Movie Magic Screenwriter with Free Book "The Screenwriter's Bible"

Rating:
Summary: Excellent application that expands with your needs.
Review: Screenwriter 2000

Screenwriter 2000 enables you to create script-documents based on a number of pre-formatted templates, which respond to a set of hotkeys, mostly Tab and Enter, in order to conveniently place text in the appropriate place for screenplays, stage plays, etc. You can also use Screenwriter 2000 as a you would normally use a word processor, since it has spell checking and font formatting features. Custom templates can be created from scratch, or by modifying those installed.

The format set-up property sheet / control panel is well thought out, access to all the parameters needed are from that screen, there being no need for jumping from one dialog box to another. The primary interface is usefully uncluttered, and is switchable between standard Microsoft Word view and its own. Not that there's a lot of difference, but it could be a comfort factor if you're used to Word.

Import and file save-as options are very comprehensive. But you'll mostly be saving as a SCW file, a PDF for distribution and printing from outside of Screenwriter, and RTF for those who don't have Screenwriter and need an editable draft.

Pasting a previously created script with the correct formatting from an RTF will result in Screenwriter applying the correct tags to the copied text, so that you don't need to worry about having to re-do the script in Screenwriter.

The only distraction that I encountered was in Dialogue text. In Screenwriter 2000 you have to insert a specific line-break to avoid the enter key splitting the dialogue with the ( more ) and Joe Blow ( cont't ) tags as if you were crossing a page-break. This can be done by going Edit > Add Dialogue Paragraph or using Ctrl+Alt +D. The index cards are directly editable, which might be useful, but you are warned that some of the features used in the main editing window will be lost. Warnings of this type abound, so you're unlikely to do anything disastrous if you heed them.

Screenwriter 2000 is a great product for writing scripts which will keep their formatting automatically updated as you proceed, revise, and amend. It should also be borne in mind that Screenwriter 2000 is part of a suite of products, which will allow you cover many aspects of the production process beyond the screenplay.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth $172
Review: This program is not worth $172. It's not even worth $60, which I've seen it on sale in some areas.

It's basically a simple way of doing scripts. You can select things from the menu or hit hotkeys to write things like "EXT" or select which of the previous names you've written should come up.

Guess what?

You can do the exact same thing on any word program. Maybe there aren't any direct hotkeys to put in "CUT TO:" but for people who write a lot it will take just a second longer to put that in manually. In fact it does take faster than hitting a hotkey, selecting a menu, and maybe answering one or more questions offered by the program.

Here's what I suggest instead of buying this program: buy a screenwriting guide ("How Not to Write a Script" by Denny Flinn is what I suggest) and then either buy or use a word program: Microsoft Works, Microsoft Word, take your pick they're all good. 3/4 of you reading this review will already probably have one of these programs on your computer.

I give it two stars because it does what it advertises, and in that respect it works. Trust me though, just get a book on screenwriting and write in a word program according to what it says. That's basically this program, but $150 cheaper.

Rating:
Summary: Tech support, customization, and upgrading is no problem.
Review: Unlike Final Draft, Movie Magic is properly supported, and for free, for registered users of this software.

Movie magic will also allow the user to have their screenplay as formally or as skeletally formatted as the user wishes by using the Edit > Format property sheet. So if anyone doesn't want to have (continued) continued for action breaking across a page they can exclude or include that particular formatting detail. They can also switch off and on as many toolbars and speedbars as they wish. So you can have the application window all 'bells and whistles' or as skinny as possible.

It is a good idea to spend some time with the Edit > Format page and Printer Setup page to get a better insight to Movie Magic's flexibility. And users should keep up to date with the latest upgrades - for free to registered users - to avail themselves of any improvements to performance and elimination of bugs.