Author Topic: Call Script Word Processor Mac App  (Read 10478 times)

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leastlikely

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Re: Call Script Word Processor Mac App
« Reply #15 on: Jan 29, 2013, 01:22 am »
1. Above all, flexibility. I say this because... the last two shows I did had books that were almost identical in style, but my current show is SO vastly different because this is what works for this play. So I really... need the ability to move any item to any place. I also NEED color-coding! OH and I would like tables too. Basically... I want all the same functions I always use, but I want to be able to manipulate them easily and quickly, and create a layout that fits my needs for that particular show. Rather than being married to one specific layout. ALSO there needs to be a good way to fit timings into it. Preferably there would be multiple options - you could insert the time on each page, or on each scene, or you could insert 1 minute or 5 minute times as they fall.
2. I generally keep the text on the left and cues on the right.
3. See, this is one of those questions that requires flexibility. My "normal style" is that I have the text on the left, and I use color-coded dots in that side of the book to show cues. Then on the blank page on the right, I write in my standbys and GOs, and exactly how they should be called (for instance: "cue line." (beat) GO). I tend to read the entire two-page spread from left to right, if that makes sense? However, on my current show, I'm keeping the text on the left, and then I'm writing my cues in the left margin on the same page, because my actual called cues are very minimal, and the page on the right has much more important information that is unique to this production.
4. Depends. If I'm using the same script as the actors, then I want the numbers in the top left and bottom left corners. HOWEVER if I'm using a different version from the actors, I want to have THEIR page numbers. For instance, if I had a book script that I retyped to a doc, the pages are going to be all off, so I would like to mark in where the pages are for the actors. Because if it's page 14 in my book, but page 21 in the actor's... 21 is the one that matters more, and that's what I'll use in rehearsal reports and such. So in situations like this, I just pencil a straight line across the page wherever the 'real' page break is, and number it there.
5. I'm not huge on shapes; I really prefer color-coding. Colors are much easier for me to see at a glance than shapes. If the shapes function in the app was easy to use, I would use it... but for me, the difference between pink and green jumps out at me a whole lot faster than the difference between a rectangle and a triangle.

mnsalz91

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Re: Call Script Word Processor Mac App
« Reply #16 on: Feb 08, 2013, 02:42 pm »
Ok, so this is the stage I'm at.  Here's my first sketch of what the main editor screen might look like.

Once again, please any witty name ideas would be great!

The toolbar from left to right is: New Document, Open Document, Save, Print | Font, Size, Bold, Italics, Underline, Alignment, Zoom | New Act (Tab), New Scene (Tab), Cue boxes, Bubbles, Lines, General Shapes, Custom Shapes (no image there, I just added it but it is in the space), Inspector.

Scenes can be jumped to down the side, and the rules are next to that. 

I'm thinking a Wizard for when you first start up the application that would let you set which side the cues lie on, how to format margins for whole punches, spacing, and location of page numbers.  These can be set first and then updated in the Page Setup menu.

I have very big ideas.  It makes the coding part quite difficult.  :)

What do you think?  I've attached my sketch. (I am in no way an artist.)

Post Merge: Jan 28, 2013, 11:23 pm
And I've also drew out the inspector that will pop out from the "i" icon.

I would love to hear what you all think of these drawings. The drawings are attached to the quoted post on page 1.  Do the images make sense? Does it seem like it would be a comfortable layout to use?

Thanks!
Miriam

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Re: Call Script Word Processor Mac App
« Reply #17 on: Feb 08, 2013, 04:23 pm »
Your rough layouts make sense to me.  A quick visual scan and I was able to figure out at least roughly what you were going for.  It's hard to say, of course, until there is something hands on, but you definitely seem to be on the right course.

Maribeth

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Re: Call Script Word Processor Mac App
« Reply #18 on: Feb 08, 2013, 04:32 pm »
The images look fine- it's hard to say without seeing how the different menus like the "inspector" interact with an actual script. Do they lay on top of it? Off to the side? I'm wondering if those buttons in the left hand corner (print, save, etc) need to be so big- they might be something better accessed on a pull-down menu.

I think my biggest question is that the top of the page seems to have most of the same functionality as the "inspector". What's the difference? For me, making a call script has 2 steps- setting up the page in the way that I want it (margins, page numbers, headers/footers, etc) and then inserting cues, so I think the wizard makes sense. It might be nice to be able to save a page setup so when you open a script, the program automatically formats it with your preferences.

Once I'm at the point of adding cues, mostly what I need is quick access to my pre-formatted cue shapes (I think how you referred to them is 'saved shapes'). I'd like to have something on the page itself, not in a separate menu, that allows me access to the saved shapes. Do the buttons at the top access the 'saved shapes', or do you have to go through the inspector to do that?

EDIT: accidentally left out a few words
« Last Edit: Feb 08, 2013, 05:45 pm by Maribeth »

ambrosialx

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Re: Call Script Word Processor Mac App
« Reply #19 on: Mar 19, 2013, 09:49 pm »
it would be nice to be able to overlay cues on the script as opposed to inserting it and having page numbers change...also keeping the track changes and compare documents tool in word would be great to keep. I work on a lot of new and recently workshopped plays and its integral to be able to track changes automatically or else I would go crazy!

Sounds like and incredibly amazing project!
"I will prepare and someday my chance will come"

Jessie_K

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Re: Call Script Word Processor Mac App
« Reply #20 on: Mar 19, 2013, 10:02 pm »
Hmmmm.....to be honest, I'm not hugely knowledgeable about the PSM role in the US, other than it seems to be both the SM and DSM combined (or, conversely, the SM and DSM is the PSM role split in two - however you want to look at it!)

The only thing that is popping into my head that is different is that we don't use Warnings in addition to Standbys when calling.

One other thing that's occured to me - the ability to add timings in the margin would be useful (mine are usually on the spine edge of the cues section, in a small circle - but I guess that's a personal preference.)

C

Another UK/USA difference is that the DSM (or calling SM) uses the tannoy (paging system) to call artists to their places for each entrance, not just at the top of each act.  Kind of like we do for opera.

mnsalz91

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Re: Call Script Word Processor Mac App
« Reply #21 on: Apr 02, 2013, 11:35 am »
UPDATE:

This is a project that is going to take me a very long time. I decided to create this while learning the coding language, which has posed some difficulties. Apple has been making a lot of changes so there are very few tutorials.  I started this as an independent study. I'm hoping to have the very basic text editor functions working and then continue implementing the shapes and stage manager specific aspects later.

Thank you so much for your input, please keep it coming! I really appreciate your ideas and sample scripts.

Thanks!
Miriam