Tags:
  1. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2012
    Messages:
    6,631
    Likes Received:
    10,135
    Location:
    Yorkshire

    TEMPLATE for Theatre

    Discussion in 'Writing Software and Hardware' started by matwoolf, Nov 18, 2018.

    I falter writing plays because I always hand-make the page [space..space..space..enter...enter tab and on].

    What is the professional way ahead? I have Word. Why am I such a simple fool?
     
  2. Martin Beerbom

    Martin Beerbom Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    475
    Just to let you know: Scrivener comes with stage play templates (two, for the standards used in the UK and the US, resp.) Formats for some other standards/countries are available on a user-provided basis (say, on the Scrivener forums.) When you make a new project, you find them under the "Scriptwriting" tab.

    LaTeX has a "theatre" package to typeset, well, stage plays (d'oh). There's a screen play package somewhere, too. (If you want to go that way. LaTeX has a quite different workflow than everything else.)

    There are a professional applications for screen play/stage play writing. The industry standard is Final Draft, which do has templates for screen play, tele play (TV), and stage play (I would assume mostly following US standards, but since these applications are used all over the place, this standard has become standard for the world, or other standards are available.) ETA: Scrivener has a "compile" template to export to Final Draft files.

    There should be some more, including open source (free) alternatives (Final Draft is quite expensive). Look for "screenwriting". Screen plays and stage plays are fairly similar, but the applications mostly advertise the screen play (movie and TV). Some quick googling gave me Trelby and CeltX for free (or cheap.) [I have not written anything like that, so I have no detailed opinion on what's best to use beyond what I read. If I had to, since I already have Scrivener, I would start with a Scrivener template.]

    ETA: I would assume that there are templates for Word out there. And you could make your own template and styles that make life easier. I do hate Word, though, and personally would not recommend it.
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2018
    Alan Aspie and matwoolf like this.
  3. Martin Beerbom

    Martin Beerbom Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    475
    NB: I'm not a native English speaker/writer. So the spelling should be "screenplay" and "teleplay" (no space), but "stage play" (with space.) Sorry about that.
     
    matwoolf likes this.
  4. Martin Beerbom

    Martin Beerbom Senior Member

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2016
    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    475
    Some other note (since I just read about it on the web site of Final Draft): All those script formats are awfully similar, but vary in details (such as line spacing in the dialog, indentation, what is written in all caps and what not, and so forth). These details are also the differences between different countries (beside the languages, or course.) So it would make sense to use a software that can switch said details if you need to submit it to different places which expect a different format. I know for sure the behavior of Scrivener or LaTeX (both have a compile step*) would be working for that, though I assume that dedicated scriptwriting software should do it, too, but, as I said, I'ver never used it.

    ETA: I do not mean that Word absolutely would not work for that. It would. It's just that from my own experience such reformatting is a lot more work, more error-prone, and frustrating in Word compared to how it works in Scrivener and LaTeX. (I just mention these three applications/-packages because I know intimately how they work. Not mentioning apps is not meant to (dis-)qualify.)

    *In Scrivener, you could change such differences in the compile dialog, provided your manuscript is set up correctly so that it knows what is dialog, scene description etc.

    In LaTeX, you would change commands and parameters in your source manuscript, and then re-compile.
     
    Last edited: Nov 18, 2018
    matwoolf likes this.
  5. The Dapper Hooligan

    The Dapper Hooligan (V) ( ;,,;) (v) Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2017
    Messages:
    5,864
    Likes Received:
    10,738
    Location:
    The great white north.
    I know they have templates for OpenOffice and LibreOffice, so I would imagine word would have them, too. I haven't used word in forever, though, so I may be wrong.
     
    matwoolf likes this.

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice