlx - it's free and features lots of formats. Also comes with a helpful and friendly forum.
I find Final Draft to buggy and overpriced.
Final Draft is bit dear but good. Has the odd bug, but nothing that's made be want to bin it.
I'd never go anywhere without it.
I've got final draft, but not got round to using it yet.
I don't see what's wrong with Script Smart though. It can be a little fiddly at times, but I wouldn't say it's that horrific.
Quote: Winterlight @ October 4 2008, 3:12 PM BSTI've got final draft, but not got round to using it yet.
I don't see what's wrong with Script Smart though. It can be a little fiddly at times, but I wouldn't say it's that horrific.
It requires Word for a start. That's bad enough.
What is your hatred with Word, Mr Lotus?!
The only thing I dislike about Word is the mess that is tabbing.
Quote: Winterlight @ October 4 2008, 3:26 PM BSTWhat is your hatred with Word, Mr Lotus?!
The only thing I dislike about Word is the mess that is tabbing.
How did you know I used Lotus?
Scriptsmart generates a ridiculous amount of paper as does the FD copy of it, as I told Matt C at the time and he ignored me.
Why not have a template for a spec sitcom script that equates to a minute a page and save some of our trees.
I'm so hacked off with all these various applications that I'm going to figure out how to build my own Word templates.
I've never used anything, I do all the spacing and formatting as I go along; which I know takes ages but its what I'm used to now. Hasn't done me any harm, anyway.
Quote: Griff @ October 4 2008, 4:42 PM BSTI'm so hacked off with all these various applications that I'm going to figure out how to build my own Word templates.
I did that with WordPro, but it just got on my nerves.
Mostly I just re-write over old scripts.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ October 4 2008, 4:44 PM BSTI've never used anything, I do all the spacing and formatting as I go along; which I know takes ages but its what I'm used to now. Hasn't done me any harm, anyway.
Don't you find it interrupts the flow of dialogue you might be writing.
I used to write and write and then format after - it got so tiresome I got FD instead.
Quote: Marc P @ October 4 2008, 4:45 PM BSTMostly I just re-write over old scripts.
So does Susan Nickson, but she just changes the character names.
Use whatever you feel comfortable using. Personally I use Final Draft because it's fairly hassle-free when writing. Not had any complaints.
(Off-topic slightly, but I see from the BBC writersroom newsletter that they've now added a script for 'Bonekickers' as available to download. Have they anticipated the website crashing in the rush for people to get hold of this?)
Quote: Tim Walker @ October 4 2008, 4:50 PM BST(Off-topic slightly, but I see from the BBC writersroom newsletter that they've now added a script for 'Bonekickers' as available to download. Have they anticipated the website crashing in the rush for people to get hold of this?)
