Or you just format manually.

I set the tabs for 1 inch, 1.6 inches, and 2.2 inches and just get used to hitting tab on each line and eyeballing the ruler for the 4 inch width on dialogue. It's not as bad as it sounds after you get used to it. Pretty much all of my scripts on here are formatted in word using this method. I find it gives me total control over the format, and doesn't leave me guessing which facet of Final Draft to use. I do actually have Final Draft, but I never use it, because Word is a lot less work. Sure, you gotta know the rules inside out, but once you know them, you might welcome the control.

This ain't a slight against iScript. In fact, everybody here probably already has it.

Adobe Reader's Read Out Loud function. People may already use it but I just remembered it when proof reading some stuff. Yeah, it sounds like "Fitter, Happier" and has some weird tendencies (DAY or NIGHT in sluglines, it likes to spell it out quickly) but it helped me a lot.

I am very hit or miss on my proof reading. I can go over sentences time and time again and miss stuff. Even if I read it out loud myself my brain will sometimes autocorrect.

Hearing someone (thing) read it makes little errors glare out. I wouldn't recommend it for a feature 'cause the voice is droning but shorts; very much so.

Take it or leave it.

Final Draft has a similar feature but I don't like it.  The voices (there are several IIRC) are too robotic to listen to.


Phil

I hear you. Definetly only good (bearable) for short pieces. But it's a low budget resource.

It sounds like Stephen Hawkins is reading the script.


Phil

My boyfriend and I read the parts out loud in the bath.

You should try it!

Quoted from ABennettWriter My boyfriend and I read the parts out loud in the bath. You should try it!

A capital idea!  I've gone ahead and made the appointment to have my DNA restructured.  Once that's done, I'll ditch the wife and kid, find a man, and then....bubbly time!

Anyway...

I've used the feature in adobe before, and it does get a little cumbersome when it spells out parts of the slugline and character names, but when you get into the curse words it's great fun.

Yeah, or when you adjust spelling for certain dialects, hilarity ensues.

I use the speech function on Final Draft all the time. Even though it doesn't sound fluid, it helps me catch small typos and wording that I didn't catch the first time. I usually just play it as I read along.

I was wondering if anyone has used celtx, an open source formatting software-package which includes templates for theatre, film and TV, and for instance can include short bio's for your characters and save scripts as PDF.

I found it last week, and I thought it looked pretty good while I'm saving to buy my copy of FinalDraft

If you know it, what do you think of it?

Linkie:
http://www.celtx.com/

I haven't used it in a while, so maybe they've upgraded.

I thought it was messy, to say the least. The thing I remember hating most were the page numbers. When I inserted them, they'd be in the middle of the page.

I did like the online PDF option. That was sweet.

I'm under the impression that you don't need fancy software to write a good script. All you need is Word and where to put the tabs.

I use it and I know of a few others here thatb use it. It's not perfect, but it's free. I'd say it's a damn good bargin.

~Zack~

I've been using Final Draft for years, but Zack got me using CeltX - it's a nice free package. A bit messy, a little buggy, but it makes collaboration easy if one doesn't have FD, and overall a nice program. Needs a bit of finesse, but overall it works.

The new version doesn't have bugs anymore (or at least I haven't encountered any). I wouldn't suggest buying final draft if you can download something that does the exact same thing for free.