HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY (SCRIPT) PT. 8

FREE SCREENWRITING SOFTWARE
I am currently using "CINERGY", a free script creation and editing program, to write my own scripts.

"FINAL DRAFT" is probably the most popular scriptwriting software among screenwriting professionals. It does, however, come at a cost, and I highly recommend that you first start working with Cinergy, and if you complete a script or two then you owe it to yourself to invest in Final Draft.

Cinergy freeware is a quick and easy download, available from the Mindstar Productions website.

Features include:
*proper tab and margin formatting
*automatic page numbering
*ability to accept "pasting" from other simple documents
*printing the script as a PDF file. Select "file>print>save".
*character insertion: once a character's name has been introduced, in dialogue, after pressing "ENTER" for the next line, press "TAB". This will bring up a menu of character names to select from.
*Scene heading capitalization: from the left margin, one you type INT. or EXT. the line will automatically be designated as such, and go to all caps.

And a page count "fudging tool", one of the coolest things about the program. What this does is automatically increase or decrease the space between lines, making your script shorter or longer. For example, I took a script that was set on "tight" and moved it to "normal", increasing a 101 page script into 117 pages, with virtually no noticeable change in look.

One would expect this in Final Draft, the fact that they have included it in this free program is downright gracious!

Go to "file>project setup>Cinergy>line spacing" for the tool.

Also in that box, deselect "automatic MORE's and CONTINUE's", which appear at the top and bottom of pages. As a script reader once said, if there's another page behind what they are reading, it is quite obvious that it continues, no need to say it.

If there's any learning curve to the program, it is keeping designations labeled correctly. Check this by highlighting a line and looking up at the box in the toolbar. If it is supposed to be an ACTION line it should read as such. If not, re-designate.

Also, blank lines should be labeled as "FORCED BLANK LINE".

And, leave out "SCENE NUMBERING", that is production's job, right?

That said, you're quickly on your way to looking like a professional scribe. Download and then paste some of your practice script in to get a feel for things.

Have a good write!

FREE SCREENWRITING PROGRAM DOWNLOAD HERE