Jeffrey Stoltzfus

Final Draft VS Movie Magic Screenwriter. The software debate and other rants.

This is the type of blog that could get posted once a month. As a screenwriter I am entrenched in the debate of which screen writing software to purchase. Is Final Draft the best? How about Movie Magic Screenwriter? I've run the table on screenwriting software. I've used them all. Seriously. All. Final Draft, Movie Magic Screenwriter, Montage, Movie Outline, Script Wizard, Celtix, Zhura, Screenwriter Pro. Not to mention countless outlining programs. So I think I can speak with some authority on the subject. I'm not going to examine every single one of these programs. The mere thought of it makes me yawn. The two professional screen writing programs that dominate the market today are Final Draft and Movie Magic Screenwriter. Which do I choose? The often used analogy is "It's Coke versus Pepsi," or rather, they're pretty much the same thing. It's a matter of taste. So how do they stack up? Final Draft: This is the industry standard. Everybody in Hollywood has it. Their tech support is available 24/7. Movie Magic Screenwriter: Also used by industry folks, but not as much. It now comes with an integrated outlining tool. Their tech support is only available Monday thru Friday. So who is the best? They both format your script. They both come with preloaded templates. They both save to PDF. Truth is, once you print your script no one will have any clue which program you used. I've seen people debate feverishly over which one is better and why. Here's a neat little experiment. Tell somebody you're thinking of moving but aren't sure where. Notice where they tell you to move. Near them. (unless they secretly don't like you) Ask somebody else. Probably the same result. Why should you move where they live? Why should you use the same screenwriting software they use? Because it validates their choice. Here's a conversation I've had in the past. Guy "Are you a writer?" Me "Yes, I am." Guy "Do you use a Mac?" Me "No, I'm on a PC." Guy laughs at me and says "How do you write?" This exchange had nothing to do with writing and everything with making this individual feel better about himself and how he spent his money. I could bang out a script on a typewriter if I had to. It would be annoying as hell, but I could do it. These programs primary function is to format your script so you spend your time worrying about your story and not margins. No one has ever put down a script and said, "The story sucked, but crap if the margins weren't stupendous. Let's pass this bad boy on up the ladder." As much as these programs all do the same thing they also don't do the same thing. They do not write your movie for you. No such program exists. These programs are a tool. They are not knowledge. For that you will need to read a book, take a class, or find someone willing to teach you about the nature of theme, structure, and character. Don't be afraid to learn because your competition isn't. Personally, I write with Final Draft. Why? I like the interface. It's clean and simple. I like the Scene Properties feature. It helps me organize. I also use the Scriptnotes function when I review my friends scripts. It's a convenient way to write notes directly into the script. I've been writing happily with Final Draft for about 3 years now. But that's my personal preference. Don't sweat over which screenwriting software to buy. Just pick one and write that script. And when you're done have a coke and a smile. Unless you like Pepsi. Jeffrey Stoltzfus www.fuswork.com

January 28, 2010 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | Add Comment