and i need one where you can send it to other people and they can look at it even though they don't have the program!

i have openoffice.org 1.1.2! that program is what i use to format my script with because it's so easy! but i can't send it to people for them to read because for some reason it doesn't work!

i have RoughDraft 3.0! that works on other computers i think. but it's not very nice to look at. hence the word "Rough Draft"

can someone get me a scriptwriting software that looks nice, works on other computers and is free? (when i say nice i mean just not like RoughDraft)

Please make an effort to look over the whole forum before you post. This thread belongs in "Things you are looking for", it's at the very bottom of the forum home page.

Regarding a program that "looks nice, works on other computers and is free": I have no idea, but don't get your hopes up. Most free screenwriting programs are very limited, they're free for a reason.

and i need one where you can send it to other people and they can look at it even though they don't have the program!

i have openoffice.org 1.1.2! that program is what i use to format my script with because it's so easy! but i can't send it to people for them to read because for some reason it doesn't work!

i have RoughDraft 3.0! that works on other computers i think. but it's not very nice to look at. hence the word "Rough Draft"

can someone get me a scriptwriting software that looks nice, works on other computers and is free? (when i say nice i mean just not like RoughDraft)

Alfred,

I know what you're saying about rough draft, but if you have MS Word, you can copy and paste your text from rough draft to it and it not only looks a lot better, but also gives you a page count on your progress.  As far as free stuff out there, I don't really know of any except for RD, so I just use that with the copy/paste function.  Hope this helps.

Just use Microsoft Word and convert it to PDF.  Looks good.

PDF? what the hell r u talkning about? is there a way to make scripts without doing all the carp manually( im  mean like having to line up sluglines, speech names, etc etc)?
PS: YEYE THIS IS MY 70TH POST!!!!!!!

PDF is the standard file format of Adobe Acrobat, and one of the most universal file types in existence today. Most people hav Adobe Acrobat on their computer and it is far easier to exchange than RTF or DOC or FDR or anything else for that matter. You can do free online PDF conversions at http://www.freehtm.com

As for the rest of this: so let me get this straight. You want to write screenplays, but you don't want to learn how  to format it properly? You're complaining about not wanting to do all of it manually? Line up a slugline? You don't line up a slugline; they're left justified! Three tabsets in Word -- that's it. 1", 1.6", and 2.2". Keep an eye on your dialogue width and you've saved yourself a ton of money.

People who want a free screenwriting program make me absolutely crazy. Not only are they wanting to illegally pirate some program that thinks for you, they also want to circumvent an important lesson in screenwriting: the formatting. Screenwriting programs don't do everything. You still need to know the basics and even the advanced stuff for it to know.

I've written so many screenplays on a word processor that I always set up exactly the same way (three tabsets), that the finger movements in writing are automatic. When I write dialogue, I can "feel" how long it needs to be and when I hit that point, I enter-tab and keep going.

Screenwriting is a learned skill just like formatting it in any word processing program in the world is. Personally, being an out of work write with a backup job, I can't afford to spend money on a program to think for me. I think it's a waste of money when I have a brain that allows me to sit down and learn to do it myself.

How do my finished screenplays look typed in Word? Look at any of them. They're linked in my sig. Who cares if you read them for this post. I just want you to see what Word is capable of IF you're willing to take a few minutes to learn how to use it for screenwriting. Consider this: formatting is the EASIEST part of writing a screenplay. If you aren't willing to learn how to format, I have doubts that you are willing to learn dramatic structure, character development, dialogue, high and low concepts, and plot progression -- and that's just a tiny piece of knowing how to write.

I wasn;t being lazy i was just surprised- Id never heard of a prgaram that does the formatting for you..ive done it by hand for a long time...

Screenwriting has its roots in playwriting. In other words, much of the format is very old. There’s a reason why it’s still used despite filmmaking advancements. It works.

That said, I think all these screenwriting programs are just a way to rip off naïve writers. You’re basically paying for (or pirating) a program to do what you can just as easily do as you go.

I suppose the day will come when Courier font is no longer used but imagine what Shakespeare could have done with Microsoft Word.

Writers today already have tools that were unimaginable to someone like Homer. Personally, I’m leery of the correlation between the technology and how creatively stifled many writers are today.

With Hollywood formulas and dying formatting, one day scripts may very well not even be written by humans anymore.

Me personally, I find the ancient style takes me back to an earlier time where I’m able to better get in touch with the full spectrum of the art. In return, my creativity is fueled. It’s like music. Whether you plug a guitar in or whether it’s a wooden box, it’s the same notes and the same progressions. Without creativity, it’s dead.

Alfred take a look at SCREENWRITING CLASS - FORUM / SPEAKING IN FINAL DRAFT by George Wilson. The discussion could be useful...

Helio

youre not going to find anything for free but the best value for your money is script wizard... its a microsoft word add on and is about $80 online. It just adds a new toolbar to word with things such as dialogue, action, transition etc. You can either click the tab or set up hot keys for each one. It formats perfectly and comes with a few other nifty features too. And to make it even better it runs all in word.
writersstore.com if you're interested. It's not free like you want but it's an awesome value for your money.

You can find them for free but some people don't know how to do some research before they ask dumb questions such as this.

And those same poeple tend to not know how many exclamation points are too many exclamation points.

I will give Final Draft to the first person that messages me.

I disagree. I own a copy of Final Draft and it's a very useful tool. However, I still write and format correctly in MS Word. Freeware programs like RoughDraft are perfectly useable too. If you format well, no producer will be able to tell from a printed script whether you used one of these extortionate programs.