Celtx vs. Final Draft?

I just got Movie Magic and the first time I looked at it, I immediately said "i would rather use my bare hands to do this and a pretty looking notebook."

Not that I want to do this, so I re-downloaded CeltX again, did some export tests with Final Draft and FINALLY got my Final Draft written script into CeltX with the proper-freakin'-formatting.

This means that I got an instant location report down in the bottom right and all of my formatting is the same as my Final Draft file. This just made CeltX worthwhile to me, because I am a visual person and I like how they've got it setup for breaking down.

CeltX just officialy got integrated into my workflow. So, is it a VS thing anymore? Nah.

I will continue to write in Final Draft as it's hyper-intuitive and I can straight rock out in FD. CeltX? Everything else I believe. CeltX being free and all makes it a great companion.
 
i think celtx is fine for shorts or maybe even feature scripts, but if you want to write tv, you'll have to get final draft or movie magic screenwriter. the formatting is different for tv and as of now, celtx can't handle it. also, the 2 big programs come with script templates of a lot of shows which is a huge help.
 
I've got FD and MM both. I originally got MM so I could break down scripts for Gorilla (production software). But when FD7 came out with Tagger, I no longer needed to convert my scripts to MM to do my break downs.

I think both programs are good, but I just prefer the "feel" of FD. Haven't tried CeltX but I'm sure for those that are using it, it works fine.

When someone wants me to budget/schedule a film, I require a script in either FD or MM.
 
Celtx is free. And its a good free program. Cant fault anyone for using it.

But I like the way FD handles things much better. It was worth the $140 or whatever I spent on it after rebates.
 
Is there any way to convert between programs ie: Cross platform file types or such?

A: Save your file as a text (.txt) in Final draft, (use the "Text only with Layout") and export out of celtx as a text (.txt) file. There will be some flaws here & there, but nothing too terrible; in other words, it's good enough to collaborate.
 
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If you're at NAB next month, odds are on the last day the store will have massive discounts again. I picked up copies of FD7 for myself and associates @ $3 apiece.

I'll always write in FD, at least until CeltX puts another layer of polish or two on their writing interface. CeltX's preproduction goodies mean I'll be using the two in tandem, like friends who hate each other but are both cool with me.
 
Hey, Celtx just released version 2!

Not perfect still, but when my computer crashed I lost FD and I'm not paying for it the another time.
 
Duke M. said:
Not perfect still, but when my computer crashed I lost FD and I'm not paying for it the another time.
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I had to reload the all software onto my computer. Since I had the license for FD7, I just downloaded it from their website, called them and explained what had happened with my computer and they activated it for me. No problems.
 
I tried CeltX briefly and didn't care for it. I'm just too used to MM. I've been using MM for over a decade in its various forms and have almost no complaints. There are a couple of things that I wish it did a little differently--the cover generator comes to mind--but in terms of making it easy for me to just get the words on the page, I love it.

Mostly what I love are two things:

1) The extreme customization it allows; there's literally almost no aspect of formatting you can't adjust to suit your needs/wants, whether it's how and when you want "CONT'D"s and "(MORE)"s to appear, how you want sentences to break down at the end of a page, or even the number of dashes you want to use in a slug line. (For the person who complained about Ctrl-S not doing what he expected, you can change that, too.) Not to mention the ability to create auto-fill abbreviations for longer words and phrases. (I had a long character name in one script that I didn't want to keep typing, so I gave him a short nickname that automatically changed to his full name once I'd typed it.) Perhaps FD does all that sort of thing now, but it didn't when I was first comparing the two. Plus FD was more expensive at the time.

2) The free, outstanding customer support. It's not a toll-free number, but a) how much of an issue is that in the age of Vonage, etc.?, and b) I'd rather get my problem addressed properly. I've never called because of a problem with the software itself--never had a technical problem that way--but I have called to get credits addressed, and they've never not once argued with me about them. On the contrary, they've always just given me another credit, or, as the case with the last time, just gave me all of them back. Oh, and they also didn't charge me full price when I wanted to upgrade to the newest version, but had switched platforms (Windows to Mac). They let me pay the upgrade price; both versions were on the same disk.

No, I don't work for them. I just like to praise companies that do stuff right.

P.S. In terms of whether it's the "industry standard," it pretty much doesn't matter. Either it or FD will get your script in an acceptable format for industry work. It's by far simply a personal preference. But for anyone who wants to say that it's not the industry standard, if Rossio and Elliot, Paul Haggis, Frank Darabont, Guillermo Arriaga, Scott Frank, Jim Kouf, Bill Wittliff, Jeb Stuart, Ted Tally, Tim Kring, Trey Parker, Larry Gelbart, and the UCLA film school aren't considered part of the industry, I'm not sure who or what is.
 
texvanwinkle said:
P.S. In terms of whether it's the "industry standard," it pretty much doesn't matter. Either it or FD will get your script in an acceptable format for industry work. It's by far simply a personal preference. But for anyone who wants to say that it's not the industry standard, if Rossio and Elliot, Paul Haggis, Frank Darabont, Guillermo Arriaga, Scott Frank, Jim Kouf, Bill Wittliff, Jeb Stuart, Ted Tally, Tim Kring, Trey Parker, Larry Gelbart, and the UCLA film school aren't considered part of the industry, I'm not sure who or what is.
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I don't think I've ever heard that FD is not The Industry Standard... unless of course its MM...

But for most people who would visit this and the other sites populated by people getting into the Business, in whatever capacity, Celtx at 'free' is a better bet than FD, and further, for those wanabee auteurs... Celtx provides production document support that is either not available or an additional cost 'add on'...

(I'm in the 'wannabee auteur' category...)

Once one makes a PDF of one's script, unless the 'reader' is some sort of OCD sufferer, the likelihood of someone tossing the printout or file because there was .125 inches more space under the slug line than what a 12 point courier Underwood Typewriter, ca. 1942 vintage, would have produced, is minimal...
 
FD is the industry standard, MM is a close second. Celtx is fine if you produce your own scripts or just having fun. If you are a professional screenwriter or hope to be, you need to be using FD or MM. All of the execs, producers, agents and managers I have worked with use one or the other.

That's it, carry on.
 
pmark23 said:
The "standard" is .pdf or .txt. Nobody cares what you write a script with.
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You would be wrong. When working with partners, creative execs and even my manager I have at times used the collabowrite option on FD. Most have FD or MM for that reason. Not to mention I've had several requests from prodcos that asked for FD drafts. Some use the breakdown functions in the software.

Yes, it is ultimately a .pdf that is used but in the rewrite process it benefits the writer to have an industry standard program, which is either FD or MM.
 
What is it? FD or MM? Two standards?

A text file is imported by any screenwriting program and keeps perfect formatting.

The only person who will ask for the original is the production-manager, or the producer if you've been fired and they're hiring someone to rewrite. Even then they'll be perfectly happy with a text file.

Sending an .FDR to someone who just wants to read your script would set off warning bells that they're dealing with an amateur, unless they specifically asked for it.

Some PMs prefer only txt, because they reformat the document anyway and it's easier for them to deal with text files because there's less to reformat.

Look at all of the screenplays floating around the internet. How many .fdr and .mm files do you see? They're all .txt and .pdf.

I've had two screenplays go through the Hollywood system, and I've never been asked for anything other than a .pdf for people to read, and .txt for the PM (who used Movie Magic products).

I know what you mean, but nobody is going to say "Oh this joker wrote his script using Celt. Pass." Nobody cares as long as it's formatted properly, written professionally, and has a good story.
 
I used Celtx for two years. It worked fine as a script writer, but reporting lacked. Since I am making my own movies, reports were quite important. So, finally, last month, I bought FD 7 for about $130. The deal was, you'll get FD 8 for free. So, I am using FD 7 right now and waiting for all those new features (don't ask me what they are) in FD 8.

Exporting from Celtx into FD gave me some formatting errors. Had to go and fix them one by one. Wouldn't want to do that again - took way too long.
 
I teach Celtx is my Writing for Multimedia Class. I like it. I have Final Draft but normally if I have start in FD I end in FD. When I get my new laptop I'll probably do a lot more writing in Celtx. Little things like FD capitalizing words for you and such make it such an awesome program and if you're doing a callabo that's the best time to use it. Both people can get it and use it free of charge. Does anyone use "Montage"?

-Nate
 
Final Draft scripts are used all the time in breakdown services. In fact, I need to run a tagger using final draft first before importing to EP scheduling. The industry standard break down provider. Importing txt documents rarely works instantly. It takes a lot of time to reformat even with help by the software. Especially if there are spacing or alignment errors. So not quicker at all.

pmark23 said:
What is it? FD or MM? Two standards?

A text file is imported by any screenwriting program and keeps perfect formatting.

The only person who will ask for the original is the production-manager, or the producer if you've been fired and they're hiring someone to rewrite. Even then they'll be perfectly happy with a text file.

Sending an .FDR to someone who just wants to read your script would set off warning bells that they're dealing with an amateur, unless they specifically asked for it.

Some PMs prefer only txt, because they reformat the document anyway and it's easier for them to deal with text files because there's less to reformat.

Look at all of the screenplays floating around the internet. How many .fdr and .mm files do you see? They're all .txt and .pdf.

I've had two screenplays go through the Hollywood system, and I've never been asked for anything other than a .pdf for people to read, and .txt for the PM (who used Movie Magic products).

I know what you mean, but nobody is going to say "Oh this joker wrote his script using Celt. Pass." Nobody cares as long as it's formatted properly, written professionally, and has a good story.
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Yeah, FD7 (Tagger) is what I generally use to break the script down. I have also used MM Screenwriter and it's good, too. But for me, FD7 wins for "feel."
 
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