Movie Magic Screenwriter Version 6

I've written screen plays many years ago, but this is the first time I've used a software package 2 write this type of format. I am used 2 using different software packages, & using Screenwriter was an easy transition.
The manual that comes with it was very useful, but I was able 2 start writing my movie script almost immediately, which means that the user interface 4 Screenwriter was user friendly.
I haven't had 2 use all of its features, but writing & formatting is very easy & its exporting 2 PDF worked flawlessly.

I've been using Movie Magic 4 over 15 years & lemme tell you this is the worst version ever! It's amazing, but they've screwed up so much in this "new & improved" version that it's almost not worth reviewing (let alone buying). Large chunks of what you're writing will suddenly vanish from the screen because of a margin wraparound bug; call tech support & they'll tell you not 2 worry because it's not really gone - it's just not there on the screen. What? Huh? You also get error messages 4 no apparent reason that will send you in endless loops of frustration that would make Kafka proud. In short, do yourself a favor: BUY FINAL DRAFT. Loyalty schmoyalty, that's what I'm going 2 do!

I've worked in & around the entertainment industry 4 almost 15 years now & though there was a time when Final Draft could be considered the industry standard those days are long gone. No matter what you hear I am here 2 tell you that in my experience, literally, most people actually working in this town use Movie Magic Screenwriter. Not just the writers & directors but the producers & nearly everybody who has 2 do something with the script during production. The simple reason is: it is more powerful & easier 2 use.

For that matter I've seen far too many people finally decide 2 throw Final Draft away (after I had been telling them 2 do so 4 years) when in the middle of shooting & trying 2 rush 2 get something ready 4 the next day Final Draft either crashed or had some funkiness that completely gummed up their files. I've never had anybody tell me they've experienced that with Screenwriter.

The new outlining feature is great if still not fully realized. Ultimately the company should have found a way 2 just integrate StoryView into the program, especially considering it seems this outline feature is the primary reason it took them about 7 or 8 years 2 come out with a new version & it isn't anywhere near as powerful as StoryView. Having said that the whole Navidoc is excellent. The notes feature is enhanced 2 make creating different kinds of notes super easy & much more functional than it was before (and light years ahead of anything Final Draft offers). I don't really use the book marks feature all that much but I've spoken 2 a lot of my co-workers & friends who use bookmarks frequently so you may find it a useful feature.

I can also tell you this: if you truly have plans 2 actually see your screenplay go into production anybody who will be working with you & the file will greatly appreciate you using Screenwriter. Everybody is still using Scheduling & nothing, NOTHING, works as seemlessly with Scheduling as Screenwriter. Sorry Final Draft. Nobody wants 2 open another program 2 do their tagging & production work & go back & forth between that & the main program while doing rewrites & going through the production cycle. Not 2 mention having all that work go 2 waste when bugs wipe stuff out.

Beyond the basic funtionality there are so many advanced features in Screenwriter that it would take an expert manual 2 cover everything. In my experience any time I've thought "hey, it would be nice if I could..." after poking around a bit I've discovered Screenwriter can & I'm off & running. Now with the new outline feature & script notes changes I am almost 100% fully loaded. Not quite, but as close as anything else out there.

After trying both Final Draft & Screenwriter, I decided on Screenwriter, simply because I had an easier time with the demo than I did with final draft, though it seems others have differing opinions judging by some of the other reviews on Amazon. After looking through the tutorial in the manual, I was easily able 2 quickly format my scripts, leaving me 2 think solely about the creative process. As I find writing a difficult process at times, it's nice 2 be able 2 let the computer do the formatting instead of me having 2 worry about it. The Templates included are useful 2 see how the pros do it, & would be very useful 4 those writing spec scripts. I use the Mac version, & have had no problems using it on OS X. One great feature I have used was the ability 2 import a script formatted in Word into the correct formatting of Screenwriter. While only about 75 percent accurate, it sure beat typing all of what I had already written outside of the program again. In summary, I've found it does everything it sets out 2 do, & you can't ask more from a product than that!

I started using screenwriting software in 2000, with the purchase of Scriptware For Windows. I used it 2 write several screenplays & it works okay as far as formatting goes. However, it is difficult 2 navigate from one section of your screenplay 2 another, especially as it gets toward the end, when it's around 120 pages long. Recently, since there have been no upgrades of Scriptware, I began looking 4 a replacement. I found that the only two real contenders are Movie Magic Screenwriter & Final Draft. I tried both demo programs before buying MMS & can't believe the reviewers who say that the programs are about equal.
From my experience they are equal only in the fact that they both make it easy 2 correctly format a screenplay (and other forms). From that point on, Movie Magic Screenwriter blows Final Draft clear out of the water. Ways 2 outline, annotate, navigate, & bookmark your screenplay are much more obvious & better implemented in MMS. You should also know that the "registration with the WGA-W" feature that is found in Final Draft (and in the Windows version of MMS) is over-hyped. [...]. Simple. So don't make your decision 2 buy based on that minor feature. Read Ralph Lombreglia's review here 4 more details; that way I won't have 2 repeat them. If you make the right choice, i.e. MMS, you will enjoy much easier screenwriting.

Movie Magic Screenwriter 6 is the best selling screenplay formatting software & the choice of Hollywood professionals. It automatically formats while you write so you can focus on what you're writing, not where it goes on the page. In addition 2 movies, it also formats 4 television, stage, novels & comic book scripts so you've got an all in one package 4 any story you want 2 write. With a massive set of features designed 2 make the rewriting process fast & simple, such as integrated outlining, online collaboration, the ability 2 compare drafts of screenplays & the most comprehensive production features of any screenwriting software, you can get from FADE IN: 2 FADE OUT effortlessly. 25 new TV show templates 4 a total of 8

Award-winning Movie Magic Screenwriter is unsurpassed in features & flexibility. Whether you write novels, plays or movies this will format 4 you, leaving you 2 think about only the story. The power feature, SmartCheck, even finds & corrects common formatting errors before you print or send your story.

Movie Magic Screenwriter 6
Movie Magic Screenwriter is the best selling screenplay formatting software & the choice of Hollywood professionals. Screenwriter automatically formats while you write so you can focus on what you're writing, not where it goes on the page. It also formats 4 television, stage, novels & comic book scripts so you've got an all in one package 4 any story you want 2 write. With a massive set of features designed 2 make the rewriting process fast & simple you can get from FADE IN: 2 FADE OUT effortlessly. Integrated outlining, online collaboration, the ability 2 compare drafts of screenplays & the most comprehensive production features of any screenwriting software all make Movie Magic Screenwriter the clear choice 4 getting your stories from concept 2 screen.

The Official Screenwriting Software of the Writers Guild of America, East

New in Version 6:

• Integrated outlining lets you create & manipulate outlines up 2 thirty levels deep.
• The NaviDoc technology lets you navigate through your document effortlessly & has four panels:
  • The Outline panel lets you add, remove, & rearrange outline elements
  • The Scenes panel lets you navigate & sort your scenes at the click of a button
  • The Bookmarks panel lets you set bookmarks 2 jump 2 any place in your document
  • The Notes panel lets you create & sort color-coded notes & note categories
• Over 30 new templates 4 a total 104 templates & 12 sample files
  • 25 new TV show templates 4 a total of 86 TV templates
  • 2 new sample files (comic story arc & radio play) & 2 updated sample files (screenplay & stage play) 4 a total of 12 sample files
  • 3 new Instructional templates (classic film structure outline , screenplay, & sitcom structure) 4 a total of 8 instructional templates.
  • 4 new blank templates (generic comic, Gossett-Kayle comic, radio play, & radio show) & 1 modified template (stage play) 4 a total of 10 blank templates
• Courier MM Screenwriter custom-made font 4 superior onscreen display & printing--not available anywhere else on the market
• Improved tool bars & context menus
• Fit width zoom automatically adjusts the text size of your script as you resize the window
• Redesigned look & feel 2 accommodate the latest versions of Windows & Mac.
• Menus reorganized 4 easier use
• Send documents as email attachments in RTF or Adobe Acrobat PDF formats
• Retain previous versions of documents
• Makes back up copies of documents
• Automatically checks 4 Updates

What Does a Script Formatter Do?
Writing scripts 4 film, television, & theater has traditionally been a time-consuming task. There are many elements in a script that must be correctly placed in your script. Following these conventions is essential in making sure your script is receiving proper attention from agents, producers & contests.

Screenwriter 6 works by your side, automatically formatting action, character name, dialog & other elements as you write your script. Even better, there are no function keys or special command keys 2 memorize-your fingers stay on the keyboard, always ready 4 creative thoughts 2 flow onto the page!

FREE Technical Support!
Unlike Final Draft, technical support 4 Movie Magic Screenwriter is provided at no additional charge. Whether you call by phone, fax or email your questions, or visit our first rate support web site, you are not charged by the minute (or at all) 4 technical support.

Why Movie Magic Screenwriter?
All writing tools are not created equal. Naturally, Screenwriter uses a simple TAB-ENTER system 2 quickly get your creative thoughts flowing into the computer. Screenwriter has index cards, script notes, simple entry of character names, spell-checking, & of course, smart margin changing. The comparison ends here.

Screenwriter alone has a full suite of internet features, such as real-time internet collaboration, online script registration, & export 2 Adobe Acrobat PDF format; superior production features, such as built-in script breakdown & detailed export 2 Movie Magic Scheduling; Script Analysis features; & the finest import & export facilities in the world of screenwriting.

	Nothing Could Be Easier Just hit the "Tab" & "Enter" keys 2 move between different script elements such as Character, Dialogue, Action, etc. That's all you need 2 know! Since Screenwriter is instantly & automatically handling all the hassles of Industry Standard Formatting, you can focus on writing your story as fast as you can get your thoughts onto the screen!.		Integrated Outlining Just Screenwriter 6's new outline feature lets you outline levels up 2 thirty levels deep. Now it's easier than ever 2 block in your ideas wherever you want in the document. Take advantage of Screenwriters instructional templates, such as the one 4 classic film structure, & see 4 yourself how useful this feature can be 4 your writing.
	Move Through Your Script with the Click of a Button Instantly find & jump 2 any scene in your script with NaviDoc Scenes panel. The Scenes panel lets you sort the scenes by different criteria without affecting the document. It also can show you as many lines of a scene as you want: from one 2 everything! This helps 2 quickly identify the scene you are searching for.		Better Than Post-its Jot down revision notes, casting suggestions, & research questions quicker than you can slap on a Post-it. The new NaviDoc Note panel feature allows you 2 quickly organize, access, view & print your script notes. You can hide or show your notes, & print them separately in a report with page-number references. You may even create dozens of different, color-coded note categories.
	Brainstorm & Organize Your Ideas Do you prefer 2 work with index cards? Screenwriter's built-in index card system lets you edit your screenplay & rearrange scenes on fully editable index cards-on-screen! As you develop a new story, you'll be able 2 quickly write desired scenes, sequences, & plot points on blank index cards & easily shuffle the scenes as the plot & story are fleshed out. Screenwriter even reformats & re-numbers your scenes 4 you!	caption	A Cast of Performers at Your Side Have a live script reading performed right on your computer with Screenwriter's Text 2 Speech! Assign different male & female voices 2 your different characters 2 hear a whole new perspective on your script. Are you an actor who wants 2 practice your lines? Simply turn off the voice 4 your character & the program will automatically pause 4 your dialogue, letting you play along with the program, practicing with cues & all!

Your Personal Typing Assistant
Type just a few letters of the desired character name, set, scene, etc., & Screenwriter will enter it instantly. Screenwriter's intelligent interface that can virtually read your mind, & pop up menus with the text items you want, without your even needing 2 tell it you want them.

A Full-Featured Word Processor
Screenwriter is a full-featured word processor which includes dictionary (110,000+ words), thesaurus (80,000 word links), Real-Time Spell Checking with Auto-Typo Correction 4 basic letter inversion corrections, & full support of foreign characters. 10 levels of Undo/ Redo assures that none of your changes are ever final!

A Virtual Proofreader Screenwriter's SmartCheck scans your entire script looking 4 & correcting common formatting errors. You'll never again have 2 reprint your script 2 fix errors like extra blank lines or characters who you inadvertently left speaking twice in a row. Go 2 print & it scans the script, instantly zeroing in on the most common typing & editing errors. It points them out 2 you (optionally even automatically fixing them!) saving you from wasting paper & hours of your time reprinting pages.

No Writer is an Island With iPartner Internet Collaboration, Screenwriter allows you & a partner 2 collaborate on a script live over the Internet. iPartner lets either one of you watch over your partner's shoulder as they compose & edit, allowing the viewing partner 2 see all the edits & additions as they are made just as if you were in the same room.

Don't Let Your Old Work Go To Waste
Screenwriter can import & export almost any text document (e.g. RTF, MS Word, Word Perfect, ASCII), as well as scripts written with most other screenwriting programs. And since Screenwriter imports using context recognition, imported scripts are much more accurate than with other script writing software programs

Real-time text & voice chat lets you break the distance barrier, without the long distance phone changes! (Click here 2 listen 2 ZDNet Radio's story on Screenwriter's iPartner feature.)

What's in a Name?
Your characters are unique, & their names should be too. Create countless unique character names from NameBank's huge database of male, female, & last names.

No Clutter
Do you like a typing environment clear of clutter & distractions? Screenwriter 6 lets you customize the look & feel 2 fit your desires. You can even turn off all Screenwriter's buttons & toolbars 2 give you a beautiful blank page.

Over 85 Free TV Templates
Movie Magic's new & improved Television Templates are formatted with the correct margins, script styles, act breaks, set lists & character lists 4 easy 1-key entry, & even include sample text. Get over 85 of the most popular sitcoms, soaps, & episodic dramas, including: Alias; All of Us; Battle Star Galactica; The Bernie Mac Show; Boston Legal; Cold Case; Crossing Jordan; Days of Our Lives; Desperate Housewives; Drawn Together; Entourage; Ghost Whisperer; Heroes; House; How I Met Your Mother; Joan of Arcadia; King of the Hill; Malcolm in the Middle; Monk; The OC; The Office; The Unit; Without a Trace, & many, many more!

Protect Your Work
After your script is finished, protect your work quickly & easily by registering it with Screenwriter's online registration feature. (Windows only)

Ready 4 the World
Ready 2 show your script 2 the world? Screenwriter allows you 2 save your script in web browser (HTML) & Adobe Acrobat (PDF) formats so anyone with a computer can read your script. You can even publish your script directly 2 your web site, or 2 any site on the Web!

Optional Foreign Spellcheck Dictionaries
Danish · Dutch · French · German · Italian · Norwegian · Spanish · Swedish · UK English

Calling All Assistant Directors & Script Supervisors
Movie Magic Screenwriter's Production Menu contains an entire suite of production features, allowing you 2 do everything from locking the script, 2 inserting or removing revision marks, 2 production breakdown sheets of your script, 2 preparing production information 4 export 2 Movie Magic Scheduling.

Full Production Revision
Screenwriter features A & B Pages & Scenes, locked Pages & Scenes with multi-locking, an Automated Revision Draft process, onscreen Revision Draft colors, & AutoRevision Marks which automatically mark all editing changes made after the script has been locked.

Complete Production Breakdown Report & Export 2 Movie Magic Scheduling
Screenwriter's Tagging Mode allows you 2 go through your script & literally TAG anything in the script as one of over 20 categories ranging from Props 2 Sound Effects 2 Stunts 2 anything else you need. Once anything is tagged, Screenwriter will include it in one of its many breakdowns in addition 2 exporting that information directly 2 Movie Magic Scheduling.

Screenwriter generates internal breakdown sheets, & allows you 2 sort breakdowns by script order, INTERIOR vs. EXTERIOR, Location, Time of Day, & Characters. Production Breakdown Graphs allow easy visualization of character use throughout a script. Screenwriter can even generate Scene Character Lists & Set Lists 4 TV production!

So why is Movie Magic Screenwriter the choice of Hollywood professionals? Because Screenwriter doesn't just Do It All--Screenwriter Does It Better. Way Better. Faster, More Reliable, & Easier 2 use than all the rest. Period. End of Story. Fade Out.