Paul Zadie

There are a lot of choices for screenwriting software out there. I have used Final Draft in the past, but I have been wanting to try Celtx, so I wrote my last short screenplay with it. My conclusion after an eight page short… Final Draft is a much more robust screenwriting application, but Celtx goes deeper than just formatting script pages. Celtx is not without its flaws, but overall it makes a great project management tool. You can find lots of great info on Celtx and Final Draft at Self Reliant Film. The Self Reliant review is a good comparison of the frustrations you will have with both of these programs. I’m not writing a review, I’ll just try and explain how I intend to use these tools to manage my development process.

I chose Celtx as the nucleus for the project because of its ability to keep notes, outlines, scripts, images, media files and documents created by other applications in one central location inside the program. All of these files, Celtx or otherwise, can be organized in folders within Celtx. I have various text files within the application for notes, log lines, outlines and some other important information that I need to keep handy while writing. Files that I’m using that were created by another program are the Character Development spreadsheet from the $1000 Film blog (you need to go get this spreadsheet) and the Final Draft documents.

I am still in the character development stage, and getting ready to outline, so I haven’t started writing the script yet. But when I do, I will be writing it in Final Draft. I can handle writing in Celtx despite it’s problems in this mode, but I need to have some file compatibility later on with my scheduling software. I use Company-Move Show Planner for scheduling. So until Celtx can export a breakdown like Final Draft Tagger, or gets it’s own scheduler, I have to stick with FD. I’m hoping that Celtx starts to mature quickly so that it can be used for what it was intended, a collaborative pre-production tool.

So that’s the basic rundown on what software works for me. There really isn’t one solution that satisfies me. Each software package has it’s advantages and it’s disadvantages. Not that any of it really matters, because it’s all about the story, and the characters, and the conflict, and the transitions, and… oh, I’ll save it for another time.

I have been rolling the idea for this movie around in my head since 2001. I kinda sorta been keeping a journal of ideas and observations regarding this, and other projects, for a few years. I’m not sure what has been holding me back from just writing this thing. Actually, I know exactly what it is that’s been keeping me from it. It’s fear. The fear that my first movie will just suck. I can come up with a handful of convincing reasons why I keep putting it off. I felt that if I held off until I had enough experience working in the various areas of production that I would be better prepared to successfully write and direct a feature. On one hand I’m glad I waited. On the other hand, I wish I had done this a long time ago and gotten it out of the way. Who knows how many movies I could have under my belt by now. Well, I have finally stopped waiting. This new project is tentatively titled Atomic Incorporated.

So… I have been absent from the world of making movies for quite some time. I have a list of excuses, but I’ll keep it brief. The first reason that I have been away is because I have been unbelievably busy with freelance production work. Mostly post production, and most of that is commercial and promo editorial with a little bit of camera operation thrown in for good measure. It’s not so bad becasue my bills are getting paid.

The other reason is that I have opened a T-Shirt company for filmmakers called Film Tees. If you’re into making movies, I suggest you check it out because there are a bunch of great shirts that I’m sure you’ll dig. The main purpose of the new business is to allow me to stay home more often, and work on my first feature length screenplay. This is a movie that I have been thinking about making, and sort of working on for about six years. It’s about time I get going on it. I registered a domain for the new project, and I think I’m going to be keeping a blog over there. I’ll let you know. Until then… Check out Film Tees.