OTHER: Celtx vs Scrivener

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thekeygun

thekeygun

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I'm currently using scrivener, but someone suggested using celtx.


Any reason I should use one over the other? Or use both?
 
From my experience with Scrivener, its screenplay formatting is very, very basic. I'd imagine that Celtx would be better for that, as that was its original purpose.

Scrivener is good for organization and outlining, but I personally use FD or MMS to write the actual screenplay.

But as Celtx is free, you should test it out to see what you prefer.
 
Right now i'm looking for more of an organizational tool.

I've read that both of these export to FD...but scrivener is better at it than celtx.
 
I'm not familiar with Scrivener, but I'll mention why I use Celtx. First, it's cross platform. I use Linux, my producer uses Apple, and some of the crew use windows. Since we all use Celtx, we can all have the original script to make notes specific to our departments. The other major reason I use Celtx is that I'm not just a writer, but a filmmaker. I can breakdown and schedule the script in the same program I wrote it in. The part of it being free is nice too.
 
thekeygun said:
Right now i'm looking for more of an organizational tool.

I've read that both of these export to FD...but scrivener is better at it than celtx.
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In that case I would probably recommend Scrivener for your outlines, and Celtx for writing the actual script pages.


However, in my opinion, Movie Magic Screenwriter currently has the best outlining tool for screenplay writing.
 
Celtx also has a pretty sweet "diagramming" tool allowing one to use various clip art to create a birds eye view of a scene. The program comes with various clip art of men, women lights and cameras but you can also purchase more art to be used in conjunction with the program on Celtx's website.
 
I'm using Celtx now. I miss the automation of Final Draft, but yea, I'm a fan of Celtx. It's free and gets the job done. I'm not a fan of the fact the page numbers can only be seen once you format, but it's not a big deal. The fact it's free and crossplatform works well for obvious reasons.

-Nate
 
Final Draft is the best, and industry standard, screenwriting software. I don't see why not just use the best software available for the job. It's like using iMovie instead of Final Cut Pro.

I guess it's fine if you're an amateur, though, use whatever is cheapest and learn on that I suppose.
 
"Amateur" Really? 'Them sound like fightin' words. Both Nate and I are working on our third features. I would say we're low budget, but certainly not amateurs.

"Best" in this case is subjective. If you're a filmmaker, I say go with Celtx or something that offers scheduling and such. The extra features are worth it. If you just want to write scripts, then blow some cash on Final Draft.
 
Standard - Schmandard.

Compared to Celtx, Final Draft looks and feels like Windows 95.
Completely overrated.

I remember an industry (prepress) that almost died, just because it was stubborn stuck to its so called "standard".

There is a whole breed of new modern and up to date screenwriting programs out there, from Celtx to Adobes Story, that blow FD and Magic out of the water.
If the industry refuses to accept the on going change it is doomed to repeat history.

Frank
 
"I guess it's fine if you're an amateur, though, use whatever is cheapest and learn on that I suppose. " I wrote with a director with an academy award nomination (screenwriting) a few years ago (the scene was shot and later cut from the final film). We used a simple word processing program ( word if I remember correctly). No one really gives a **** what you use if the works solid. It reminds me of the scene in Ronin between the Deniro character and the Michael Bean character whos bragging about weapons "It's a toolbox, you stick in what works for the job." I just had a major actor request a copy of a stageplay I wrote on open office. He doesn't care what it's written on. I've used all the major programs, use whatever you have. Plenty of pros still use typewriters.
"It's like using iMovie instead of Final Cut Pro."
Maybe like using a zoomh4n instead of a Deva. Just read a post by a soundman that owns a Cantar who used a zoom for a shoot because that was the correct tool for the situation (stealthy DSLR shoot inside the vatican).
 
this thread is over a year old but i'll chime in anyway. and I'll throw final draft in the mix just for kicks.

they each have their strengths (although final draft to a lesser degree lately since celtx has been implementing a few of the main features that make final draft fast). the strengths being scrivener: building story and brainstorming, celtx: pre-production and planning photography (it says so on the splash screen), final draft: writing screenplays. celtx and scrivener i guess are technically competitors but i actually found this thread looking for something to get my scrivener project into celtx for pre-pro. i actually didn't expect to see head to head match ups on google, yet the first two results were exactly that. i wouldn't bother with scrivener for pre-production and likewise celtx sucks for building story. these are features they include in an attemto build value into their product when really they should just focus on what they do best. i kind of feel that scrivener has more focus on it's strength but that's not really an important point here.

what is important to me at the moment is how to get from scrivener to celtx! anybody know anything helpful?

thanks!
 
Final Draft has tons of tools that Celtx doesn't. Celtx will get the job done, but despite Final Draft "looking" like Windows 95 comparatively, it actually does more.

Use whatever makes sense for you, but Final Draft is not hype.
 
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