Hi All,
I move a lot by train due to my job and I usually use the time to read. I recently had the idea to use the spare time commuting for writing screenplays. I am new to this but full of good will to learn as much as possible.
I tried already with text editors (MSWord, Pages, etc.) but it is quite difficult to manage story-lines and all the rest with these tools...and I am not even starting talking about margins and page layouts... :-(
Is there anybody who could give me some advise about which software would be the best to write scripts on an iPad (or iPhone)?
p.s.
Possibly a software that would require a moderate investment or even better for free... :-p
Final Draft should have an apple app. There are others but that is considered the industry standard. For free there is Celtx but I don't know if it works on IPad. I am collaborating with an author and we work in Microsoft Word. Simply put, 2.5/ 2.5 margin for CHARACTER NAME, 1.5/1.5 for DIALOGUE and .05/.05 for ACTION. It works if you know basic screenplay formatting with some minor tweaks and looks solid.
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WritersDuet is also free and made specifically for screenwriting collaboration.
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This is a topic Im interested in. Im often in transit where crucial plot points spring into my head either on the 13 hour flight from Singapore to Heathrow or more local dour train station destinations with weak wi fi points and grim coffee kiosks. I now carry pen/pencil and notebook. It never fails on trains. Or planes. Someone needs to invent a user friendly travellers i phone or i pad screenwriting app. Carrying a desktop is no guarantee either on trains/planes because of infrequent wi fi. People always seem to gleefully play little “blow the mine” games, on trains but I’ve always had problems. Yes, sometimes it works but sometimes it doesn’t.
I use Final Draft on my laptop, even on a train. Because I may or may not have access to wi-fi when I'm out and about, I specifically avoid the cloud-based apps. I can't write on a phone, for me that's just ridiculous, and I don't use an iPad.
There is a version of Final draft for IPad. I had it and it crashed few times while writing, which meant losing tons of work in a second. That’s why I don’t use it anymore. So I second Debbie, a pen and a notepad is the best when travelling. Also, it gives you a chance to write it down messy the first time (pure creativity!) and then rework it later on the software of choice.
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Try celtx. Very easy to use.
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I would suggest from time to time to check on the App store for new apps... I usually search for “screenplays” or “screenwriting” ... I tried already FinalDraft and Celtx for iPad and they didn’t give me the right feeling...I can do better with a normal text editor... :-) :-p
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Try celtx! That's what I use! I don't know if they have a version for iPad but they might?
-G.R.B.
Thank you so much to all of you for all of your feedbacks!
I use Slugline on iPad, (and also on my iPhone). It's fantastic. Laura mentioned Highland, and Slugline is also built on Fountain's markdown language co-created by John August.
Of the two, I very much prefer Slugline.
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Hello Rose, my little contribution here..., I did some browsing on my iPad, yesterday and I downloaded TwelvePoint. It seems to work on iOS and Mac. I played with it the whole night (yeah , I Know!!!), I found it kind of useful. No need to learn new formatting languages, it works with plain text (Imported a small play I wrote some years back in .docx), no pain in setting margins or page layout... basically an app for those creatives that happen to be also a bit lazy... :-p
Thanks Francis, I ll check it out...
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I use Celtx on my iPad
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Use final draft for all - easy to sync but i wish they would keep up to technology of iPad Pro and incorporate pencil.
Note - Have used fade in on both - its pretty good and cheap also.
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I use Final Draft for iPad too. It's about $30. It doesn't have all the feature that FD for Mac/Win has, but it's OK. I'm not a fan of cloud writing tools. I'm super paranoid of either companies getting bought, or if I decide not to use the tool, or the company goes out of business everything could be lost. That has happened to me before. I lost several years of work.
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maybe I joined the conversation a little bit too late... :-p
I agree with Kevin , cloud storage is a false hope. Many issues on synchronization, 3rd parties security could be a serious issue. I tried myself few so-called professional software, like CeltX or FinalDraft, usability on a iPad is bad, not the same experience of a laptop, plus, the functionalities are very limited.
Few months ago, I moved to TwelvePoint, it works on both iPhone and iPad and It is my current preferred choice for writing out of the office. I believe there is also a version for Mac but I haven't tried yet...
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You're not going to go too far wrong with either Final Draft or Fade In. All the best with your writing, Rose. May it take you on many a journey... and not just by train. ;)