Screenplay Software

Wouldn't it be nice if you could buy a piece of software that could write the perfect screenplay for you? All you would have to do is enter the plot and characters and out pops a screenplay for you to turn into movie. We have not reached that point yet in screenwriting software, but there are some very good programs that are providing needed help in the screenwriting process.

The screenwriting programs usually come in two flavors: Stand Alones and Add-ons. Stand Alone programs are self contained into themselves, and are dependent upon no other piece of software to function. Add-on programs are templates and plug-ins that work in conjunction with another piece of software, usually Microsoft Word or Corel Wordperfect.

The piece of software you choose (if you choose one at all) depends upon how much help you think you need to write your screenplay. If you are a novice, and may need help on not just formatting but also story development you may want to go with a Stand Alone program. Stand Alone programs are more expensive than Add-ons, but they give added help to the screenwriter in plot and character development, as well as formatting. If you think you have the story down cold, and just need some help in screenplay formatting the Add-on programs will probably be fine for you.

Please remember this about any software you buy: IT WILL NOT WRITE THE SCREENPLAY FOR YOU. A bad, or uninteresting story will still be bad and uninteresting after using screenwriting software. So, before you get any software do your homework and make sure that you have a story worth writing. You never know, if you have your story down good enough you maybe able to write it old school style with just the proper tabs being set in your word processor. (We wrote our first draft out in long hand)

Descriptions  of the software below can be found at the listed links, or from the WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA.
All of these programs can be purchased from The Writers Store, ScriptDude Co, ScreenStyle (The Screenwriters Store), and Screenwriters Resource Center.

ADD-ON PROGRAMS:

Parnassus Software ScriptWerx
http://www.originalvision.com/
Oak Tree Press
256 Guinea Hill Road
Slate Hill, NY 10973
(914) 355-1400
Mac OS7.0 and higher,
Windows 3.1 and higher.

ScriptWright
www.kois.com/ink
Indelible Ink
156 Fifth Avenue, Ste. 1208
New York, NY 10010
(212)255-1956
Mac OS7.0 and higher,
Windows 3.1 and higher.

Script Wizard
http://www.warrenassoc.com/
Stefani Warren & Associates
3467 Ocean View Blvd. Suite A
Glendale, CA 91208
(818) 236-2092
Windows 95 and above.
for Microsoft Word/Office 97

SideBySide
for Microsoft Word
for Windows or Mac

STAND ALONE SCRIPTING PROGRAMS:

Final Draft
http://www.finaldraft.com/
Final Draft, Inc. (formerly BC Software)
16000 Ventura Blvd., Suite 800
Encino, CA 91436
(310) 636-4711
Mac OS 6.0.7 or higher,
Windows 3.1 or higher.

Hollywood Screenplay
HollyWord

P.O. Box 2048 

Rancho Santa Fe CA, 92067 

888-234-6789

Page2Stage (Screen Writer's Studio)

Word Processor for Screenwriters( Downloadable from the web)

SCRIPTWARE
http://www.scriptware.com/
Cinovation, Inc.
1750 30th Street, Suite 360
Boulder, CO 80301-1005
(800)788-7090
Mac OS 7.1 and higher,
Windows 3.1 and higher.

Screenwriter 2000 (a.k.a ScriptThing)
http://www.scriptthing.com/
Script Perfection Enterprises, Inc.
4901 Morena Boulevard, Suite 105
San Diego, CA 92117
800-450-9450
Mac OS 7.1 and higher 
Windows 3.1 and higher.

Movie Magic Screenwriter
http://www.screenplay.com/
Screenplay Systems
150 East Olive Avenue, Suite 203
Burbank, CA 91502
(800)847-8679
Mac OS 7.1 and higher,
Windows 3.1 and higher.

PLOT DEVELOPMENT:

Plots Unlimited
http://www.ashleywilde.com/
Ashleywilde's Plots Unlimited (DOS/Mac)
Ashleywilde, Inc.
23852 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 132
Malibu, CA 90265

ScriptReader
http://www.scriptreader.com/
Venture Media's ScriptReader (Win)
251 Jeanell Drive, Ste 3
Carson City, NV 89703

Inspiration
http://www.inspiration.com/
Inspiration 5 Education Edition (Mac/PC)
7412 SW Beaverton
Hillsdale Highway, Ste 102
Portland, OR 97225-2167

StoryVision
members.aol.com/storyvisn/vision.html
StoryVision  (Mac/PC)
171 Pier Avenue, Ste. 204
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Writer's Blocks
http://www.writersblocks.com/
Ashley Software's Writer's Blocks (Win95/NT)
27758 Santa Margarita Pkwy, Suite 302
Mission Viejo, CA 92691

Truby's Blockbuster
http://www.truby.com/
Truby's Blockbuster (Win/Mac)
Truby's Writers Studio
751 Hartzell Street
Los Angeles, CA 90272

Collaborator Software
http://www.collaborator.com/
Collaborator III Plus (DOS)
4335 Van Nuys Blvd Suite # 205
Sherman Oaks CA 91403-3727

Dramatica
http://www.screenplay.com/
Screenplay Systems' Dramatica (Win/MAC)
Screenplay Systems, Inc.
150 E. Olive Ave, Suite 203
Burbank, CA 91502

StoryCraft
http://www.writerspage.com/
StoryCraft's StoryCraft 95 (DOS/Win)
StoryCraft Corporation
930 Rockbridge Avenue, Suite 134
Norfolk, VA 23508