Stormlight

This post was inspired by my experiences of working with other people, some of them accomplished filmmakers, who are still using word-processing software to write their scripts.

Now, I have nothing against Microsoft Word & Co. per se, but I do believe in using the right tool for the job, and word-processing software is not best suited to scriptwriting any more than it is the ideal tool for desktop publishing.  (Even Microsoft must think so otherwise they would have retired Publisher by now).   You need to use macros to get the correct formatting, whereas dedicated scriptwriting software does it automagically.

So what’s the fuss about formatting?  Does it really matter?  Well, firstly formatting makes scripts easier to read, and because the conventions are standard you know exactly what each part refers to at a glance.  For more information on formatting check out this page from scriptologist.

Now imagine that you don’t trust macros (potential source of viruses) and that you have to apply all the rules in a word-processing program.  It doesn’t make much sense when there are programs that do it for you.

If like me, the thought of spending hundreds of euros/dollars/pounds on software that only does one thing doesn’t make much sense because after all this filmmaking lark is a hobby and not your day job, there are free options.

For those who like to work online, because they change computers, and/or can’t install software on the machines they use, there are three websites that allow you to work on a script from anywhere, save it and come back to it.  Most of them offer premium services if you get really serious about writing.  Three options are Scripped, Scriptbuddy and Plotbot.

My preference is for installing CELTX which is an excellent tool with lots of features, and to be honest once I got started with it I wondered how I’d ever managed without it.  I’m probably still only using a fraction of its potential, but it certainly takes the hassle out of formatting.  It allows you to add notes, attach media, create reports and so on, and I hope to go into this in more detail in a later article.  CeltX also has a premium feature allowing online collaboration, but if you have a Dropbox account you can share files between computers and also with other people if you are co-writing a script.