My
one complaint with the software, however, is that there
is no resource for writing film treatments. And without
first having a treatment, it's next to impossible to write
a cohesive script. While WriteBrothers has Dramatica Pro
and Writer's Toolkit as separate programs, it would have
been awfully convenient to have a treatment feature included
in this software, especially for those who are just starting
out with rough ideas. As it is, I've just been using the
treatments I created in Word, and then switching
back and forth between the two. While this is only a minor
inconvenience, I think it would be of an enormous help
to beginning screenwriters. Not only would this aid in
roughing out the structure of the story, but the program
would probably be able to help the writer translate the
treatment into the beginnings of a script.
There
are even more features contained within this software
- such as script analysis, which lists information about
characters, number of scenes, lions of action, dialogue,
etc; the iPartner feature which allows you and a partner
to use instant messaging to discuss and work on a progressing
script; or the features that allow you to publish a finished
script online and register it with the Writer's Guild.
I've only highlighted the ones which I think most screenwriters
would find helpful.
Performance
The more complicated a piece of software is, the more
likely it is to go haywire, though it seems like the programmers
behind Movie Magic have done quite a good job.
I have yet to run across any glitches in the software
itself, and as far as performance goes, the most difficult
aspect is just getting used to the program itself, which
may take a while depending on one's level of familiarity
with the screenwriting process. The various features seem
to run well, and the quality of the voices in the script
reader function are exceptionally impressive.
Value
Since I haven't yet had the opportunity to review all
of the other screenwriting programs on the market, I can't
say definitively if Movie Magic is the best bang
for the buck on the market. It is rather expensive, and
my Dutch nature definitely cringes at the thought of spending
that much dough on a piece of software. Though, given
the number of features that it contains, it seems that
$249 is a remarkable deal for what you get out of it.
[Editor's Note: For a limited time
they're selling
this software for a much lower price.]
However,
it seems to me that this particular software is more geared
toward the writer who wants the Best Screenplay Oscar
rather than to the Indy film director. Movie Magic's homepage
contains numerous testimonials from award-winning screenwriters,
but I've yet to find one from aspiring directors. Especially
if one is planning on making a microfilm, it may be more
efficient to buy a cheaper screenwriting software rather
than paying for all the extra bells and whistles that
Movie Magic contains. But if you're more limited
by time than budget, Movie Magic could definitely
streamline the writing process, which could be stretched
out too far by using a cheaper program or simply Microsoft
Word. As I've mentioned before, Movie Magic
also contains some production aids which may be of significant
help to the microfilmmaker.
Fortunately,
most screenwriting programs worth their salt - and even
a few who aren't - are available online as demo downloads.
For any microfilmmaker who is considering getting one
of these programs, it would definitely be worth the time
to spend an afternoon on Download.com
collecting a number of these free demos; try writing part
of your prospective script in all of them and then get
the one that has only the features you really need. If
you're planning on writing your own script and will have
a relatively small crew, you probably won't need all of
the advanced features that Movie Magic contains. And if
you're really watching the budget, it might be more advantageous
to hold off on this program and spend the money on more
important things. Like feeding your crew.
Final
Comments
The best thing about Movie Magic Screenwriter
is that is seems to have something for everyone - from
the beginner to the professional, everything is covered.
And because it's not limited to screenwriting, there's
such a wide variety of things that one can do - who knows,
you may accidentally discover that you have a knack for
writing video games!
If
you have dreams of writing an Oscar-winning screenplay,
or even being a TV writer, Movie Magic is definitely the
way to go - the features are amazing, and it's not really
all that expensive, considering what you get. But if you're
not used to screenwriting software or are new to the whole
screenwriting process, better download the free demo first
and get acquainted with it before you shell out the big
bucks.
But
really, I don't blame any of you for drooling. I still
am.
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Ease
of Use
|
9.0
|
|
Depth
of Options
|
9.5
|
|
Performance
|
9.0
|
|
Value
|
7.0
|
|
Overall
Score
|
8.6
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