Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

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  • Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

    I'm not entirely sure if this is in the correct section, so I appologize beforehand. I was a celtx user for a few months, but lately I've been experiencing a lot of problems with syncing, sharing, converting to PDF, etc (I'm not technologically inclined). The fact that I've read on this forum how celtx warps page counts is also a big turnoff. I would use final draft, but I'm a broke 17 year old With that being said, I've opted to try a simpler solution; using Word 2010 to write a script. If anyone has had any experience with this, here's the link to the tutorial I used to set up the template - http://www.awn.com/blogs/screenwriti...riting-program

    Now, I found that I couldn't get the quickstyles just right. What I wanted to do was configure things so that I could use both the TAB and ENTER keys for going from action, to dialogue, to character and vice versa. I also wanted to have multiple shortcuts between each line (for example, in celtx pressing enter after the action line leads to more action, but hitting tab from that point on leads into a character line. The biggest problem I've faced with the Word program in trying to set up my template is that I can't figure out how to assign tab as a shortcut, and it also seems as if you can only have one shortcut per quick style (for example, after you write an action line, you have to decide whether or not you want an action line or a character line to appear by hitting enter. Unlike celtx, where you could use a second command of tab for shortcuts, this problem leads to constantly needing to re enter the longhand shortcut of which line you want. There are no multiple options

    I'm sorry if this was confusing! If what I've posted above is confusing, has anyone figured out a way to set up a screenwriting template in Word that works for them? If I could get any tips on setting up Word for screenwriting, that would be amazing. This is something I'd really like to try

    Thank you!

  • #2
    Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

    I did for a while but gave up for pretty much the reasons you're outlining here. I managed to set up Alt+ shortcuts, but I found as soon as you got above 70-odd pages the formatting would just break Word.

    I've waxed lyrical about it before, but if you don't want spend money (which I completely understand) you should give Trelby a go. So far I've done a couple of feature scripts on it and it's been 100% reliable, is easy to use and has all the options you'd need.

    JJ.
    My stuff

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    • #3
      Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

      I personally think that, for the money, Fade In Pro is an excellent choice. I've played with their Android version and really liked it. But, since I already had Final Draft and MM for my PC,I didn't go for the Fade In PC version.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

        Free software for the Sophocles screenwriting program is, incredibly, still available on the internet, as of this afternoon. It was a very good, even much-loved program, whose author sort of vanished, along with his website.

        You can download the beta version (which superseded an earlier version) at this page:
        http://web.archive.org/web/200802161...cles.net/beta/
        Amazingly, the screenshots still work. Here's one of the main interface:
        http://web.archive.org/web/200802220...ta/default.asp

        The program requires an unlock code, which was actually included with my download, but must be installed. I don't think anyone will be home if you send the request form for the code, but that shouldn't be necessary.

        The beta has all the usual and convenient features of a screenwriting program, including export to PDF (along with a bunch of budgeting and production modules). Of course, there's no guarantee, warranty or support of any kind. If you decide to try it and need help with the unlock code, pm me.

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        • #5
          Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

          I think you could have Word respond to TAB and ENTER like a regular screenwriting application, but that'd involve macro programming. The ScriptSmart templates available in the BBC's Writer's Room website did this, if I recall correctly. They are designed for Word 2003 but still work with 2007 and 2010.

          Fade In Pro goes for 50$. If you can afford it, it's a terrific piece of software.

          There's also Page 2 Stage, which used to be a commercial product but development stopped and they made it open source and free. I don't know why there hasn't been any developer interested in taking this software forward. You can download it here: http://www.page2stage.com/

          It's free and it's a fully-functional screenwriting application. If you can afford Fade In Pro, I'd say go with that, but if money is an issue that Page 2 Stage should work for you.

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          • #6
            Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

            I'd go for Fade In even if it were the same prices as Final Draft or MMS.

            If you really can't spend any money, why not try Trelby (free)?

            Or just write in the Fountain format in any text editor until you have enough money to buy Fade In!

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            • #7
              Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

              Originally posted by Jon Jay View Post
              I did for a while but gave up for pretty much the reasons you're outlining here. I managed to set up Alt+ shortcuts, but I found as soon as you got above 70-odd pages the formatting would just break Word.

              I've waxed lyrical about it before, but if you don't want spend money (which I completely understand) you should give Trelby a go. So far I've done a couple of feature scripts on it and it's been 100% reliable, is easy to use and has all the options you'd need.

              JJ.
              Funny. I've never heard of trelby. Does it have the problem that celtx does with adding on a higher page count for the same number of words?

              I'll start looking into it. Thanks!!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

                Originally posted by Donreel View Post
                Free software for the Sophocles screenwriting program is, incredibly, still available on the internet, as of this afternoon. It was a very good, even much-loved program, whose author sort of vanished, along with his website.

                You can download the beta version (which superseded an earlier version) at this page:
                http://web.archive.org/web/200802161...cles.net/beta/
                Amazingly, the screenshots still work. Here's one of the main interface:
                http://web.archive.org/web/200802220...ta/default.asp

                The program requires an unlock code, which was actually included with my download, but must be installed. I don't think anyone will be home if you send the request form for the code, but that shouldn't be necessary.

                The beta has all the usual and convenient features of a screenwriting program, including export to PDF (along with a bunch of budgeting and production modules). Of course, there's no guarantee, warranty or support of any kind. If you decide to try it and need help with the unlock code, pm me.
                I shall look into this as well. It likely doesn't have app support, but if it's a truly good system, it's worth it. Thanks so much for the suggestion!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

                  I've heard good things about fade in (after reading all the praise just posted here, I'm even further convinced). When I have the money, and the guts, to bite the bullet and get some real software, I'm thinking that's what I'll go to first

                  Thanks guys

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                  • #10
                    Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

                    Originally posted by Liv96 View Post
                    Funny. I've never heard of trelby. Does it have the problem that celtx does with adding on a higher page count for the same number of words?

                    I'll start looking into it. Thanks!!
                    Pass... But you can adjust margins etc. From what I hear pretty much any conversion from one program to another results in some page count anomalies. To be honest, you're 17, I assume making your first attempts at scriptwriting..? In which case I wouldn't worry too much about page counts yet.

                    My stuff

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                    • #11
                      Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

                      I must be the oddball here. I use Word. I just created a new doc with proper margins, font, etc., then setup the tabs, title page and page numbers.
                      When I start a new script, I start with that doc. I just don't bother with finishing format until I'm pretty confident in how the whole thing works. Then I have to go back and adjust where the page breaks happen but that's only 10-15 minutes.
                      SL35
                      Potent dreamer. Newb disclaimer.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

                        Originally posted by Silverlynx35 View Post
                        I must be the oddball here. I use Word.
                        If it makes you feel better, you're not that odd. If I'm doing a spec, I'll do the treatment in Word, then expand on what's there until it becomes a first draft, cuz it's easier for me when creating scenes from the "template". Then I save it as RTF and import that into Final Draft. Course, I started writing screenplays back in the 90s with Word, so it may be be Old Dog Syndrome...

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                        • #13
                          Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

                          I used Word for a long time. Just two styles, one default set to script margins with a tab far right for the occasional transition, and one with the dialogue margins and a tab set for character name.

                          I never did get to where I assigned shortcuts.
                          - - - - - - -
                          Script consulting still going strong.

                          Details and updates here, as always: http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/...ead.php?t=9901

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                          • #14
                            Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

                            I did not read all the posts above.

                            Sophocles will not work unless you use a simple registry hack to make it work. However, as much as I really did love that program, I cannot advise anybody to use it. My only gripe about the whole Sophocles story is that Tim Sheehan did not make the program open source when he ditched it. The whole thing remains a mystery.

                            Nothing wrong with using Word.

                            When you use Word, do not try to make it work like one of the scriptwriting programs that use TAB as a navigation key to move between paragraph styles.

                            Instead, you should use keyboard shortcuts. They are very easy. For example, when I use Word for scripts, my template has ALT+C set to give the Character Name format; ALT+D gives Dialogue; etc. And just hitting ENTER after a Character Name goes directly to Dialogue format. To change anything, you just use the correct ALT+key combination.

                            You can download my Word template from my website downloads page if you want. It will work with Word 2010. I have two templates. They are really the same except that one is for the font Courier Screenplay and the other for Courier Final Draft. I have links to places where you can download the fonts for free. You must install the necessary font or you may get some bizarre-looking font that your system substitutes in its place. I set up the templates to use something besides Courier New, because Courier New is terrible in hard copy (too light), though it looks fine on a computer screen.

                            The template does not do the automatic "cont'd" stuff that you get with a script program. That feature is really not important, and I have no idea how to code for that without using Visual Basic for Applications. However, I have set up the paragraph styles so that you do not get stupid-looking things like a Character Name at the bottom of a page but no Dialogue till the top of the next page. (I have seen things like that in scripts written with Word.)

                            Other templates are available on the internet, but I have found them to be just plain wrong or clunky-looking and clumsy to use.

                            The neat thing about using Word for scripts (screen, stage) is that with an investment of $35 you can buy a nifty word processor called Atlantis. It reads Word files (or you can use Atlantis to produce an rtf/doc/docx file). With Atlantis you can produce ebook versions (epub and mobi) of your script. You have to use a different template than the ones that I have available on my website, but I can always send the ebook-script template to anyone, or I will try to get it onto my website. Again, you cannot use the regular template for ebooks, because the margins are completely wrong for ebooks.

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

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                            • #15
                              Re: Using Word 2010 to write your screenplay?

                              Originally posted by DangoForth View Post
                              If it makes you feel better, you're not that odd. If I'm doing a spec, I'll do the treatment in Word, then expand on what's there until it becomes a first draft, cuz it's easier for me when creating scenes from the "template". Then I save it as RTF and import that into Final Draft. Course, I started writing screenplays back in the 90s with Word, so it may be be Old Dog Syndrome...

                              Really? That's so peculiar. Maybe I should try that sometime

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