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Screenwriting Solutions
Software is a Writer's Best Friend
Who has time to format margins and check for typos? You’ve got a movie to make, after all. But your script will never progress beyond a reader’s desk and into a potential financier’s hands unless it is created using the industry-standard format. Although you should know the rules by heart, these programs can help you avoid mistakes with relative ease—and not a lot of dough.
Celtx (FREE; www.celtx.com) • Celtx will coax you through any and all of your pre-production needs—creating industry-formatted screenplays, storyboarding your entire flick and even putting together schedules, call sheets and shooting reports. The user-friendly interface is mixed with just the right number of options to keep your script professionally creative.
Contour ($49.95; www.marinersoftware.com) • Developed by Emmy-nominated screenwriter Jeffrey Alan Schechter, Contour is a story development system designed to turn your movie idea into a solid outline with the same kind of character-based structure that today’s most successful screenwriters use. Contour guides you through the crucial elements that must be part of your story outline and explores the major storytelling secrets needed to craft a highly marketable movie (i.e. how your protagonist’s journey can be expressed through archetypal themes). All you need is a great idea!
Final Draft ($249.00; www.finaldraft.com) • Creative energy is the only prerequisite for using Final Draft, which formats everything from character names to page numbers to industry standards. Plus, with the international edition, there are more than 15 languages from which to choose. All that and easy compatibility with both Macs and PCs, so switching between computers is easy.
Truby’s Blockbuster Software ($179.00; www.truby.com) • Learn how to turn original ideas into fleshed out storylines ready for the big screen. Blockbuster guides you through the best techniques of character development, scene order and the essential 22 building blocks of every great story, as well as the six steps to writing a dynamic script.
Master Writer ($199.00; www.masterwriter.com) • Struggling to find the perfect word or phrase to make your script truly sing? Enter Master Writer. The program features an array of searchable reference dictionaries under such categories as word families, parts of speech, phrases, rhymes, thesaurus and much more. Also included is a project database, which organizes all of the information related to your script in a helpful way. With a rich and seemingly endless source of descriptive word possibilities, Master Writer ensures you’ll always be able to find unique, creative language to improve your masterpiece.
Montage ($99.95; www.marinersoftware.com) • Montage was built to be intuitive in order to save screenwriters as much time as possible. That intuition makes it so you don’t have to type a character’s name over and over, or change the font every time a character opens his or her mouth. Montage offers advice at every turn and also allows to you send and track your script to hundreds of included industry contacts.
Movie Magic Screenwriter ($199.95-$209.95; www.screenplay.com) • Ten minutes of fooling around and a solid knowledge of the Tab and Return keys are about all you need to start your screenwriting career with Movie Magic Screenwriter. Writer-directors in particular will benefit from the program’s many production features, including production tracking and breakdown reports.
Movie Outline ($199.95; www.movieoutline.com) • Movie Outline takes the complexity out of the screenwriting process. The program is based on the principle of step-outlining, which allows scribes to easily plan and organize their script structure, develop characters and format their screenplays, scene-by-scene. With an array of unique features and helpful advice (including instructions on how to color-code your structure and isolate dialogue and voice-over), Movie Outline provides the tools you need to help make the transition from initial outline to final draft.
Power Structure & Power Writer ($99.95-$129.95; www.powerstructure.com) • Whatever your creative issues might be, Power Structure is committed to solving your writing problems. The program helps to outline and organize your good ideas, thus turning them into a great story. The system operates on nine views critical to your story and, as you write within each view, your story improves. Power Writer features fully integrated outlining and story development tools so you can focus on writing your script. Outlines, notes, ideas, character arcs and much more are always in sync with the actual text, regardless of how much you edit or rewrite.
Save the Cat ($89.95; www.blakesnyder.com) • Created by successful writer-producer Blake Snyder, Save the Cat helps to structure your screenplay by developing a powerful log line and title, choosing one of 10 genres with recognizable traits to help you write (Monster in the House, Dude with a Problem, etc.) and a fill-in-the-blank beat sheet featuring the 15 key beats for every screenplay (Opening Image, Theme Stated, Set-Up, Catalyst, etc.). Also included is a version of “The Board,” the infamous device seen in studio execs’ offices all over Hollywood, which allows you to “see” your movie (broken down into a four-row chart) before you begin writing.
Scripped (FREE; www.scripped.com) • This screenwriting software separates itself from the pack with its own brand of Internet-based script creation. Rather than limiting yourself to one computer, Scripped gives you the opportunity to log in from any Internet-ready connection and get to work—which is great when you’re writing as part of a team. No need to worry about the safety of your projects, either; all accounts are private and no one will have access to your writing except little old you.
Write Brothers ($199.95-$269.00; www.write-bros.com) • Write Brothers has a software solution for just about every common scribe affliction: Dramatica Pro asks questions specific to each story so writers can be sure their plot and character development are on the right track. With StoryView, writers can organize their ideas in a way that makes sense to others, so that the script you imagine doesn’t stay locked in your very own brain. MM
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COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT 
- Comment by Dacey on 7/01/11 at 2:07 am
Screenwriting software is very helpful for in writing scripts.There are various screen writing software that you have already mentioned.Celtx is the best script writing software.
- Comment by NeilKirchoff on 7/24/11 at 1:07 pm
I have always used Scripped but these last few months I decided I need something new and so I bought Movie Magic Screenwriter after checking an cloud security blog. I am pretty amazed that programs evolved that much. It wasn’t easy to adapt to the new program but I recommend to every screenwriter out there to try at least once a paid program.
- Comment by Johanna Bartley on 7/27/11 at 9:31 am
Celtx is a very nice software considering it’s free. Of course it has its limitations compared to the expensive alternatives. The only problem I had with it was when I tried installing it on my old PC and there was a problem with a dll file extension. Lucky for me there are many forums out there dealing with such issues.
- Comment by cheap hotel nyc on 8/28/11 at 12:41 pm
Write Brothers has a software solution for just about every common scribe affliction: Dramatica Pro asks questions specific to each story so writers can be sure their plot and character development are on the right track. - thats what i need. i used a lot of stuff, and celtx is in that list, But i chose Write Brothers.. I dont know, its just the question of habbit too!
- Comment by nalysale on 8/29/11 at 6:28 am
Most of screen writing software you mentioned are good but Celtx is the best and famous among you mentioned because of it’s free features.Celtx known to be as best screen writing software.
- Comment by DANIEL Jimerson on 10/31/11 at 8:13 am
I don’t really see the point of all this software. What happened to old fashioned sitting at your desk and writing? I understand people’s need for everything to be faster and easier, but I think investing in promotion and installing a Facebook marketing software is a much better bet. In the end, if the writer is talented and the project is good, there is no need for all of that.
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This story was published in the Guide to Making Movies 2010 MovieMaker Magazine. The headline was:
Screenwriting Solutions/Software is a Writer's Best Friend
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