Best screenwriting software?

Celtx is free. Final Draft is good. So far it only formats, though. I'm still waiting for the release where it writes the script.
 
I only tried final draft and celtx.

celtx is more fun to work with. converting to pdf is sometimes problematic because you have to be online and their server is often unavailable.

compared to celtx final draft looks and feels like a win 3.1 program.
 
I've tried cletix and Movie Magic. I like Movie Magic because it does more auto-formating than Celtix does, unless it's changed since I last used it. I do like all the features Celtix has though.
 
Eh

Eh

I guess it depends what you prefer, but Final Draft is the industry standard and I think it's clearly the best screenwriting software.

It's a fantastic program, very powerful, and fun and easy to use.
 
I tried Celtix, Final Draft and Hollywood Screenplay.

Actually they all do the same, formating your script.

I like celtix the most,
but the "Story Craft" function in Hollywood Screenplay is where I start most of the time.

Frank
 
Movie Magic handsdown is by far the most user-friendly software out there for screenwriting. Many professionals use the software, you can start typing immediately without even reading the book and you will just get what you have to do with your enter and tab.

I would not use any other software and I have downloaded Final Draft and I do not find that user-friendly at all.

Buy Movie Magic and you will not regret your choice. I registered back in 2002 and when I couldn't update most recently I gave to technicians a call, they then gave me a new link, and I have the updated version. The technical support a spot on.
 
I use Celtx since its free, Final Draft your going to have to pay for, unless you get it by other means.

I've used both, both equally as good, but Final Draft did have a few extras but nothing that made it stand out to be a lot better.
 
"The Best" doesn't exist in anything. Choose whatever has the features you need for the price you can afford.

I've tried every screenwriter, starting from the macro packages for WordPerfect in the early 90's. Now I use FinalDraft and Celtx. I'd use Celtx more if it wasn't so buggy or they'd document their code so I could debug it myself. Celtx is perfectly capable of creating a professional screenplay though.
 
Book? You mean there was a book in the box my Movie Magic came with? LOL. Yeah, I just jumped in and was using it, no book or help menus needed.

I like Movie Magic (MMS), but if in their next version 7 or whatever if they do not fix a suggestion I discussed with them by email (being able to change and enlarge font in the index card feature like Final Draft now allows) I will likely switch to Final Draft. But I like the cleaner interface aesthetics of MMS over FD, but that is just me.

Charli said:
Movie Magic handsdown is by far the most user-friendly software out there for screenwriting. Many professionals use the software, you can start typing immediately without even reading the book and you will just get what you have to do with your enter and tab.....
Click to expand...
 
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I use final draft. But I have it mostly so I can use Final Draft Tagger and push into EP Scheduling.

Each package essentially does the same things. It lets you write and format while pressing Tab and Enter. That's the basics. Comes to personal taste.
 
CELTX lacks the basic functionality of writing in TV formats. It also has too many features for my liking. I like final draft because it's simple and does everything you need it to do. (including reading your script back to you :P)
 
Any of them will do so don't sweat it, just pick one n go!

The real software issue is that grey noodle between your ears, that one takes some real programming ;-)
 
I use Celtx in my class. It's free plus the students like it. Plus when you're doing a screenplay you never have to worry about it being compatible because the other person can simply download Celtx themselves for free.

-Nate
 
I also vote for Celtx. If you're purely a screenwritter, go blow some money on Final Draft. If you're a filmmaker, get Celtx. The integration with every step of preproduction is invaluable!
 
I use and like Celtx. More full-featured than an MS Word or Pages template, and quite a bit cheaper than Final Draft for 90% of the functionality.
 
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