In
the Beginning... In
spring 1982, the personal computer was new to the motion picture industry.
Some word processors were being used, but they were expensive, dedicated
machines costing $8,000 to $12,000. Even for the privileged few who could
afford these machines, existing software was primitive and not conducive
to screenwriting. A year earlier, Stephen Greenfield and Chris Huntley
had finished their studies at the USC School of Cinema. They were used
to word processing on the university's powerful mini-computer, and saw
the increased productivity it could afford a screenwriter. With the introduction
of inexpensive personal computer (PC) systems, they dreamed of replacing
their worn IBM Selectric with the new and more elegant tool. Greenfield,
a programmer for ten years, was keenly aware that the proper software
for computerized screenwriting simply didn't exist -- even on powerful
mainframe computers. To buy a computer without the right software was
marginally better than having no computer at all. Greenfield and Huntley
decided that in order to use a computer for screenwriting, some specialized
software was needed.
In
spring 1982, the personal computer was new to the motion picture industry.
Some word processors were being used, but they were expensive, dedicated
machines costing $8,000 to $12,000. Even for the privileged few who could
afford these machines, existing software was primitive and not conducive
to screenwriting. A year earlier, Stephen Greenfield and Chris Huntley
had finished their studies at the USC School of Cinema. They were used
to word processing on the university's powerful mini-computer, and saw
the increased productivity it could afford a screenwriter. With the introduction
of inexpensive personal computer (PC) systems, they dreamed of replacing
their worn IBM Selectric with the new and more elegant tool. Greenfield,
a programmer for ten years, was keenly aware that the proper software
for computerized screenwriting simply didn't exist -- even on powerful
mainframe computers. To buy a computer without the right software was
marginally better than having no computer at all. Greenfield and Huntley
decided that in order to use a computer for screenwriting, some specialized
software was needed.