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  • #16
    On this note, going back, I was curious if you ever submitted a final screenplay using that BBC format?

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    • #17
      Originally posted by gardnuk View Post
      On this note, going back, I was curious if you ever submitted a final screenplay using that BBC format?
      I did not, but it got me started off, it was a very handy tool that produced a decent-looking screenplay. The only thing about it was, if you had any CONT'D elements at the bottom of a page, and you inserted lines earlier on, you had to scroll through the doc and correct the CONT'Ds which had maybe bumped halfway down the next page and were unnecessary. When I eventually tried a test submission to the BBC I was forced to use Final Draft (with tiny Arial 11-point font!) which was their preference. Brrrr.

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      • #18
        Oh, yeah, the CONT’D stuff. Big, big, BIG problem. When I started using Amazon Studios software it was a different planet.

        FINAL DRAFT---is that software? Or an option?

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        • #19
          Originally posted by gardnuk View Post
          On this note---big question. Say I write a screenplay in Trelby and then decide to defect to another software. Can my Trelby-written manuscript be crossed over (pasted) into a new system?
          Yes. Trelby exports to PDF, Fountain, Final Draft, Formatted Text, RTF and HTML. Most (if not all) screenplay applications will import at least one of these formats. Most modern applications can import all of them. Fade In Pro is one that will import all these formats. KIT Scenarist will even directly import Trelby files — along with all the other formats listed above. WriterSolo will import most of them. Almost all modern screenplay applications work with Fountain, Final Draft and Formatted Text (as a minimum.)

          I failed to notice originally that you were looking for online applications. WriterSolo (https://writersolo.com/#AP67W~***~branch=-) is free and can be used online or downloaded to your computer (for Macs, Windows or Linux). It's the non-collaborating version of its sibling WriterDuet (which can also be used free for up to three scripts, but with collaboration features turned off). A very simple free online application is YouMeScript (https://youmescript.com/). You don't even have to log in with this one. They do sell "premium features" for $20 a year, but I don't think there is any A4 setting (although it will allow you to export to Final Draft, Final Draft 11, Fountain, Plain (formatted) text and PDF). And this one can be set up to save (and backup) to Google Drive or Dropbox (plus download to your computer). Celtx (https://www.celtx.com) is online and the free version has similar limitations to as has WriterDuet. Only it goes one step further and watermarks PDFs produced in it with its own ad. (Pretty easy to remove its watermarks with a text editor, however.) I don't particularly like Celtx because it has limited export features, but it's another online choice. Currently you can use Arc Studio Pro for free and without limitations, online and/or download a Windows or Mac application — no Linux version (https://www.arcstudiopro.com/). It has a clean, slick interface — but, now that I think about it, I don't think it supports A4 paper size. They're eventually going to start charging again, but they say there will be a free version (I don't know how limited that version will be). The collaboration features work well on this one. If you want to learn the Fountain syntax, 'Afterwriting is online (and can be used offline in your browser) and produces very nicely formatted screenplay PDFs. (It defaults to A4.) So there are a lot of ways to write online (or offline) for free.

          Rambling again. Sorry. Offline, I would try Trelby or KIT Scenarist or WriterSolo. Both online/offline, I would look at WriterSolo. Or try the Demo version of Fade In Pro.
          STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

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          • #20
            Originally posted by dpaterso View Post
            The answer's yes, RTF and plain text exports can be imported into anything, and Final Draft XML presumably is made for Final Draft users. Yes there are many screenwriting programs/apps around, I use Movie Magic and it is excellent, with a good import option. But pro software is pricey. I'd probably still be using Trelby or Sophocles (now defunct but it was a nice program) if I hadn't won my copy of MM in a contest!
            I liked Movie Magic Screenwriter. When I went to Linux I ran a Windows virtual machine just to run MMS for a couple years, but finally gave up on that when Trelby came out. I just didn't want to bother with Windows on my Linux computer.
            STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by gardnuk View Post
              FINAL DRAFT---is that software? Or an option?
              Final Draft is one of the industry standard screenwriting programs. Ditto Movie Magic Screenwriter. Both have free download trial versions I think, with maximum page limits set. You're talking money though.

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              • #22
                I checked them out. What price glory? So long as your script is neat looking and follows format and your content is engaging I don’t see how using expensive software is all that different than free ones. In the old days everything had to be typed out on a typewriter.

                I’m not knocking the process, it’s just that much of this is reminiscent of photo software which keeps on touting some new device as a sales point.

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                • #23
                  I don't think you're wrong. Submitting a PDF should be fine anyway.

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Centos View Post



                    Rambling again. Sorry. Offline, I would try Trelby or KIT Scenarist or WriterSolo. Both online/offline, I would look at WriterSolo. Or try the Demo version of Fade In Pro.
                    I tried WriterSolo. Not bad at all. But how can it be used offline? Is it downloadable? Amazon Studios wasn't and that was a problem.

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by dpaterso View Post
                      When I eventually tried a test submission to the BBC I was forced to use Final Draft (with tiny Arial 11-point font!) which was their preference. Brrrr.
                      Arial 11? Whose preference, BBC's or FINAL DRAFT's?

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by gardnuk View Post
                        Arial 11? Whose preference, BBC's or FINAL DRAFT's?
                        The Beeb sent me a sample FD file, that was how it was set, I filled it with sparkling/witty dialogue and action (incurring eyestrain in the process) and sent it back, never heard a word from them again. Story of my life.

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                        • #27
                          Originally posted by gardnuk View Post

                          I tried WriterSolo. Not bad at all. But how can it be used offline? Is it downloadable? Amazon Studios wasn't and that was a problem.
                          If you're using the default view, just click on the "W" icon on the lower, left corner of the screen. You should see "Download Desktop App" as one of the options in the left menu that comes up.Then just choose your OS in the drop down menu. (OSX 10.9+, Windows 7+ and Linux 32-bit and 64-bit.)
                          STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

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                          • #28
                            Centos, I went back yesterday (I think it was) and tried to see if our Russian friend had posted anything about Kit Scenarist recently. Maybe I missed something, but I could not find anything. Is he still working on and maintaining this program? Oh, I just remembered something that I saw online somewhere when I was looking for Kit Scenarist. I did not delve into it all, but it seemed that the program or some version of it is now for SALE instead of being free. Again, I was not paying all that much attention.

                            One reason that I did not pay all that much attention is that all of this about free screenwriting programs is mostly a waste of time. There are always problems with those programs. It may be a limitation on the number of scripts, or the scripts are not printable except to PDF, or the program is not Unicode-compliant (Trelby), or the program can only be used online, or the program cannot import 64-bit text (Movie Magic Screenwriter), or the program is deliberately crippled in some manner.

                            If you are at all serious about screenwriting (even if only as a serious hobby), save up $80 and get Fade In. Look at the trial version first. I assure you that it is a professional-level screenwriting program. I have worked with it for years. Do not fall for the propaganda that Final Draft is the standard. Let's say that it is, because most people are probably users of it. So what? You can do the same things, and more, with Fade In. And you get free updates. And you can put your licensed copy of the program onto all of your own computers (but not, of course, someone else's). You can export to .fdx Final Draft format, and import the script back into .fadein Fade In format. I have done this many times. In addition, you can write a script or a portion of a script in Fountain format with any text editor like Notepad, and then simply paste the text into Fade In or import it as Fountain. (Fountain, if you do not know, is a simple text file, sort of like email, with everything flush against the left margin and some blank lines between certain paragraphs.)

                            Happy writing!

                            "The fact that you have seen professionals write poorly is no reason for you to imitate them." - ComicBent.

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
                              Centos, I went back yesterday (I think it was) and tried to see if our Russian friend had posted anything about Kit Scenarist recently. Maybe I missed something, but I could not find anything. Is he still working on and maintaining this program? Oh, I just remembered something that I saw online somewhere when I was looking for Kit Scenarist. I did not delve into it all, but it seemed that the program or some version of it is now for SALE instead of being free. Again, I was not paying all that much attention.
                              Still updating... the latest update came out on August 24th. Scenarist is supposed to be in "maintenance mode" but they're still adding features. Most of their effort is supposed to be going into their new product, Story Architect (or Starc). I say their effort because he's joined up with a couple other developers. So far Starc just looks like a "fancified" (Mac-like) version of Scenarist. KIT Scenarist is not going away, but the newest features are supposed to be going into Starc (https://starc.app/). I'm on the Starc beta list, but I can't do anything with it because they're not offering a Linux beta (just Windows, I believe).

                              Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
                              One reason that I did not pay all that much attention is that all of this about free screenwriting programs is mostly a waste of time. There are always problems with those programs. It may be a limitation on the number of scripts, or the scripts are not printable except to PDF, or the program is not Unicode-compliant (Trelby), or the program can only be used online, or the program cannot import 64-bit text (Movie Magic Screenwriter), or the program is deliberately crippled in some manner.
                              I understand. WriterDuet and Celtx are limited if you don't have a paid account (Celtx more so). There are several applications in that category. But WriterSolo, KIT Scenarist and Trelby have no limitations (except that Trelby has the limitation of its age). As for limitations to WriterSolo and KIT Scenarist, I don't know of any. I've already talked about Trelby in another post. What Trelby will do (even without Unicode) is produce a well-formatted screenplay in PDF format and use the common auto-completion features for ease in writing. It has some features not matched in other screenplay applications (mentioned in a previous post). One feature not mentioned earlier is its ability to find errors in your screenplay when printing, or saving or exporting. You'll be warned if you have an orphaned element and will walk you through the errors in your script so you can fix them one by one. (Kind of like a programming editor.)

                              Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
                              If you are at all serious about screenwriting (even if only as a serious hobby), save up $80 and get Fade In. Look at the trial version first. I assure you that it is a professional-level screenwriting program. I have worked with it for years. Do not fall for the propaganda that Final Draft is the standard. Let's say that it is, because most people are probably users of it. So what? You can do the same things, and more, with Fade In. And you get free updates. And you can put your licensed copy of the program onto all of your own computers (but not, of course, someone else's). You can export to .fdx Final Draft format, and import the script back into .fadein Fade In format. I have done this many times. In addition, you can write a script or a portion of a script in Fountain format with any text editor like Notepad, and then simply paste the text into Fade In or import it as Fountain. (Fountain, if you do not know, is a simple text file, sort of like email, with everything flush against the left margin and some blank lines between certain paragraphs.)
                              I would only buy Final Draft in the (extremely unlikely) event that I ever sold something to a production company that required it for rewrites. Zero interest in it. I like Fade In, but I like Trelby more. I don't know what I can "seriously" do in Fade In that I can't "seriously" do in Trelby, or Scenarist or WriterSolo. I don't think you realize how good these programs are. Also, to be blunt, screenplay writing software (though extremely useful for its job) is fairly simple — not much different than a word processor with macros. I do realize Fade In has advanced features that, if I were writing professionally, would be useful. But I'm not and I don't need them. As for Fountain, I think it's great. In addition to Trelby I use Fountain-Mode in Emacs. It's almost a full-featured screenplay application, with indents and auto completion. And it exports to formatted text. It looks a lot like Highland 2, which is only available for Macs. At any rate, I've got nothing against Fade In Pro, just don't have any real need for it. I often suggest it, however, on Reddit for those who do want a professional screenplay application with full support.

                              Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
                              Happy writing!
                              You too, sir.

                              STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

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                              • #30
                                I gotta ask---what exactly is Unicode? (I think I know but I don't know. LOL.)
                                Last edited by gardnuk; 10-19-2020, 12:46 AM.

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