Hi everyone,
What kind of software do you use for writing scripts etc? And how much are they?
Thanks in advance.
Also I'm thinking of doing a HE diploma in creative writing at liverpool uni, any one think this is a good idea? or a waste of time and money?
Cheers!
http://www.celtx.com/ - The best price 
Quote: Leevil @ August 8, 2007, 9:44 PMhttp://www.celtx.com/ - The best price
Same.
Quote: Leevil @ August 8, 2007, 9:44 PMhttp://www.celtx.com/ - The best price
Can anyone tell me a bit more about that?
I started using Celtx too since Leevil posted the link a while back. It's an excellent script-writing tool.
Mr. Shoe "Let the Wookiee win" Pie
Quote: jacparov @ August 8, 2007, 9:01 PMAlso I'm thinking of doing a HE diploma in creative writing at liverpool uni, any one think this is a good idea? or a waste of time and money?
A good idea. You could possibly learn the same from books or short courses (or experience), but if you want to do it you should.
I might get a second degree in something just for fun when I'm older. And it would probably be creative writing.
Quote: jacparov @ August 8, 2007, 9:01 PMHi everyone,
What kind of software do you use for writing scripts etc? And how much are they?
Thanks in advance.
Also I'm thinking of doing a HE diploma in creative writing at liverpool uni, any one think this is a good idea? or a waste of time and money?
Don't buy special software, you can make any word processor do the job with a few style sheets.
As for the creative writing course, I would say no. If you have talent, the course will not help you. If you don't have talent the course will give you a boost, ideas and motivation and convince you that you are a great writer, much like this fella:
http://thescriptwriter.co.uk/blog.asp
Sorry mate, but you ARE shit and you're asking for it with a name like 'The Scriptwriter'.
Quote: Godot Taxis @ August 9, 2007, 12:56 AMDon't buy special software, you can make any word processor do the job with a few style sheets.
As for the creative writing course, I would say no. If you have talent, the course will not help you. If you don't have talent the course will give you a boost, ideas and motivation and convince you that you are a great writer, much like this fella:
http://thescriptwriter.co.uk/blog.asp
Sorry mate, but you ARE shit and you're asking for it with a name like 'The Scriptwriter'.
I read the first line or two under first round. He says comedy is a hard genre because its subjective. Isn't all fiction subjective?
Quality isn't subjective.
He's a classic example of someone who knows what to do, but has no imagination or feel for words.
You should read his sitcom 'Sweethearts'.
Quote: danield1000 @ August 9, 2007, 1:40 AMIsn't all fiction subjective?
I suppose, but people are a lot more forgiving of drama. If it's below-par, people will simply ignore it and watch it next week hoping for a better show. It has to be *really* bad for you to not watch again.
If a sitcom is below-par, people probably won't watch it again. So you have to keep the quality high.
I think some people think that the comedy replaces the drama (in a drama), but in fact a sitcom has to have the same amount of drama AND laughs.
I think that's what he meant. As Godot says, perhaps he can't put it into like good er words or summat.
Also, however good a comedy -- there's somebody who doesn't like it and is very vocal about it. If a drama isn't very good, people just don't watch it and not rave about how bad it, much as they do with a sitcom. It's usually just a massive feeling of disappointment.
I include myself in here. For instance: I thought Gavin & Stacey was very well written and entertaining; Respectable was really excellent and possibly the funniest thing written last year and Bo' Selecta is the shittest and unfunniest thing ever to grace the small screen. But I bet there are people on here that disagree totally and who's to say who's right?
Dan
PS *I* am right about Bo' Selecta 
Quote: Godot Taxis @ August 9, 2007, 12:56 AMDon't buy special software, you can make any word processor do the job with a few style sheets.
As for the creative writing course, I would say no. If you have talent, the course will not help you. If you don't have talent the course will give you a boost, ideas and motivation and convince you that you are a great writer, much like this fella:
http://thescriptwriter.co.uk/blog.asp
Sorry mate, but you ARE shit and you're asking for it with a name like 'The Scriptwriter'.
Yeah but software formats it instantly, rather than a lot of dicking about on a WP.
Helpful, as you get everything on the page correctly straight off.
That sitcom he put up - I'm so sick of reading people's work and finding precisely no jokes in it. It's no even laid out correctly.
Quote: swerytd @ August 9, 2007, 10:20 AMI suppose, but people are a lot more forgiving of drama. If it's below-par, people will simply ignore it and watch it next week hoping for a better show. It has to be *really* bad for you to not watch again.
If a sitcom is below-par, people probably won't watch it again. So you have to keep the quality high.
I think some people think that the comedy replaces the drama (in a drama), but in fact a sitcom has to have the same amount of drama AND laughs.
I think that's what he meant. As Godot says, perhaps he can't put it into like good er words or summat.
Also, however good a comedy -- there's somebody who doesn't like it and is very vocal about it. If a drama isn't very good, people just don't watch it and not rave about how bad it, much as they do with a sitcom. It's usually just a massive feeling of disappointment.
I include myself in here. For instance: I thought Gavin & Stacey was very well written and entertaining; Respectable was really excellent and possibly the funniest thing written last year and Bo' Selecta is the shittest and unfunniest thing ever to grace the small screen. But I bet there are people on here that disagree totally and who's to say who's right?
Dan
PS *I* am right about Bo' Selecta
Hell yes you're right about Bo' Selecta. I know what you mean also horror it may sound stupid but they have top be well written and directed to be good.
The BBC has templates for Word in the Writer's Room:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/scriptsmart/
That Russell T Davis uses amongst others.
That celtx looks good also.
Personally I just do it in basic Word, pressing ctrl+B for a character's name and double spacing the paragraphs. It's easier for the production company to read and I can always reformat it later if it gets commissioned. Plus it's how Ricky Gervais wrote his scripts.
As for Creative Writing courses - I'm just finishing an MA in Novel Writing at Manchester University, so this is my experience:
They WONT teach you to be a good writer (you have to be that already to get on the course). What they do teach you is all about the industry, which is invaluable if you want the best chance to get published (or a script on TV in your case). They will set you up with contacts within the industry (and, I guess, actors and animators fo screenwriting). You will learn how to critique other people's work and get critiqued in return, and in both cases you start to realise the common mistakes, or awkward flaws in your own writing. You'll also get to meet a lot of people with similar interests and ambitions.
So from my experience, I would say they're pretty much designed for giving the best writers the best possible chance of getting noticed. Not making an average writer great. The good courses are anyway.
I haven't finished my book yet, so I'm not sure yet if I'm the former or the latter....
P.s. You have to have a lot of faith in your work as it will be ripped to shreds by all the members in the group leaving you with a huge amount of conflicting feedback (I love the monkey bit / I hate the monkey bit/ why don't you make the monkey a walrus? etc...).