Save the Cat! is a popular screenwriting book (and book series) by Blake Snyder, which breaks down screenplays into 15 beats (and further into 40) that all screenplays should contain. The title comes from the idea that a film’s hero should do something nice the first time we meet him — ie save a cat […]
Who is Syd Field?
Syd Field was a screenwriting guru, most famous for his articulation of the typical three-act structure. He is the author of Screenplay (1979), among other books on screenwriting. In Field’s structure, the first act, which takes approximately one quarter of the film’s runtime, sets up the conflict. A plot point thrusts the main character into […]
Are there any free screenwriting applications?
Yes. Celtx contains a screenwriting component, as does Five Sprockets. In addition, some pay programs offer free demo versions with limitations, like a limited trial period or watermarked printing, for example. More from johnaugust.com Celtx screenwriting application shows promise Screenwriting software survey results are in The Hollywood Standard Script formatting What format should I send […]
What is the difference between .fdx and .fdr?
Both .fdr and .fdx files are types of Final Draft documents. Files with the .fdx extension come from Final Draft 8, while .fdr documents are from earlier versions of Final Draft. Final Draft 8 can open and save .fdr files, but older versions of Final Draft cannot open .fdx files. The .fdx format is based […]
What is Movie Magic Screenwriter?
Movie Magic Screenwriter is a popular scriptwriting word processor, like Highland, Final Draft or Celtx. It is available for both Macintosh and Windows. Online, you may see the application referred to as: “Movie Magic Screenwriter” “Screenwriter” “Movie Magic” “MMS” “MMSW” It is comparable in price and features to Final Draft. Each program has its fans […]
Can scripts be printed double-sided?
Typically, scripts are only printed one-sided, but environmentally friendly readers may choose to print double sided. One-sided is always the safer choice. More from johnaugust.com Of course grammar matters How do you read a script? The Hollywood Standard Screenwriting wastes a lot of paper