Templates And Software
November 19th 2006 06:29
There’s a wide range out there of software and templatyes that'll speed up your scriptwriting, here’s a few samples of my personal acquaintance, but I suggest you look around for something that works for you.
The Scriptwriter’s Toolkit v5
available from Data Highways Ltd, London, as a download. Useful templates of all BBC and Hollywood formats that can be run using MSWord 2000 or Word XP. You pay a small fee upfront, and when your scripts sell, pay a full license fee – this is called successware. I like it!
Final Draft 7
FD7 is the front running screenplay formatting software, though it doesn’t have the field to itself. In effect it is like any other word processing program but specifically geared towards the needs of a screenwriter across a range of creative, technical and production issues. Formatting of text is automatic, and most industry standard formats are included, as well as templates for a range of television shows. When required, as a script is developed for production, Final Draft can automatically number scenes, create revision pages and produce breakdowns for budgeting and scheduling purposes. Being an old skool kinda guy, I find it a little inflexible, but as a quick and effective way to set up a screenplay to Hollywood standard, it’s hard to beat. And there are so many other tools in it I haven’t accessed yet, like CollaboWriter (for sharing a script across the net), that it seems to be filled with all manner of help for someone starting out to a busy professional.
BBC
The good ol’ Beeb has a set of MSWord templates of their preferred formats available free under the name Script Smart. If you ever want to write for them, you should download and install these and get used to their preferences (which I find do take a bit of work), Note that these are macros, and may require some temporary adjustment to Word and your antivirus software, but only temporary. (BTW, you should check out the BBC Writer’s Room, there’s some good info there!).
Note that if you’re using an older word processor, at one stage I used Scriptwright, which is a sort of MSWord add-on. I remember it worked pretty well in Word 5 but haven’t seen an update for it. It'll be out there somewhere.
Of course, you don’t strictly need this kind of software, as long as you have your formatting right. But I would add that if I compare my Word rtf version to a version run through Final Draft, it really seems to have that extra polish that makes you look like someone who knows what they’re doing. And we all need all the help we can get.
We’ll talk again soon.
The Scriptwriter’s Toolkit v5
available from Data Highways Ltd, London, as a download. Useful templates of all BBC and Hollywood formats that can be run using MSWord 2000 or Word XP. You pay a small fee upfront, and when your scripts sell, pay a full license fee – this is called successware. I like it!
Final Draft 7
FD7 is the front running screenplay formatting software, though it doesn’t have the field to itself. In effect it is like any other word processing program but specifically geared towards the needs of a screenwriter across a range of creative, technical and production issues. Formatting of text is automatic, and most industry standard formats are included, as well as templates for a range of television shows. When required, as a script is developed for production, Final Draft can automatically number scenes, create revision pages and produce breakdowns for budgeting and scheduling purposes. Being an old skool kinda guy, I find it a little inflexible, but as a quick and effective way to set up a screenplay to Hollywood standard, it’s hard to beat. And there are so many other tools in it I haven’t accessed yet, like CollaboWriter (for sharing a script across the net), that it seems to be filled with all manner of help for someone starting out to a busy professional.
BBC
The good ol’ Beeb has a set of MSWord templates of their preferred formats available free under the name Script Smart. If you ever want to write for them, you should download and install these and get used to their preferences (which I find do take a bit of work), Note that these are macros, and may require some temporary adjustment to Word and your antivirus software, but only temporary. (BTW, you should check out the BBC Writer’s Room, there’s some good info there!).
Note that if you’re using an older word processor, at one stage I used Scriptwright, which is a sort of MSWord add-on. I remember it worked pretty well in Word 5 but haven’t seen an update for it. It'll be out there somewhere.
Of course, you don’t strictly need this kind of software, as long as you have your formatting right. But I would add that if I compare my Word rtf version to a version run through Final Draft, it really seems to have that extra polish that makes you look like someone who knows what they’re doing. And we all need all the help we can get.
We’ll talk again soon.
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Comment by katyzzz
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Good information, clearly expressed.
Thankyou.
Do come and see me as Ms Paint Art as soon as you can.
katyzzz
Comment by Australis
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