I recently got a screenplay software and started to write a screenplay using it. At first, I didn't notice it had a print function, only an " export script". I exported it into word and printed it from there( in pdf). A few days later, I found the print button, but the resulting pdf is only 43 pages long... When I did it the " classical " way(first export it in word, then print from there), the pdf is 55 pages long. The only trouble is that, using this method, the screenplay's name appears on each page! Why is there such a big difference? How can I do to solve this issue, as I feel I wrote more than the 43 pages? PS: I used the same software before, but when I uploaded another 90 pages long screenplay, it said it has 53 pages in total and deleted the software!
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screenplay software page count...
- Thread starter victortiti89
- Start date
Which screenplay software are you using? Because I think Celtx or Movie Magic Screenwriter should be able to print directly from themselves, this ensures that the margins and the font size stay correct. And both I believe can export a PDF, which you can then print from a PDF reader like Nuance or Acrobat Reader.
Any time I've ever tried to take a screenwriter export file or PDF into Word, the results are often catastrophic if you try to make any changes, and sometimes the formatting can initially become entirely messed up.
So I don't think you've lost any content. Your content is simply being squeezed into fewer pages.
That definitely has less options. But any reason you don't just print from Celtx, then? It'll print it perfectly with everything formatted, and a front page with a title too.
CeltX will give you the proper page length in PDF format. If you import it into Word, you will likely need to do a lot of clean up. You will want to check your settings in Word to eliminate the repeated header. As that is not an issue if you produce it natively in CeltX.
Without knowing how you have Word set, it would be impossible to know all the differences. However, your page margins should be set so left (1.5") and right 1" (one inch). Word tends to default to 1.5 line spacing. Be sure it is set to 1 and check that "add space after paragraph" is also turned off. I've also found that the Courier New font that ships with Microsoft tends to be slightly larger. It shouldn't be so, but it does seem to affect the size. To get an equivalent to the PDF produced by most script software, I set the font size for the Courier New to 11. This seems to compensate at make the Word script closely match the output of CeltX and commercial products. Also be sure you have the proper tab margins set for your dialogues (2.75" left, 6.5" right). Dialogues ARE NOT centered.
Since MS Word uses 1.5 line spacing, that means a 90 page document is closer to 60 pages (=90/1.5). I suspect, if you make those changes, it will bring your PDF into closer compliance. Going this older conversion route takes lots of steps. It is simpler to use the Type Set/PDF tab beside the Script tab in the bottom of CeltX. You must be connected to the Internet for it to work. After it finishes, at the top you can simply save it ("Save PDF").
Hope that helps.