Celtx, Sophocles, or Movie Magic?

[Joe999]

I want to start using some regular screenwriting software, could use some advice. I would like to choose between Celtx, Sophocles, or Movie Magic. I have read negative things about Final Draft so that is not on my list. Cost is not an issue though I know Celtx is free, but I can get Sophocles or Movie Magic at academic pricing making the cost worth it if the software does what I need.

A few months ago I had been using Celtx but stopped when it was buggy and had an error in the page count; yesterday downloaded the newer 0.977 version and it is buggy as hell also, could not install on one of my PCs, and today put it on another PC and tried to import and 80 page screenplay in text file format and it choked at 80% of the import and froze up. One thing I like about Celtx is that it allows exporting a screenplay to text or html-- something NOT allowed by Sophocles.

I have been working on my feature screenplay using Sophocles beta (newest version), because that is what my Mentor uses and recommends. But today I noticed that there was no option to export or save my screenplay in any other file format other than sophocles proprietary file format (.scp) and that really really bothers me. I do not care to be held hostage to a proprietary file format, I just do can not believe that Sophocles will not export to a .txt or .rtf file format. For that reason alone I am inclined to pass on Sophocles. I am hoping someone here who has a paid version of the new Sophocles can comment on the lack of export feature. I can copy the screenplay from sophocles by highlighting it then pasting into a plain text file, then importing that text file to whatever (Celtx, Movie Magic), except as I said Celtx choked on the large text file when I did this.

Movie Magic looks good but I have not tried it. Does it allow export/save_as to something generic, like text or rich text? If so, and if not buggy (I guess I should download the trial version), I could see myself going that route. Addundum: I just checked the site for movie magic and it says it exports to rich text format .rtf so that is a really good selling feature for me.

Any help or advice appreciated.

 

[Thunderclap]

Final Draft 7 actually works pretty well on a PC, not so well on a Mac. I know you said it wasn't an option for you but thought I'd through that out there.

Have never used Sophocles. Celtx I tried a year or two ago but the big issue I had with it was that it required you to save your scripts on a server. That may have since changed, but that was a big NO for me.

Movie Magic I haven't really played with in years. Back when I did try it it worked fine but it was the slowest to migrate to being WinXP compliant thus it was a little slow. Not sure about it now though.

 

[Unknown Screenwriter]

I want to start using some regular screenwriting software, could use some advice. I would like to choose between Celtx, Sophocles, or Movie Magic. I have read negative things about Final Draft so that is not on my list. Cost is not an issue though I know Celtx is free, but I can get Sophocles or Movie Magic at academic pricing making the cost worth it if the software does what I need.

A few months ago I had been using Celtx but stopped when it was buggy and had an error in the page count; yesterday downloaded the newer 0.977 version and it is buggy as hell also, could not install on one of my PCs, and today put it on another PC and tried to import and 80 page screenplay in text file format and it choked at 80% of the import and froze up. One thing I like about Celtx is that it allows exporting a screenplay to text or html-- something NOT allowed by Sophocles.

I have been working on my feature screenplay using Sophocles beta (newest version), because that is what my Mentor uses and recommends. But today I noticed that there was no option to export or save my screenplay in any other file format other than sophocles proprietary file format (.scp) and that really really bothers me. I do not care to be held hostage to a proprietary file format, I just do can not believe that Sophocles will not export to a .txt or .rtf file format. For that reason alone I am inclined to pass on Sophocles. I am hoping someone here who has a paid version of the new Sophocles can comment on the lack of export feature. I can copy the screenplay from sophocles by highlighting it then pasting into a plain text file, then importing that text file to whatever (Celtx, Movie Magic), except as I said Celtx choked on the large text file when I did this.

Movie Magic looks good but I have not tried it. Does it allow export/save_as to something generic, like text or rich text? If so, and if not buggy (I guess I should download the trial version), I could see myself going that route. Addundum: I just checked the site for movie magic and it says it exports to rich text format .rtf so that is a really good selling feature for me.

Any help or advice appreciated.

Well I have just about every program there is... LOL.

I started out years ago using ScriptThing for DOS which eventually evolved into Movie Magic Screenwriter which I used exclusively up until about a year ago.

Then I bought the newest version of Final Draft and liked it even more than Movie Magic because of the ability to create templates and notes.

I have Celtx on my laptops just so I can read some other writer's screenplays and have never experienced any bug thus far.

Having said all that...

I don't use any one of those three anymore... Years ago, I stumbled on an outlining program called Movie Outline... In fact, I'm pretty sure I let members here on the forum know about it.

It was simply an outlining program back then but recently, they've upgraded Movie Outline to full fledged screenwriting software and it's all I use now because it allows me (very much like Celtx) to keep everything under one roof.

• I can toggle back and forth between my outline and script.
• I can create my character bios and toggle back and forth
• I can create notecards just like in Final Draft, Movie Magic, and Celtx
• I can create story tasks anywhere along the line
• I can build my own structure into it
• It's got what they call FEEL FACTOR that allows me to graph the emotional impact of each scene
• It comes with other screenplays and allows you to compare your structure to them
• It creates title pages and pdfs

However, even Celtx actually does MORE than both Movie Magic and Final Draft and is more than adequate for banging out a screenplay (unless you're getting bugs) but even so, I prefer Movie Outline over the other three.

But that's just me... LOL.

After using all of them extensively (even Sophocles), here's my order of preference:

1. Movie Outline
2. Final Draft
3. Celtx
4. Movie Magic Screenwriter
5. Sophocles

The only reason I have Sophocles last is because of the viewing mode... If I remember correctly, it does not allow you to type your script in a WYSIWYG environment and I personally have to have that. For some reason, I cannot get my head around the viewing mode -- probably because I've always been able to write my scripts in a WYSIWYG environment.

Hope that helps...

*NOTE: You can actually export your script in the following formats with Sophocles:

.pdf
.txt
.rtf
.html

Just go to File > Print Preview Script...

Then click on Export at the top of the nav bar and select your format -- this is with the Beta version but I'm positive the older version does the same thing albeit a little differently.

filmy

 

[Joe999]

Ahhh you are so right, I had not seen that before. Well now I am in a quandry. I had thought I should stick with Sophocles because my mentor uses and praises it. But the problem is in Linux (Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon) I run Sophocles under Wine (for non linux users, Wine is a free open source Linux app to run (many but not all) MS_Windows programs inside Linux; well in Linux there are issues with Sophocles drop down menus (they appear white until I mouse over a menu item--functional but annoying).

OK so I just downloaded Movie Magic version 6 demo and it is running great inside Linux using Wine, much better than Sophocles. I sense not too much interaction remaining with my mentor, so I do not want to go with Sophocles just for that reason (anyhow all the interaction with her thus far has just been email and rich text format files). Movie Magic v6 has an outlining mode, nice. $129 academic price, very affordable.

Celtx is out I think--$0 is a great price, but just way too buggy for my tastes, froze up trying an import this morning, using my laptop, and I can not get it to run in linux on my desktop linux system, except oddly enough i WAS able to install the MS-Windows version of Celtx on my desktop system using wine. Odd, very odd.

Well I have just about every program there is... LOL.
...
*NOTE: You can actually export your script in the following formats with Sophocles:
.pdf
.txt
.rtf
.html

Just go to File > Print Preview Script...

Then click on Export at the top of the nav bar and select your format -- this is with the Beta version but I'm positive the older version does the same thing albeit a little differently.

filmy

 

[Joe999]

I am downloading the Movie Outline demo for Windows now, and will try installing it on my linux system with wine and see if and how well it runs, features, etc. I will report back here soon!

...I don't use any one of those three anymore... Years ago, I stumbled on an outlining program called Movie Outline... In fact, I'm pretty sure I let members here on the forum know about it....

 

[Joe999]

Movie Outline demo actually installed and runs fine in Linux using wine, including drop down menus which are buggy as I mentioned earlier with Sophocles beta (not an issue with Sophocles 2003) in linux under wine. So I think it comes down to Movie Outline or Movie Magic for me.

I am downloading the Movie Outline demo for Windows now, and will try installing it on my linux system with wine and see if and how well it runs, features, etc. I will report back here soon!

 

[Joe999]

Sadly some negative news about Movie Outline on linux-- no go. It loads, runs. But odd mapped keyboard functions make it unusable for me inside linux. The backspace key, left arrow key, and delete key all cause a carriage return (line movement down) rather than the desired/expected backspace/delete/leftmovement. Bummer.

I am downloading the Movie Outline demo for Windows now, and will try installing it on my linux system with wine and see if and how well it runs, features, etc. I will report back here soon!

 

[Unknown Screenwriter]

LOL.

Movie Magic it is then...

filmy

 

[Joe999]

Perhaps not I have been playing with Movie Magic and it crashed my system, froze up when choosing some items off the menus, etc. Sigh. I might be back to Sophocles! Now that I know Sophocles exports I feel much better about it. At least Sophocles does not rush me to use the demo within 48 hrs like Movie Magic. Sophocles beta demo is fully functional and not time limited.

LOL. Movie Magic it is then...filmy

 

[Joe999]

Well i was just online ordering Sophocles, put in my credit card info and all, I was ready to click the send button. Then I noticed their bold red notice about how my ip address had been logged, they showed my ip address, and I recalled they let you use their software on up to 3 machines by 1 user but they map the machines by ip address. WTF?! I remembered how my (and for most people) ip address changes, because of course I like most people have a dynamic ip address from my internet provider. WTF?! Why would I buy software that could become "illegal" or disabled just because my ip addresses changes as a result of my ip provider, or refreshing my router (which I need to do about once a month). That is just messed up! I put my credit card back in my wallet for now.

 

[Unknown Screenwriter]

LOL.

Celtx it is then...

There's always Cinergy. It's no frills but it's free and I believe the new version can export/save your script as both an .rtf and .pdf.

And then there's always ScriptBuddy... LOL.

filmy

 

[Joe999]

Cinergy installed but would not run on linux under wine. Sigh, I guess it might just be Sophocles beta-- free, unrestricted, exports, runs ok on linux, i just have to live with the odd drop list menu which i can do (no menu items on drop lists until i mouse over them)--better to learn keyboard shortcuts anyhow. I just do not see myself buying sophocles unless they can give a reasonable answer to their very odd ip address restriction! (i emailed them about this a few hours ago, it will be interesting to see their response if any).

Celtx would be great if not buggy; i was so hopeful this morning-- installed v0.997 of Celtx to linux on my laptop, ran great, but choked and froze when i tried to import my 80 page first draft text file of my feature screenplay, and not being able to get it into Celtx makes Celtx useless for me for now. Actually... an idea-- I might try importing to Celtx in Windows, then save as celtx to disk or web, then pull it in when in linux celtx.

LOL. Celtx it is then... There's always Cinergy. It's no frills but it's free and I believe the new version can export/save your script as both an .rtf and .pdf.
And then there's always ScriptBuddy... LOL.

 

[Joe999]

I actually was able to import my .txt script file (from Sophocles export) into Celtx on my Linux system, which is actually Celtx for Windows but running in Linux under wine, so hell i might just come full circle and use Celtx. Free. Can use on any machines, no licensing issues. If me and some more cheap bastards send Celtx developers a sawbuck maybe in a couple of years Celtx will rock even more and exterminate some bugs (Google where are you? Slide some of that cash towards Celtx developers!)

Cinergy installed but would not run on linux under wine. Sigh, I guess it might just be Sophocles beta-- free, unrestricted, exports, runs ok on linux, i just have to live with the odd drop list menu which i can do (no menu items on drop lists until i mouse over them)--better to learn keyboard shortcuts anyhow. I just do not see myself buying sophocles unless they can give a reasonable answer to their very odd ip address restriction! (i emailed them about this a few hours ago, it will be interesting to see their response if any).

Celtx would be great if not buggy; i was so hopeful this morning-- installed v0.997 of Celtx to linux on my laptop, ran great, but choked and froze when i tried to import my 80 page first draft text file of my feature screenplay, and not being able to get it into Celtx makes Celtx useless for me for now. Actually... an idea-- I might try importing to Celtx in Windows, then save as celtx to disk or web, then pull it in when in linux celtx.

 

[knightly]

Have you posted on the celtx users forums asking about the bugs? They tend to be really responsive when bugs are found.

 

[Joe999]

Probably more of something to do with the install-- I did post on ubuntu forums a few days ago
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=676223
but nobody has replied to help yet on the issue.

I actually am not minding Sophocles for now, except I have emailed them a couple of times and get no response. They did reply to one email about academic pricing, but then nothing to a couple of other emails. That makes me very shy to buy a product for ca$h from a company with no telephone contact and who is sketchy at replying to emails. I recently bought a cheap but good indie crane from an online site
http://www.bargain-camera.com
and after I ordered it had problems waiting for it to ship, problems with the order process, with quesitons, and there was no telephone contact to call.

Have you posted on the celtx users forums asking about the bugs? They tend to be really responsive when bugs are found.

 

[Beeblebrox]

I use Final Draft and love it. I find it a little more responsive on the PC than on the Mac, but on the Mac it's prettier. The only bug I've encountered is exporting PDF files from the PC version, which end up 2MB in size for some reason. On the Mac, they are more like 200KB.

 

[clive]

I've pretty much always used Final Draft, but it seems to me the issue isn't about which is best for screenwriting, but which will work on your operating system of choice.

If I was you I'd give up on spending time trying to get the software to work on your OS... buy a dirt cheap G4 ibook on ebay and use it only for script writing.

Then you can run CELTX, Final Draft or any of the other pieces of software.

One of the factors you might want to consider, is whether you're going to need to take data from your scripts to run in scheduling and budgeting software.

The advantages of Final Draft and Movie Magic are clear in those situations, because they're both used widely throughout the industry and therefore mesh with the existing production softwares.

Filmy... thanks for the heads up on Movie Outline. I used the old version for plotting for years... mainly because I discovered the inbuilt "three act" template, just happened to match the "four act structure" of my favorite script mentor.

I haven't used it for a while, because I've transferred the template I use now to Final Draft.

However, I'm going to take a look at the new version, because I can see lots of advantages of creating my screenplays in distinct structured lumps.

Which reminds me... there are other "left-field" screen writing choices.

For instance "Mind Map" is mind mapping software, which I find pretty good for structuring and keeping notes... but which also has a screenwriters version... where you can write your script into the map.

If you've got a primarily visual cognitive mind set, it might work for you.

 

[Joe999]

I am actually on the verge of buying Win4Lin and then install MS-Winblows into my Ubuntu Linux operating system, I used Win4Lin way back when I had Windows98 and it is quite cool to see MS-Windows start up and run in a resizeable window inside linux. I think it might be worth the $49 then I could get whatever screenwriting software I want to run when in linux without rebooting to Windows, etc.

I've pretty much always used Final Draft, but it seems to me the issue isn't about which is best for screenwriting, but which will work on your operating system of choice. If I was you I'd give up on spending time trying to get the software to work on your OS... buy a dirt cheap G4 ibook on ebay and use it only for script writing.....

 

[nascarfan17]

Celtx

I personally use Celtx and I absolutely love it because it makes everything right there so that you can just get in there and start to organize your information. I also like the fact that it will automatically convert to a PDF format which is also nice. The final reason why I would choose Celtx is because I love the fact that if you make a revision you can always go back to your original.

 

[Joe999]

Yeah, I broke down and ordered Movie Magic. It looks impressive, I am going to give it a try. Should arrive in a few days. If it lives up to its hype it will be the one. If not I might buy Sophocles ($65), but Movie Magic looks impressive from their online demo.

Sadly, I am about to give up on Linux-- I have loved Linux the past years, but it just does not have the pizazz for audio and video editing, creation, etc. and now I need software that runs on WinXP. Combine my needs for Movie Magic, Sony ACID Pro which I absolutely love for music creation, Sony VEGAS Pro for video editing, and well there is little reason for me to boot into Linux much now, especially with opensource software freely available also now for WinXP (Openoffice, GIMP, Firefox). I do fear coming over to the Dark Side of WinXP for security risks and Big Brother issues, sigh. I surely love the incredible multitasking smoothness of Linux, and the multiple virtual desktops, but the bottom line is the software I now use only runs in WinXP (Movie Magic, ACID, VEGAS).

LOL.
Movie Magic it is then...
filmy