Dear Dr. Bob: I wroteThe Firm on my old Selectric, but since then I've been using a Mac to write screenplays. I've used several screenwriting software packages, but they're hard to customize and I wind up fiddling with the preferences too much. Is there a better way? -Robert Towne, Los Angeles
Dr. Bob: Would Jake Gittes, the star of your classicChinatown script, have used off-the-shelf software to type up his gumshoe reports? No, sir. Real men use macros, the little programs in your word processor that follow your moves once and repeat them automatically from then on. Whether you're typing your script in Microsoft Word or Corel WordPerfect, macros can perform all the formatting you need - margins and placement for scene descriptions, slug lines, character names, and dialogue. (I'm sure you know the specs for scripts, but they're also on the FAQ page at www.teako170.com.) Just turn on the macro recorder under the Tools tab, enter the formatting changes for the section, and map the new shortcut to one of the function keys on the top row of your keyboard. Tweak to taste. Fade to black.
Got a tech question? Ask Dr. Bob ataskdrbob@wiredmag.com.
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