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.
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.
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