Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

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  • Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

    I thought we should have a thread for Fade In Pro users on which to share tips and discuss what we like (or don't like) about it and what we think can be improved.
    ====

    Here are the settings of the custom screenplay template I use, which I think looks better and more standard (or at least like most PDFs I've read) than the default one:

    Document>Page Layout
    - Top: 1.00"
    - Bottom: 0.80"
    - Left: 1.50"
    - Right: 1.00"

    Document>More and Continued...
    - uncheck "Automatically continue dialogue"
    - uncheck "Automatically continue scenes"
    - check "Break on sentences"

    Document>Page Numbers>Page Numbering...
    - uncheck "Show on first page"

    Format>Element Styles>Modify Element Style...
    - Normal text: as is
    - Scene Heading: change "Space before" to 1 (or leave as is if you prefer double space before scene)
    - Action: as is
    - Character: change "Left indent" to 2.10" (or 2.00")
    - Parenthetical: change "Left indent" to 1.50" and "Right indent" to 2.50"
    - Dialogue: change "Left indent" to 1.00" and "Right indent" to 1.40"
    - Transition: change "Right indent" to 0.00"
    - Shot: as is

    Font -- I prefer to use Courier 10 BT, looks great both on screen and pdf.
    ====

    Importing screenplays.
    Today I wanted to check the screenplay of The Apartment and found out some issues in the pdf version I have. So I googled for the screenplay and found an html version that looked good enough. Saving it as formatted text and then importing it into Fade In resulted in a flawless document (before this I tried importing from html (lots of issues), pasting the text directly (lots of issues), importing from html in Screenwriter 6 (some issues), importing from formatted text in Screenwriter 6 (some issues -- rather odd, because Screenwriter 6 usually imports flawlessly from txt if you uncheck "Use most aggressive (...)" in the import dialogue, but not with this file for some reason.)

    So, in short: to import a screenplay into Fade In, using a formatted text file seems to work extremely well.
    Last edited by ; 12-05-2012, 03:48 AM.

  • #2
    Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

    Originally posted by Dr. Vergerus View Post
    I thought we should have a thread for Fade In Pro users on which to share tips and discuss what we like (or don't like) about it and what we think can be improved.
    I've been trying it out. Agree on Courier 10 BT -- that's how I've got it set. Actually, though I would rather it worked like Trelby, which completely separates the screen font from the print font. I like Monospace for typing, but I don't want to print it out that way. I also get rid of the Mores and Continued's -- and wish I could get rid of that black line between pages, as I also remove the Navigator and Format windows and shrink the main window to about two thirds of my desktop -- and the black doesn't really work well with what's left.

    My main issue with Fade In, however, is that it seems to default to nearly 4" long dialogue lines, which doesn't seem to be standard screenplay format (at least it didn't use to be).

    All in all, though, it's a good screenplay formatter. There's enough customization to make it usable, but nothing like MMS or even Trelby.
    STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

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    • #3
      Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

      So, in short: to import a screenplay into Fade In, using a formatted text file seems to work extremely well.
      I do not use Fade In, but I know some things about it. I think it imports a formatted text file so well because the program has excellent support for Fountain files. A formatted text file is really just a subset of the Fountain file type.

      Centos, about dialogue line lengths. Of course, no rule exists for this, thank God, just a general tendency.

      Actually, one of the first things I do with a "standard" template is to make the dialogue line longer. I set it for 3.8". That keeps lines from breaking so short when a long word comes at the end of a line. I don't think most people notice one way or the other, but I don't like the dialogue column to be extremely narrow.

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

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

        Originally posted by Centos View Post
        There's enough customization to make it usable, but nothing like MMS or even Trelby.
        I respect your opinion, but that's a very unfair assessment. Trelby? Fade In outdoes Trelby in every single area (Trelby doesn't support production features or even bold, underline or italics, last time I checked), and I'm not sure that it falls short of what MMS or FD can do.

        I would like a "draft" view without page breaks, though.

        If you like to print in a different font, you can easily change it before printing in Document>Change Document Font. What Trelby does (allow different settings for screen and printed page) is very unusual and a bit against the whole idea of a WYSIWYG word processor, but it's an interesting choice. I think Sophocles also allowed to write with different margins to fit more text on screen but it would still print in standard format.

        Don't get me wrong, I like Trelby; it's probably the best free screenwriting option right now (at least among the free applications I know), but Fade In is a true alternative to the big two, and the developer is not only very active but also very capable.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

          Originally posted by Dr. Vergerus View Post
          I respect your opinion, but that's a very unfair assessment. Trelby? Fade In outdoes Trelby in every single area (Trelby doesn't support production features or even bold, underline or italics, last time I checked), and I'm not sure that it falls short of what MMS or FD can do.
          I should have qualified this by saying it has less customization for the things I use most. Mostly I'm concerened with how text and the layout are displayed. As for production features, this is something I've never used and more than likely will never use. I didn't realize, however, that text couldn't be "bold-ed" or italicized. That's something I hardly ever use, but would like to have the ability to do so should I ever want the feature.

          But I really do like the fact that I can use Monospace for typing and rely on Trelby to pick Courier when printing. Changing it back and forth would be a pain. I also like the ability to change element colors to make them stand out (Again, without affecting the printout.)

          Originally posted by Dr. Vergerus View Post
          I would like a "draft" view without page breaks, though.
          Agree.

          Originally posted by Dr. Vergerus View Post
          If you like to print in a different font, you can easily change it before printing in Document>Change Document Font. What Trelby does (allow different settings for screen and printed page) is very unusual and a bit against the whole idea of a WYSIWYG word processor, but it's an interesting choice. I think Sophocles also allowed to write with different margins to fit more text on screen but it would still print in standard format.
          Yep, and that's one feature I really liked about Sophocles. I don't really care if it allows more text or not, I just like the idea of using the font I like when typing. Courier is kind of an ugly font on screen -- especially New Courier, which is too light.

          Originally posted by Dr. Vergerus View Post
          Don't get me wrong, I like Trelby; it's probably the best free screenwriting option right now (at least among the free applications I know), but Fade In is a true alternative to the big two, and the developer is not only very active but also very capable.
          No, I didn't get you wrong. My problem was commenting before really testing Fade In. It still seems more restricting to me, but that's probably due more to my ignorance than fact.

          I like that there is more competition and that Fade In is making a good run at Final Draft and MMS. There's another product, Movie Draft, that doesn't get much mention here, which I think is also worth looking into. (It doesn't work in Linux, so I'm out of luck.) Its creator and publisher, Mark O'Neill, used to post on our screenwriting newsgroup. At the time his product was called SceneWriter Pro (actually I think he still sells that, but he suggests Movie Draft).

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

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

            Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
            Actually, one of the first things I do with a "standard" template is to make the dialogue line longer. I set it for 3.8". That keeps lines from breaking so short when a long word comes at the end of a line. I don't think most people notice one way or the other, but I don't like the dialogue column to be extremely narrow.
            I guess I had Cole/Haag beaten into me for too long. They dictated (I believe) a 3.2" length (up to 3.4") so Trelby's default 35 spaces looks "right" to me. The longer lines don't seem to stand out as well. Apparently MMS's default (at least the older version) was also shorter. But I realize this is all personal preference and both Trelby and Fade In can be changed to taste.
            STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

              I agree that in the end what matters is that the software you use meets your needs.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

                About Cole and Haag ... That template uses a 4" dialogue line. I remember that from consulting a screenwriting manual almost twenty years ago, and I checked the current Final Draft "Cole and Haag" template just now. It is 4".

                I have no problem with a dialogue line that long, but it runs a little longer than what most people use these days.

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

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

                  Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
                  About Cole and Haag ... That template uses a 4" dialogue line. I remember that from consulting a screenwriting manual almost twenty years ago, and I checked the current Final Draft "Cole and Haag" template just now. It is 4".

                  I have no problem with a dialogue line that long, but it runs a little longer than what most people use these days.
                  Well ... the Final Draft Cole and Haag template might use 4" for dialogue, but (for what it's worth) the Cole/Haag book (The Complete Guide to Standard Script Formats) specified 3.1". Actually they did it this way, set tab to 29 and "cut off" at 60 (which, I assume, means somewhere near 60) -- so I guessed somewhere around 3.3".

                  This web page ...

                  http://www.storyinsight.com/professi...ss/layout.html

                  ... confirms this, except they say use a 2.9" left margin and a 2.5" right margin (8.5 - 2.5 = 6).

                  Not a huge deal, just (to me) 4" seems too long. But I can now see where changes could be easily made to make scripts slightly shorter longer if needed.

                  EDIT: Looking closer at Fade In, it appears the default dialogue length is 3.7" -- so it must be more of the perception of length that I get from the Courier font. It's amazing, however, how many times that .2" difference removes a line in the samples I've put in Fade In and Trelby.

                  Now I'm going to just shut up.
                  STANDARD DISCLAIMER: I'm a wannabe, take whatever I write with a huge grain of salt.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

                    I just purchased Fade In Pro. In the extras, Fade In Pro has a few templates that you are discussing, but I don't understand why I should consider using these rather than just using the default set-up.

                    In addition, the default font is Courier Screenplay, but I have just plain old Courier on my computer. Is this also the case where I should stick with the default option, or should I change to plain old Courier?

                    Thanks in advance for anyone willing to answer these newbie software questions.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

                      Any Courier font will do (12 point, 10 characters per inch) so just use the one that you think looks the best on the screen, pdf or print.

                      As for the default configuration and template, most of it can stay as it is. What I would recommend you change is turning off scene continues as this only makes sense in production drafts.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

                        Troy wrote:
                        In addition, the default font is Courier Screenplay, but I have just plain old Courier on my computer. Is this also the case where I should stick with the default option, or should I change to plain old Courier?
                        Troy, if you are using the Windows operating system, you almost certainly have Courier New, not plain old Courier.

                        Use Courier Screenplay. It is a really nice medium-dark Courier font. Courier New is not the best choice for a screenplay when you have something else available.

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

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

                          Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
                          Troy wrote:Troy, if you are using the Windows operating system, you almost certainly have Courier New, not plain old Courier.

                          Use Courier Screenplay. It is a really nice medium-dark Courier font. Courier New is not the best choice for a screenplay when you have something else available.
                          Hello. I have Courier, Courier New, Courier Screenplay and Courier Std on my computer. Obviously, it's a minor point, as it's easy to use the default Courier Screenplay too. Is it one of those things that it really doesn't matter? Just over thinking this I guess.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

                            It does not matter which one you use, as long as it looks all right on screen and on the printed page. Courier New generally looks good on screen but is a little anemic in print.

                            Also make sure that the line spacing is approximately standard. The line spacing may vary a lot from one font to another. The standard for scripts is six lines per inch (it does not have to be exact, but the page count can vary by several pages in a full-length script if you do not follow this standard).

                            The key is to know how to count the lines correctly. You have to measure from the baseline of Line 1 to the baseline of Line 7. Yes, 7.

                            This is my line number 1
                            This is my line number
                            This is my line number
                            This is my line number
                            This is my line number
                            This is my line number
                            This is my line number 7

                            Measure from the bottom of the 'm' in 'my' (not the bottom of the 'y'). The distance should be very, very close to 1".

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

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Fade In Pro -- tips, feedback, requested features

                              Originally posted by ComicBent View Post
                              It does not matter which one you use, as long as it looks all right on screen and on the printed page. Courier New generally looks good on screen but is a little anemic in print.

                              Also make sure that the line spacing is approximately standard. The line spacing may vary a lot from one font to another. The standard for scripts is six lines per inch (it does not have to be exact, but the page count can vary by several pages in a full-length script if you do not follow this standard).

                              The key is to know how to count the lines correctly. You have to measure from the baseline of Line 1 to the baseline of Line 7. Yes, 7.

                              This is my line number 1
                              This is my line number
                              This is my line number
                              This is my line number
                              This is my line number
                              This is my line number
                              This is my line number 7

                              Measure from the bottom of the 'm' in 'my' (not the bottom of the 'y'). The distance should be very, very close to 1".
                              Thanks for taking the time to answer.

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