Screenwriting software--MacDV Digest #2163

[Ted Langdell]

> From: "Macintosh Digital Video List" <MacDV at lists.themacintoshguy.com>
> Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 19:12:22 -0700
> To: "Macintosh Digital Video List" <MacDV at lists.themacintoshguy.com>
> Subject: MacDV Digest #2163
> 
> Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 21:07:21 -0400
> Subject: [MacDV] Re: Screenplays and writing tools--MacDV Digest #2161
> From: Matthew Guemple <mo.og at verizon.net>
> Message-Id: <4019CD6F-84DF-11D7-BD16-000A9566D3DC at verizon.net>
> 
> My point is simply that all of the formatting that FinalDraft and the
> like do is easily reproduced in Word. Most people have Word. If you
> already have Word why spend the money on more software. What really
> matters is the writing, not the formating. To me it's like buying a
> Director's Viewfinder before you've even made a movie.

Can you supply Chris with templates for Word?  That would help him somewhat.

On the other hand... there ARE functions in the software I'm using that I
don't find in Word, or would take a lot of work to set up.

 
> Anyway if you want to go out and spend $200 on software...

Demos are free, and give potential users a pretty good idea of how the
software will improve their productivity. I'm sure that Chris would rather
focus on getting a good story on paper than figuring out how to configure
Word to reproduce the printed format that is expected by whomever he might
pitch it to.

>personally   I'd save the money and spend it on something really useful, like
> renting a 24p camera...

Unless Chris (or you) have a story that is going to need a transfer to 24p
film, why bother?

I've seen what Panasonic VX-100 footage shot at 24p/viewed at 60i looks
like, and the motion judder is awful.  Very hard to watch.  Worse than 24p
film transferred to 60i video.

The camera DOES have a very good look at 60i.  A friend of mine and I are
working on a documentary series with his... and have been getting some nice
results at 60i.

Our products are intended for cable or DVD, so there's no reason to shoot at
24p and add undesirable artifacts and processing.

But that's another thread.

>>> All of  my friends who write screenplays say the "software" is a
>>> waste of
>>> money. Just set the format up in Word, - you can probably find one on
>>> the web - and get a decent book that tells you what page which plot
>>> point should happen and then start writing.
>> 
>> Having a tool that makes life easier/faster/more productive
>> You might want to look at Screenwriter (also known as Movie Magic 2000
>> on
>> the PC).
> ________________
> Matthew Guemple
> Art Director/03

> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 21:40:11 -0400
> From: digitalx169 at mac.com
> Subject: [MacDV] No screenwriting software
> Message-id: <D624B291-84E3-11D7-B2C1-0050E42E2E4E at mac.com>
> 
> Matthew,
> 
> a very good point. I do agree. I do not plan to buy Screenwriting
> software. I plan just to learn liek the pros do and format it myself in
> a Word Processor.
> 
> Chris

Chris,

Download a free demo and then decide.