Screenplay sets out to
provide not just the technique
but also the means to make
your own films. Of course, to
realise such mega-ambition
you need access to a video
that'll automatically record the
program you've compiled. But
even without it you can still
create a finished article which
you've scripted, plotted, produced music and sound effects
for and finally shot and edited.
As in other Macmillan packages the accompanying
booklet is crucial. It gives a brief
history of the moving image
from the Victorian 'flickers'
through cartoons to cinema
and TV.
The software has five basic
menus each with its own subs.
Wordshot is the simplest -
use it for dialogue but perhaps
most usefully for story boards.
Sound track - is just that. The
Speccy's musical abilities are
limited but this'll let you compose simple tunes in C (bass
or treble), in various time
signatures. Don't expect too
much and you won't be disappointed. Action - the nuts and
bolts of your film. It allows you
to build sprites on a 16 x 24
grid. A two grid sprite will give
you simple animation. Screenshot - lets you design the
fixed backdrop and scenery. It
uses the same grid as Wordshot. It's a simple art package
with several facilities, including
free hand drawing plus various
paint/pencil/colour/shape
options. Finally Take 1 lets you
edit your final production,
getting six frames to a shoot
including up to 12 sprites.
Your productions with
Screenplay won't be on the
Steven Spielberg scale and a
casual user may soon be frustrated and disappointed. But
it's an informative package and
if just one person discovers the
magic of the movies through it,
then it's worth it.
| Ratings given by other magazines |
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| Info supplied by the SPOT*ON database |
