Script Writing and Digital Pre-Production Software

[Justin Kohli]

I just came across this elsewhere, it's pretty nice. I'm running it on OS X 10.2.8. Still have to really dig into this app, but it looks like what I've been looking for - AND for free.

When I get some dough I'm gonna donate.

[Keith Loh]

The alpha candidate is now a beta release so everyone can download the newest version 0.9.3. Go to celtx.com.

[Brian Doyle]

Really need some MP3 support with it. Most music on most people's computers are MP3s. I just downloaded it and fooling around. It's a great idea. I'd been looking for something like it for years. The only way I can write is with music and visuals. Keep it up.

[Jason J. Gullickson]

Has anyone used the collaboration features sucessfully?

We were able to "share" a script from one system and download it to another, but how do you update the changes? I tried to re-upload the file but it won't let me.

I would also suggest a slightly more sophisticated interface to the "download" process, maybe instead of showing all public files mixed with the "shared" files that you have access to, start by showing just the "shared" files, or add a search/query function?

I think the app is very cool but especially for us, extending the online collaboration capabilities is key.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Mark Kennedy

...

Making the application interoperable with FD or Word etc. is made difficult by the proprietary nature of those applications. Nonetheless, we are aware of this issue and are working diligently to make it friendlier to import/export your files.

...

A good workaround for the proprietary nature of Word, etc, document files is to use the RTF (Rich Text Format) file type. That's particularly designed for cross-platform document exchange and almost everything can both read and save in it.

[Keith Loh]

If you read the CeltX forums this is a feature already on their to do list.

[Oskari Sipola]

I for one would like to have the feature of sticking notes easier - more like Adobe Acrobat does it. So you can move them around, regardless of text layout.

Also I find it a bit difficult for the actual writing, for one my Home and End keys don't work in it, OS X version. Don't know why. I'm gonna do some further experimenting with it, but we have a big indie actionfilm project coming up and for preproduction this could be just the thing.

One question though, when you upload the project onto the server does it completely replace the version currently there? In other words: if someone downloads yesterday's version of the project, and while they add their bit somebody else downloads it. The first guy uploads his project changed, then the second guy - whose version doesn't have the first guy's changes in it. Will they disappear into bit space or somehow be saved?

If it would be a real online working environment for preproduction crews it would be a thing of beauty and I'd be willing to even pay for it a bit :)

[Sean McHenry]

What you would need is some way to compare all changes and merge them all. This too has it's problems. If you and I change the same line in a script and upload them both, which change wins? Simply by the time it is uploaded? If we aren't in constant communication about our individual changes, that could make a hash out of a previously good document.

Personally, I would think it would be better not to merge the changes into an old document but to simply replace the older version with the newer. Otherwise you need a database with the possibility of reverting backward and it would have to keep track of all changes. More tricky software on the back end I would think.

In the end, probably better to just have the server hang on to the last 10 or so changes and add a rev number based on date and time. That way if you make a change and I want to go backwards one step, I can look at a list of versions and recall that one.

Sounds like a great project.

Sean McHenry

[Keith Loh]

Proper version control is something that has been requested and, I believe, is inevitable if they hope to sell it to an institution such as a school or small studio / development group.

However, at present it is fairly easy to simply save as a new project and name it with a version number. Providing your group isn't super active or large, you could then alert the others in the group by email that there is a new file.

I actually have never trusted versioning for the individual work I do (even though I've worked in a graphics production environment for games, film before). Call me paranoid. I don't like trusting a server to keep track of versions. I might submit to a shared versioned document but not for the work I do on my own workstation.

Okari, I've just finished a professional Acrobat course and explored the way Acrobat handles commenting. Very powerful! You should bring this up on the celtx forums. I'm sure there are others who are Acrobat users as well.

[Joe Carney]

Originally Posted by Sean McHenry

What you would need is some way to compare all changes and merge them all. This too has it's problems. If you and I change the same line in a script and upload them both, which change wins? Simply by the time it is uploaded? If we aren't in constant communication about our individual changes, that could make a hash out of a previously good document.


Sounds like a great project.

Sean McHenry

Sean, one way to handle this is to lock either the document or the page you are working on when checking it out. This prevents others from making changes to the same line. The other is as you say, a different version is uploaded for each person, with the latest upload being the newest. A good VCS would inform you of potential overwrites and give you the option to replace or add or merge.