I use Celtx for my screenwriting projects. I like having various sub-documents for keeping track of notes, characters, index cards and scribblings.
I’m sure other programs do all that, maybe even better, but Celtx is what I used when I first ventured beyond a word processing program for my scripts.
Plus, it’s free. That’s right – FREE.
Anyway, I stumbled onto a cool feature. I don’t know if it’s an undocumented feature (no pun intended) or not, but it is possible to insert pictures into Celtx document files. And I don’t mean in the media side bar, but actually into the document itself.
I wouldn’t recommend inserting a picture into your script, but it could be useful to incorporate pictures into the various planning documents you create.
Here’s how it works (for Windows, at least).
- VERY IMPORTANT – Make a backup of your project. You should have backups in various places (Dropbox springs to mind!). This isn’t a dangerous process, but it doesn’t hurt to take precautions.
- Navigate to your project file. It will be called <filename>.celtx
- Rename the .celtx to a .zip (you may need to uncheck hide file extensions for known file types in Tools > Folder Options > View available in a My Computer window)
- Open the zip. You’ll be greeted by a bunch of files with odd names. These are the documents that make up your project.
- There’ll be a little bit of trial and error in finding the document in which you want to insert the picture, but what’s worth noticing is that the files have the extension html – That’s right, they’re webpages.
- Edit the page in a html editor and insert your picture/s.
- Save the changes to the document.
- Now, copy the altered html document and picture files into the project zip.
- Finally, rename your project from a .zip to a .celtx file.
Your project file’s icon should be back to the familiar Celtx icon. Now, when you open it up and click on the tab of the document which you edited, it should show the pictures you inserted.
Like I said, I couldn’t see any documentation indicating this was available, but quite possibly there is a way to do all that much more easily from right inside Celtx.
If not, though, the steps outlined earlier should enable you to include pictures. You can now include scanned diagrams, media which is relevant, whatever you want. And instead of viewing it outside Celtx or in the media side bar, there it is right in your document!
I also tried creating a hyperlink this same method. It showed up underlined and in blue, but nothing happened when I clicked on it – I guess Celtx doesn’t know what to do with a clicked link.
Anyway, I’m sure there are other useful things you could do with the html – If you’re a Celtx user, have a play around and see what you come up with.
Don’t get too distracted, though – make sure you spend plenty of time on your script! 🙂
Enjoy,
K-Tock