Mariner Software have, announced today an
agreement made with LTW Productions Canada, to
acquire and redevelop TotallyWrite, the story
development software for Mac OS X. Newly-named
Contour, it will make its public debut under the
Mariner brand with existing content and new
features, before the end of 2008.
Contour enables writers to develop a movie
concept from the idea stage to a bulletproof
outline. Along the way, Contour guides the writer
through plot points of all three acts and
explains the major storytelling secrets to
crafting a marketable movie. The main character’s
journey is explained through archetypal themes
that “reverberate in the top 50 grossing movies
of all time.” Once the story passes through
Contour, the writer can transfer their work into
Montage, Mariner Software’s screenwriting
software, to write and start marketing the script.
Some of Contour’s features include:
° The ability to flesh out a main character and
codify their motivations and behaviors;
° Recognize archetypes which protagonists journey
through in all the top movies;
° Learn a flexible yet exact plot point and beat
structure that works for all genres;
° Develop a compelling logline.
Contour will be available before the end of the
year on the Mariner Software web site at
www.marinersoftware.com and various retail
outlets. The shipping version will initially be
offered in English and sell for $US49.95 ($44.95
download). Support for more languages is expected
in the near future. Contour requires Mac OS 10.4
or higher. A Windows version will be available in
2009.