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In my opinion, I prefer Trelby over Celtx.
You could also use any text editor to write in the Fountain Syntax
I currently use Sublime Text 2 and Fountain, but I am going to try Vim for my next project.
Stephen King wrote a book a while back called ON WRITING that, while being more focused on writing novels and short stories, details many of the pitfalls that new writers will encounter when starting a new story. It's a fantastic tool, written by somebody that knows a thing or two about telling good stories, and it can help you get a leg up. I highly recommend it!
As for formatting a document to conform to screenplay requirements, try this wonderful software called Trelby
Looks like trelby supports import and export of fdx:
Caveat: I've never used Final Draft or written a screenplay. I did recommend Trelby on Windows to a film studies friend who was looking or a free alternative to Final Draft and he liked it. Ymmv but it's worth experimenting with.
Another option would be to try something like WINE: https://www.winehq.org/
But if WINE doesn't work and VMs don't work, you kind of don't have any workarounds other than another program.
Trelby, which tries to make screenwriting/telepay formatting pretty easy. I haven't used it in a while, but it was pretty good back then so I can only assume it's been getting better.
Bibisco, which is geared more toward novel writing. It's very granular and can get really specific with how much information/effort you want to put into it.
That's really all I got. Let me know if those help or if you like them.
One page equals one minute. Feature length screenplays are 90-120 pages (an hour and a half to two hours). A twenty minute screenplay would be twenty pages.
Don't include camera angles and such unless it is vital. For example, the killer in a horror film may be a mystery so you'd write KILLER POV for his action.
Be succinct. In prose you have space to say "As the cold wind whipped his hair about, Jack put up the collar of his satin coat, adjusted his top hat, and briskly walked to the large wooden door." In a screenplay you would write that as "Jack walks to the door."
Trelby is an excellent lightweight piece of software that does formatting for you.
Celtx is pretty good too but it has become bloated, trying to be a full movie production suite with a lot of stuff a writer will never use.
There's Trelby if you're on Windows or Linux.
If you enjoy google docs or use ChromeOS you can write in Fountain and then use Afterwriting to convert it to PDF.
First of all: If you like writing, keep writing!
And i gotta admit, for me the middle is the hardest part, since figuring out the characters and how i want to end my story is usually the first thing i do. Not always but usually.
There is a good guideline for 90min features called 8 sequences by Frank Daniel: http://www.nealromanek.com/introduction-to-sequence-structure/
It is not really more than cutting Act1&3 in two party and Act2 in four parts: http://thescriptlab.com/screenwriting/structure/the-sequence/45-the-eight-sequences
This all is not a "how to", but rather a huge help how to give it some structure, know what you want to do and fill out the blanks.
As for the industry standard: I wasn't talking about an industry standard, but the formatting on google docs is hard to read for me. I'd rather format it as PDF screenplay than this.
Btw. CeltX has a Comic function. I'd try to get a 2.9.7. copy somewhere (since they don't offer this officially anymore). Only problem is the online formatting of the PDF files that has some downsides. Of course there's Final Draft or DramaQueen and whatnot but they cost $$$. I work with DramaQueen, but whatever... in the end you can work with a formatted *.doc file as some colleagues of mine still do. You can also use Trelby. It's pretty basic and not in development anymore but it's free.
> I do it believe that the artist should be the writers bitch.
This is the worst mistake we can possibly make. The best thing is to get a feeling for each other's work. I've seen some interviews with comic authors such as Andrea Castellan. He once said something about Gioargio cavazzano (one of my favourite comic artists): "He is the man-who-lets-your-dreams-come-true! You give him his storyboard and he gives you the pictures, more beautiful than you could've imagined."
That kind of respect every author needs to have. On the other hand: The same counts the other way around.
I'll read at least a third of your script.
20th Century Fox has copyrighted this script?
Number the pages.
>EXT. FRANK'S CAR
This is taking place indoors (INT). Also, tell us whether it's day or night.
>Frank is driving back home with Kris in the passenger seat as Kris looks out the window with complete apathy.
Awkwardly worded. (top of pg 2).
>Oh. meh.
Capitalize "m" (pg 3).
Describe their arrival before Frank says "Well, here we are." (pg 3)
>Welcome to the riches of rockridge.
Capitalize the "r" in Rockridge (pg 3).
>Who dat?
I don't think a fourteen-year-old who understands the concept of assets would say this (pg 4).
>Gunther takes the flowers out of a vase on a table in the foyer and flicks the bottom of the flowers at Kris as the water hits his face. He sets the flowers down on the table and holding the vase, he spits in it and hands it to Kris.
Awkwardly worded (pg 4).
>Kris mimics the pose of a naked sculpture of a man as Frank talks. Kris bends down and looks at the sculpture's genitals. He then pulls his pants open slightly comparing his own genitals and gives a self assured look.
Awkwardly worded (pg 4).
Stopped at page 8.
Ways to improve:
Proofread your work before sharing it.
Use screenwriting software. There are lots of free ones you can download online. I use Trelby.
Most of your descriptions are short and to-the-point. This is a good thing. However, when they aren't, they don't flow very well. Think very carefully about how you construct the sentences. This can also be said about some of the longer portions of dialogue.
This is very similar to The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. You might want to rethink the character dynamic.
Been away from Windows so long. I don't even use Windows software. Because I love Linux so much and hate Windows a lot.
Try out some alternatives. You might be surprise how things do work out.
I always do a 100% avoidance from anything related to Windows. Since I'm a 100% Linux user.