You can present the manuscript of a book in many typefaces and formats
but your Hollywood script has to conform to some established rules.
Software has been created to separate the pedantry of formatting from
the creative process. It is a well served and competitive arena for
developers. Most retail at about $300 but the street price is nearer
$200. The software upgrades regularly to keep pace with fashion.
The software typically provides all the formatting which is rather
rigidly specified by the US film industry.
Some examples are:
http://www.finaldraft.com/
Final draft is the market leader with separate packages for the
different media
http://www.scriptware.com/
Scriptware is another top package
http://www.sophocles.net/
A relative newcomer but puts writing as the focus rather than the
fixation with formatting. Also offers a trial download.
http://www.scriptthing.com
& http://www.screenplay.com/
Movie Magic Screenwriter 2000 is part of a family of writing
packages. Like all of the other packages, it has an impressive list of
testimonials.
http://www.writersstore.com/
Has all of the packages and often does good deals.
http://www.scriptsales.com/
There is an ezine, Done Deal, which is all about selling
scripts.
Our Scriptwriting
Assessment service provides professional reports on scripts,
screenplays and plays.
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