From f55044504fadac6dbc089756f2c1a8a00f9e0622 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Martin Vilcans <martin@librador.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2011 22:53:02 +0200
Subject: Added readme

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 1 file changed, 99 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 README.markdown

(limited to 'README.markdown')

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+About Screenplain
+-----------------
+
+You're a hacker. The command line is your home. You know tools like grep, sed
+and Git inside out. You have formed a symbiotic relationship with your text
+editor. Those tools are powerful in the right hands. But you're also a
+screenwriter. Screenwriting is much like programming. It's about structure and
+form, and -- obviously -- about reading, writing and modifying huge amounts of
+text. You don't want to use software that lacks the power of your hacking
+tools just because you're writing a screenplay instead of a shell script.
+
+Enter Screenplain.
+
+Screenplain allows you to write a screenplay as a plain text file. Text files
+are simple and supported by all text manipulation software. It's not just for
+hackers, too. The simplicity of plain text allows you to easily view and edit
+them on devices such as tablets and phones. No need for specific screenwriting
+software.
+
+The magic that Screenplain performs is to take your plain text file and
+convert it to a good looking PDF in standard screenplay format. Send that file
+off to your producer, agent, director or screenwriting competition.
+
+Thanks for the inspiration goes to:
+
+  * [Stu Maschwitz](http://prolost.com) for the [Screenplay Markdown](http://prolost.com/spmd)
+    post that got me around to actually publish this work when far from finished. Screenplain
+    does not use Markdown that his post is about, but the idea is similar.
+
+  * [John August](http://johnaugust.com/) for the [Scrippets](http://scrippets.org/) project.
+    The idea for that is similar, as it converts plain text to a formatted output. The focus of
+    Scrippets is on presenting snippets of screenplays online, specificially in blog posts and
+    comments. Screenplain's format is very similar to Scrippets.
+
+Input format
+------------
+
+The format of the text input is very much like how you would write a
+screenplay on and old typewriter, only that you don't have to worry about tab
+stops and line breaks.
+
+Here's an example:
+
+    EXT. CASTLE WALLS - DAY
+
+    Mist. Several seconds of it swirling about.
+    Silence possibly, atmospheric music. SUPERIMPOSE "England AD 787".
+    After a few more seconds we hear hoofbeats in
+    the distance.
+    They come slowly closer. Then out of the mist comes KING ARTHUR
+    followed by a SERVANT who is banging two half coconuts
+    together. ARTHUR raises his hand.
+
+    ARTHUR
+    Whoa there!
+
+    SERVANT makes noises of horses halting, with a flourish. ARTHUR
+    peers through the mist. CUT TO shot from over his shoulder:
+    castle (e.g. Bodium) rising out of the mist. On the castle
+    battlements a SOLDIER is dimly seen. He peers down.
+
+     SOLDIER
+     Halt! Who goes there?
+
+     ARTHUR
+     It is I, Arthur, son of Uther Pendragon,
+     from the castle
+    of Camelot.
+      King of all Britons, defeator of the Saxons,
+    sovereign of all England!
+
+Note the free (that is, pretty ugly) format of this input.
+After Screenplain has digested it, it will appear correctly formatted like this:
+
+    EXT. CASTLE WALLS - DAY
+
+    Mist. Several seconds of it swirling about. Silence possibly,
+    atmospheric music. SUPERIMPOSE "England AD 787". After a few more
+    seconds we hear hoofbeats in the distance. They come slowly closer.
+    Then out of the mist comes KING ARTHUR followed by a SERVANT who is
+    banging two half coconuts together. ARTHUR raises his hand.
+
+                          ARTHUR
+              Whoa there!
+
+    SERVANT makes noises of horses halting, with a flourish. ARTHUR
+    peers through the mist. CUT TO shot from over his shoulder: castle
+    (e.g. Bodium) rising out of the mist. On the castle battlements a
+    SOLDIER is dimly seen. He peers down.
+
+                           SOLDIER
+              Halt! Who goes there?
+
+                           ARTHUR
+              It is I, Arthur, son of Uther
+              Pendragon, from the castle of
+              Camelot. King of all Britons,
+              defeator of the Saxons, sovereign
+              of all England!
-- 
cgit