Celtx

Celtx may have started as a tool for aspiring screenwriters, but it's since become the preeminent platform for online creators and collaborators in a number of different creative disciplines. The focus here is generally on narrative writing, but the tools included in the Celtx suite can be used for everything from plotting out documentaries to scripting video games.

Most projects will start with Celtx's writing phase. Regardless of how you prefer to work, there's likely to be an option that works for you here. The script editors include a number of different templates that can automatically format your script the right way, and there are plenty of story creation tools built in to help you through the brainstorming and development processes. But you can further expand your options through the use of simple plug and play modules. These can provide you with virtual index cards for some traditional scriptwriting work as well as storyboarding for screenwriters with a more visual approach to writing. The storyboarding process can also be used for later-stage production and blocking once it's time to bring your scene to the screen.

But Celtx goes beyond just helping you write a script. It also provides you with the tools you need to shoot your script without difficulties. The breakdown process will comb through your work to identify all the things you'll need, making life much easier for set designers and production teams. Once you've scraped your script for what you need, there's a tool for neatly organizing everything you need in terms of practical shooting. Props, clothing, and even talent are all neatly organized by scene and easily accessible by category or search results. That makes this tool a great choice for larger and more elaborate productions, but it can also be a godsend for smaller productions where crew members might have to fill multiple roles. All of this can be further contextualized through Celtx's budgeting features, which makes use of industry standards to help you get an understanding of how much you can expect to spend and where it will need to be spent.

All of that can be done before actually picking up a camera, but Celtx is even designed to help with shooting. If you used one of the more visually-oriented options for plotting out your scene, Celtx can even provide you with detailed and convenient shot lists that offer full breakdowns of every scene. It's just as easy to turn those shot-by-shop breakdowns into schedules. Not only can you create schedules that break down materials down to the minute, but you can also coordinate them by shooting location. Step a layer beyond schedule creation and you'll find the ability to create specific call sheets for all of your crew members that are automatically populated by the notes written into your scheduling. And since your call sheets are tied into the larger online database, everyone can be confident knowing that all the relevant information will be changed automatically when it's updated, so everyone involved in your production can stay on the same page.

Game design management has taken a lot of steps forward with the recent development of Celtx, and it shows in the finished product. The typical scriptwriting and management system is accompanied by interactive dialogue treats that are portrayed as easy to comprehend flow charts. And deeper level coders and developers can even paste blueprints for their narrative into the script design to unify the perspective of both writers and developers.

CeltX is as much a collaborative tool as it is a directly creative one. Every step of the process is designed with multiple parties in mind, and the interface makes it easy for every member of the team to get the data they need when they need it. Fortunately, you don't need to pay for everything that CeltX offers. With its different monthly plan for video and game production writers, you can get a lean and effective scriptwriting solution that's scaled financially to your needs as a writer or producer.