Screenwriting over time has been quite a talked about subject in recent times. It tells us that over time there has been a need for good plots which would drive your story which allows the audience to actually dive into the experience and feel the movie on a whole new different level.
It is not only movies which require scripts to work with. Scripts are important even in aspects when you are working on your favorite players and even come up with an act of your choice which would clearly define the level of work and effort that someone has put into making that visual spectacle which would be appreciated by the audience.
Now, with the proliferation and the growth of the movie industry in recent times, there has been quite a slide in the quality of script that is being put forward which would be actually able to carry the film on its shoulders.
Anyone of us might have a really great idea which we might love to transfer it into a story and make visuals out of the same. Though some of the ideas come quite easily, it is actually really difficult to work with the various standards that come with a script which follows certain procedures and a method attached to the same.
The use of header, footer and the various aspects which make up the format of a screenplay can actually be quite exhaustive to work with and might even create a lot of confusion too as you work around with the same. It can be a tiring job to actually remember all the required formatting while you are writing a screenplay.
The growth in digital technology and a renewed belief in the virtual world have led to the growth in technology which has made the process of writing simplified and it also allows you to add that perfect touch of professionalism to the script which proves the mettle that the script actually carries with itself.
What is a screenwriting software and why to use it?
Screenwriting software is being used quite often now and gives you the required thrust and flexibility to make your script look good and bring in a professional shade to your script. Many of the standards that are associated with a script are actually quite difficult to remember and work with the same. For a beginner, it actually becomes a nightmare to work with such a large number of instructions at hand.
The screenwriting software is indeed a great innovation and a boon for many of the screenplay writers who are working day in and day out to come up with new stories and ensure that the audience has a great experience when the words are being visually translated on the screen. The software has made the job of writing a script simplified and has indeed brought in a new dawn for the screenplay writer across the globe.
There is a myriad of options to choose from, well here we are shortlisting some of the best screenwriting software for Windows:
1. Final Draft
Final Draft has been like an archetype for the screenwriting software being used now. It is one of the leading screenwriting software that is doing the rounds of the market and has been used by leading screenplay writers and authors for quite some time now.
It is one of the most robust software that you can put your hands on. It comes with an array of tools to work around and tinker with. Being one of the pioneers in this field, it is easily one of the best screenwriting software that is available at your disposal.
2. Movie Magic Screenwriter
It is also one of the well-known software that is now being used by many of the leading screenplay writers and the authors in the west. It offers the users a rich interface and it comes loaded with an array of features which makes it great to work on.
It allows you to have a custom experience by allowing the users to customize the interface based on the needs of the users. It offers you a real-time writing experience as you can work with others too on the same project. The name suggests that it offers you a magical experience, which makes it one of the best screenwriting software to work with.
3. Celtx Basic Scripting software
Celtx is an option that you can look up to for the affordability and the ease of access that this software has to offer. It is one of the easiest software to work on and gives the user an efficient and effective experience.
Celtix is one of the most solid, affordable and stable software that is available in the market for the users. It is one of the upcoming names in the industry which is slowly flapping its way to the top.
4. WriterDuet
It is clear from the name; it is one of the leading software that allows you to work real-time with another person who is on the same platform. It is the software that works around and rhymes perfectly with the idea of collaboration which gives out an all-new output and adds a new dimension.
The software can be called as a perfect example of a social media site which has been carved out specifically for those who have a knack of writing. The best part about the software that it is easily accessible and is one of the best free screenwriting software.
5. Fade In
Fade In has emerged to become one of the most sought after and affordable screenwriting software in recent times. It comes with some of the most amazing features and is a perfect example to demonstrate that professionalism is a paramount aspect of any software.
It comes with a number of tools and options to work around with which gives the users a greater sense of control over the same. The range of professional tools and features that it comes with makes it one of the best screenwriting software.
6. Amazon Storywriter
Well, Amazon cannot be really left behind in any aspect. It has emerged to be one of the trusted and largest companies in recent times. Storywriter is software which is completely free to use and work on.
It comes with a simple interface and is, in fact, one of the easiest software to navigate through and work with, it is a boon for many of the beginners who might not have the money to purchase any of the premium software which comes at a high cost.
Now, we would move our attention to mac as we look towards some of the best free screenwriting software for Mac:
7. Montage
Montage is a specific mac software and comes with an array of nifty features of sorts to work with which brings out a greater professional outlook to the same. It might not have many of the professional features to work with, still, it comes with great stability and allows one to tweak around with many of the tools.
The software is not really cheap, but it is quite affordable if compared with many of the screenwriting software that is present in the same category.
8. Scrivener
Scrivener is a special software which is primarily designed and curated to work for novels, but is also an effective software if we are to work with giving the screenplay that we have written a fine touch.
Not one of the fanciest software of sorts, but does the work that is supposed to do with ease and conviction. Scrivener is the perfect software that allows one to build up ideas as you work towards creating your perfect script. With scope to build ideas and work around with the same, it is one of the best screenwriting software for the users.
9. Highland 2
Highland comes with a fountain file format. It is compatible with a number of file formats which gives you the flexibility to work across an array of the platform. It brings in great flexibility and allows the users to experiment with the available file formats.
It is one of the leading free formatting software that has made creating and editing a screenplay easier than ever before. It does the job of formatting the screenplay quite well and it also gives the users a number of tools to work and experiment on.
10. Slugline
Slugline is simple but powerful software to work with. It is one of the most convenient software to work on and also comes with a number of tools and features that can be accessed for free and also gives the users the required flexibility to work around with words.
The software comes with one of the best navigation tools that you would come across and is one it guides the user through every aspect of the software as one uses it.
11. Script Studio
Once known by the name of Movie Outline. Script studio as the name is like a professional suite offering you almost all features and tools to work with. The software comes with a reference library, to which you can head to whenever you need inspiration.
Script Studio has a detailed interface but is actually quite easy to navigate through and perform the task of formatting the screenplay with ease.
12. Causality
Causality has brought about a revolution in the process of screenplay writing and has actually made the process of writing and formatting a screenplay fun and the process has been made easier than ever before.
It comes with an all-together different approach, it comes with a unique feature that allows you to plot a timeline of your story and add key moments on the timeline. It brings in a more structured approach to the way a screenplay is formatted.
Wrapping it up!!
Screenplay writing with time has emerged to be a very integral aspect of making a film. Without a good plot that defines the direction of the story, it is not possible to make visuals on the screen which would connect to the audience.
Writing a screenplay is indeed a tiring job, with all kinds of parameters and the standards it comes with. Formatting a screenplay is exhausting and time-consuming. Now, with the technology, we have a myriad of software that we can use to create the perfect screenplay. Here, we have shortlisted some of the best screenwriting software for Windows and Mac users.