Status of Alpha / Beta / Release versions of Screenwriter for Catalina 10.15 & Big Sur (OS 11)

Updated: July 9, 2021

CURRENT STATUS:  Screenwriter 6.7.0.48 Alpha 28 is NOW AVAILABLE!  The Alpha is an early version that can be used by the majority of our clients, and we update this early version on a regular weekly basis.  NOTE:  You must have a Screenwriter 6.5 serial number to activate the alpha test version.  v6.5 serial numbers begin with "MMSW-".

The Screenwriter 6.7 Alpha is compatible with MacOS 10.15 (Catalina), MacOS 11 (Big Sur), and MacOS 10.14 (Mojave).

LINK:  Mac Screenwriter 6.7.0.48 Alpha 28- Read Me and Download Link

NOTE:  You must have a Mac Screenwriter 6.5 serial number to activate the Alpha test version.  The v6.5 serial number begins with "MMSW-".  If you do not have Screenwriter 6.5, you may purchase the program or upgrade from an earlier version at the following link:

LINK:  http://www.screenplay.com/products/movie-magic-screenwriter.html

WHY HAS THIS UPDATE TAKEN SO LONG?

First -- just because we've chosen to give away the upcoming new versions (free upgrades) to existing users of Screenwriter 6.5 and Dramatica Story Expert 5.3 may make it seem like our work on Catalina-compatible versions is a simple update, or "patch", but NO-- we've had to COMPLETELY REWRITE ALL of Screenwriter's & Dramatica Story Expert's UI (User Interface) in order to make it 64-bit and fully Retina enabled.  

This was no small task.  We've been working on a combination of both programs for the past two years.  It has been a long, painful process -- one that has involved Apple working closely with us to help overcome complex engineering issues.

Our work was not to just add full Retina compatibility -- it's been a complete modernization of our entire MacOS user interface code base.  And it's taken over 2 years because Screenwriter and Dramatica are MASSIVE applications with hundreds of features -- many more than other programs.  We want to make sure we don't break all the reliable features screenwriters and novelists have relied on for decades.

WHAT HAPPENeD WHEN MacOS 11 "BIG SUR" WAS RELEASE?  WILL THERE BE LONG DELAYS AGAIN?

Absolutely NOT.  Screenwriter 6.7 Alpha runs perfectly fine on MacOS 11.x Big Sur.  No adjustments were required.  ALL OF OUR WORK was compatible with Big Sur.  We have also built and run a native (ARM) Screenwriter 6.7 on the early developer version of a non-Intel "Apple Silicon" M1 Macs!

Stephen Greenfield
President
Write Brothers, Inc.