Survey up for screenwriting software
The ongoing conversation about screenwriting software, prompted by the release of Final Draft 7.0, has gotten a lot of readers wondering why a better program isn’t out there. After all, compared with the complexity of editing video or managing a website, simply formatting a script should be cake. It’s just words, after all. And there’s no shortage of good ideas for what the ideal screenwriting software should do.
What’s missing from the discussion is any sense of the real numbers. How many writers use which programs and how satisfied are they? What features matter, and which could you live without? And most importantly, is there really a market for an innovative competitor? The only way to find out is to ask, which is why I set up a brand-new survey.
It’s short — it should take five minutes, tops. Once we hit a critical mass of responses, I’ll post the results here for everyone to mull over. In the mean time, do your part. Click here to take the survey.
Articles
May 5th, 2004 at 11:52 pm
John August’s survey on screenwriting software Screenwriter John August is taking a survey on screenwriting software .
May 25th, 2005 at 11:25 am
Though I’ve only used Final Draft, I’m pleased with it enough not to consider another application. I haven’t upgraded to 7 (I did upgrade to 5 and 6) because I just didn’t see the need. Anything else they add is just extra decorations on the cake to me at this point.
One of the features that I really like is backwards compatibility with files. I can work on a script with 6 on my desktop, then work on the same file with 5 on my slower laptop (wireless home network).
My only gripes about Final Draft are the following: 1) Though I like the Index Card View, it’s cumbersome to get into and I don’t like how it forces you to create a slugline. When I work in Index Card View, I just want to get ideas down quickly (obviously), and not have to make firm decisions about where a scene is going to take place.
2) Again with Index Card View (and normal view, too), I’d like to be able to tie scenes together into a sequence (not sure if 7 does this — even so, not enough reason for me to upgrade), so if I need to move things around, I can move a whole sequence, rather than having to go select all of the scenes individually before I move them. That would really be great.
Of course, another reason I haven’t upgraded to 7 is because I’ve never sold anything. Hard time justifying the expense when I could be spending money on other things, like InkTip, a contest, or HCD.