The Best Movie Magic Scheduling Alternative
StudioBinder is the leading film production software in the industry, and a powerful Movie Magic Scheduling alternative. If you want to buy MMS, just read our review first.
DIFFERENT APPROACHES
Movie Magic Scheduling is isolated data entry. StudioBinder is mission control.
Movie Magic is a desktop scheduling and breakdown software that provides filmmakers with tools to generate production documents.
Every line of data, no matter how redundant, must be manually entered into breakdown sheets and stored offline — there is no cloud access. This means versioned PDFs are generated and manually distributed.
StudioBinder offers comparable features to MovieMagic Scheduling but since it is a modern, cloud-based solution, it's possible to share and collaborate on stripboards, breakdowns and reports, anytime, anywhere.
Furthermore, StudioBinder a Movie Magic Scheduling alternative with a more complete offering, extending to shot listing, storyboarding, call sheets, calendars, and more.
Bottom Line:
Movie Magic software is good for isolated data entry.
StudioBinder is a collaborative A-to-Z solution for production teams.
Feature by Feature
Software Features | StudioBinder | Movie Magic Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
Import Scripts (FDX, PDFs, etc) | ||
Script Breakdowns | ||
Stripboard Scheduling | ||
Reports (DOOD, etc) | ||
Contact Management | ||
Call Sheets (Create, Send & Track) | ||
Shot Listing | ||
Storyboarding | ||
Screenwriting | ||
Script Sides | ||
Production Calendar | ||
Secure File Sharing | ||
Tasks & Collaboration |
User Experience
StudioBinder is more robust & intuitive
StudioBinder is known for its modern, intuitive design. Everything is exactly where you'd expect it to be.
No special training is required to begin.
You get a lot of video production management features that Movie Magic Scheduling simply does not provide.
Fewer licenses. Quicker results.
Better experience.
Movie Magic Scheduling Vs StudioBinder
Film scheduling for teams
Movie Magic Scheduling and StudioBinder both offer a Stripboard shooting schedule builder. However, Movie Magic Scheduling is notoriously difficult to learn and navigate. Furthermore, Movie Magic is not based on collaboration, and requires costly desktop licenses for every user (nearly $400 per license). The software has not been updated in over a decade, and by modern standards is obsolete though it's still widely used by studios.
StudioBinder's film scheduling is simply easier and better for teams. It accepts Final Draft files, PDFs, Fountain formats and more. Each scene is auto-populated upon import and requires no redundant data entry.
Better Collaboration
Movie Magic Scheduling stripboards are offline and isolated whereas StudioBinder can be securely shared and accessed from anywhere online.
Share stripboards, get feedback and comments from your team, create tasks and mark them as completed. This alone is a major differentiator since it allows you to collaborate with a wider array of production staff to create more thorough schedules.
Video Tour
Create Shooting Schedules in StudioBinder
Feature by Feature
Scheduling Features | StudioBinder | Movie Magic Software |
|---|---|---|
Script Import | ||
Banners & DayBreaks | ||
Estimated Times | ||
Auto-Reordering | ||
Boneyard | ||
Reports | ||
Screenplay Sync | ||
Easy Sharing | ||
Tasks & Comments | ||
Spin-off Call Sheets | ||
View & Edit Screenplay | ||
Synced with Breakdowns, Shot Lists, Call Sheets and more |
Interface Comparison
Interactive Demo
Baby Driver Stripboard | Made in StudioBinder
Script Breakdowns
Break down scripts faster, together
Movie Magic Scheduling offers a script breakdown feature, but it's a far cry from the experience you get with StudioBinder.
Breaking down a script with StudioBinder is much quicker.
Quicker Tagging
Movie Magic Scheduling doesn't have a script breakdown tagging interface, which means you must open a script PDF on your desktop, and manually type in each element in Movie Magic Scheduling.
StudioBinder allows you to view the entire scene script, and simply click-and-drag to tag elements so you always have context.
Quicker Organization
Movie Magic Scheduling forces you to enter every detail in the script including scene numbers, heading information, location, and set. StudioBinder auto-populates these sections from your script.
Quicker Collaboration
Movie Magic Scheduling is offline. Breakdown approvals, and minor adjustments will require in person meetings new PDF versioning to simply review the progress.
StudioBinder is cloud-based and you can share entire breakdowns with remote collaborators with granular access permissions. Since the breakdown is securely shared online, you know everyone's looking at the latest version at any moment.
Video Tour
Create Script Breakdowns in StudioBinder
Feature by Feature
Breakdown Features | StudioBinder | Movie Magic Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
Import Script (FDX, PDF, etc) | ||
Color-coded tagging | ||
Customizable Categories | ||
Various Reports | ||
Script Interface | ||
Click-and-Drag Script Tagger | ||
Predictive Tagging | ||
Tag All Mentions | ||
Scene Notes | ||
Scene Moodboards & Videos | ||
Sharing & Permissions | ||
Tasks & Team Collaboration |
Interface Comparison
Interactive Demo
Baby Driver Script Breakdown | Made in StudioBinder
Call Sheet Creator
Industry call sheets, only with StudioBinder
Movie Magic does not offer a call sheet builder.
Automated Call Sheets
StudioBinder auto-populates call sheets with data from your stripboard and breakdowns with shoot locations, elements, scenes, advance schedules, and more. StudioBinder's predictive call sheets save hours of effort with a click, allowing you to fine-tune the call sheet as desired.
Personalized Call Sheets
Call sheets are personalized to every recipient. You can include personalized notes and file attachments like maps and detailed parking instructions. The call sheets are integrated with Google Places and DarkSky Weather APIs to that provide Google Maplinks and up-to-date weather changes.
Send & Track
PDFs are generated and attached to personalized emails along with an RSVP button, and text message reminders. StudioBinder tracks the delivery status, view counts, and RSVPs of every call sheet so you have total visibility to ensure every call sheet is received and opened.
Video Tour
Create Call Sheets in StudioBinder
Interactive Demo
"Feature Film" Call Sheet Template
"Photoshoot" Call Sheet Template
Track Delivery Status
Don't Stay in the Dark.
Track Your Call Sheet Delivery.
“StudioBinder is an invaluable tool for our production workflow. The sleek design and smart features like call sheet tracking bring organization, efficiency and automation to our shoots, and greatly increases our productivity.”
Senior Producer, Trevor Fernando
Shot Lists & Storyboards
Shot lists and storyboards, only with StudioBinder
Movie Magic Scheduling does not have a shot list or storyboard feature. This means you'll need a separate application to plan, describe, and carry out your creative goals during your pre-production and on set.
Since the scheduling of your production can be dramatically affected by the estimated prep and shoot times of shot lists, we've seamlessly woven in shot listing into the scheduling functionality.
Collaborate Better
Invite directors, DP's (or anyone) to collaborate on shot lists. Select from over 70+ unique shot specs (or input your own). Upload references images, preview scene scripts, and share storyboards with a click.
Schedule Better
Estimate the prep and shoot times for every shot. Group them into setups to track total time needed, and ensure you can make your days.
Video Tour
Create shot lists and storyboards in StudioBinder
INTERFACE COMPARISON
Interactive Demo
PLAN YOUR MOVIE
Production Calendar
Movie Magic Scheduling does not give you the ability to build Gantt Charts, Calendars focus purely on shooting rather than your entire company.
Better Layout
Movie Magic Scheduling calendar layout is limited, and does not provide a workflow tab to track and sort events, or dependencies that inform your order of operations. You also cannot add individual tasks to your events.
StudioBinder gives you multiple layout options.
Better Versioning
Movie Magic Scheduling makes it difficult to create and navigate multiple versions of your calendar, which means fewer options for game plans.
StudioBinder lets you build new versions and templates with one click.
Better Collaboration
Movie Magic Scheduling doesn't allow you to leave comments, create tasks, attach media files, or assign team members to your events.
StudioBinder gives you all of this and more.
Feature by Feature
Calendar Features | StudioBinder | Movie Magic Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
Color Labels | ||
Create Events | ||
Set Working days | ||
Media Attachments | ||
Event Comments | ||
Event Tasks | ||
Workflow Tab | ||
Event Dependencies | ||
Save Template | ||
New Version |
Interface Comparison
Interactive Demo
Touring Man Production Calendar | Made in StudioBinder
Screenwriting Software
Screenwriting solution, only with StudioBinder
Celtx provides a free scriptwriting solution that's both collaborative, but the user experience doesn't come close to StudioBinder's screenwriting software.
Industry Standard Format
Celtx Studio shot lists and storyboards give you fewer opportunities to describe and plan your creative goals. Sections can't be customized to your desires. Our shots lists allow you to create setups and estimated times for each shot.
Collaborative Screenwriting
Celtx shot lists and storyboards have smaller view windows when working on your boards. Also, Celtx Studio limits your ability to change aspect ratios, page layout, custom numbering, or to quickly rearrange frames on your storyboards.
User Friendly Experience
Celtx Studio shots listing forces you to link shots to specific moments in your scripts and their storyboards are disconnected from your scenes. Our shot lists and storyboards automatically calculate the estimated times you add to each shot or setup, giving you an accurate timeframe for each on the day.
Interactive Demo
Touring Man Screenplay in StudioBinder
Contact Management
Contact manager, only with StudioBinder
Movie Magic Scheduling does not have a contact management feature.
This means you'll need a Movie Magic Scheduling alternative to organize contacts like talent, crew, clients, extras, location managers, etc.
StudioBinder provides a master contact book where details are stored securely from each and every project you produce. Easily reassign existing contacts to new projects with just a few clicks.
Also, StudioBinder's integrated messaging system helps you send styled production updates that feature your production or company letterhead.
File Management
File sharing, only with StudioBinder
Movie Magic Scheduling does not provide shareable file storage.
StudioBinder offers a robust media library and file storage feature.
This means you'll need to use yet another software to securely upload and preview deal memos, financial documents, permits, invoices, headshots, etc.
View, crop, and rotate files all within StudioBinder. You can also invite your team to shared folders, where they can add and edit files together. Use comments to gather file specific feedback.
A major part of production is document and media management. Something you only get with StudioBinder.
Tasks & Calendars
Collaborate in context
Movie Magic Scheduling is a single-serve software that is isolated to offline use.
StudioBinder provides a sidebar on every page to create tasks in context. We think it's more valuable for team members to see (and check off ) tasks while on the relevant page (e.g. call sheet, stripboard, breakdown, etc.).
StudioBinder aggregates all of the tasks in a unified, kanban-style task board where the stage and status of tasks are neatly organized into columns.
MONTHLY & ANNUAL PLANS
Flexible pricing
StudioBinder offers monthly or annual pricing plan in case you’d like to pay once every twelve months. Pay for the whole year and get a discounted rate.
How about another perk for going annual?
Like any company, our pricing may change as StudioBinder’s feature set evolves and improves. When you purchase an annual plan, you’ll be locking in your current discounted rate for the next 12 months.
THE BOTTOMLINE
Why go with a Movie Magic Scheduling alternative?
The short version?
StudioBinder is a modern Movie Magic Scheduling alternative. It's better choice for studios and production companies who want a more intuitive all-in-one solution to collaborate on projects.
You’ll have better status tracking. Stress-free call sheets, creative tools like shot lists and moodboards, better task workflows, project management, total integration, all built to elevate your team’s productivity.
StudioBinder is best if…
- You want quick and accurate breakdowns & scheduling
- You want online collaboration with an A-to-Z solution
- You want highly integrated functionality between features
Movie Magic Scheduling may be a better choice when…
- You want an isolated offline experience
- You don’t need more than breakdowns and schedules
- Film project management and communication are not a priority
Customers
Trusted by the Best
Modernizing production workflows at renowned studios worldwide.
