MoviePrepper

MoviePrepper is a browser-based production suite for turning a screenplay into an organized shooting plan and its supporting paperwork. It fits lean crews across commercials, music videos, documentaries, features, vertical dramas and episodic work. The strongest reason to choose it is the single production workflow; the main caution is that day, personnel and storage ceilings differ sharply by tier.

Overview

Import a screenplay as a PDF, divide it into scenes and identify scripted characters, then build the production breakdown around that starting point. MoviePrepper carries those records into stripboards, schedules, sides, call sheets and production reports, while also covering department preparation, budgets and actuals. For a small team, that continuity can remove a great deal of re-entering the same information in separate applications.

Automation has a clear boundary: the software detects scenes and characters, but people still enter props, wardrobe, vehicles, background performers, equipment and other requirements. Revised scripts are handled more sensibly than a full restart: you can inspect changes and retain breakdown work for scenes that remain equivalent. That is particularly useful during active development, although it does not eliminate the need for production staff to check and complete the breakdown.

Key features

Scheduling goes beyond a basic calendar. Availability warnings, scene-duration information, Day Out of Days, department DOODs, a boneyard and alternate schedules help teams test practical combinations of cast, departments and scenes before committing. The connected records then produce downloadable schedules, call sheets, sides, breakdowns, budgets, reports and shot-list spreadsheets, giving departments files they can use outside the browser.

Cast and crew tracking and location management support the operational side of a shoot. Security measures include authenticated access, permissions scoped to each project, private file storage and read-only links that expire quickly. Stripe handles checkout, and the service says complete card numbers are not stored on its servers. Support generally responds within 24 hours.

Pricing

MoviePrepper uses one-time, per-production billing rather than a recurring subscription. Prep costs free and allows 2 shoot days, 8 cast and crew members and 512 MB of media storage. It is suitable for a very small test or short project, but the low quotas leave little room for a normal multi-day production.

Short Form costs $39, paid once, covering 12 shoot days, 40 cast and crew and 1 GB of storage. This is the sensible entry tier for a compact commercial, music video or short with a defined schedule. Indie costs $149, paid once and raises the allowance to 40 shoot days, 100 people and 3 GB, making it better for a substantial independent feature or series block. Studio costs $499, paid once with unlimited shoot days and cast and crew, plus 10 GB of storage; it is the only tier without stated production-size limits, though storage remains finite.

When upgrading, money already paid is credited toward the higher tier and the same production records remain intact. That reduces the risk of starting small, but selecting a tier still requires an honest estimate of days, participants and media.

Platforms

MoviePrepper runs on the web, so crews can use it wherever a compatible browser is available rather than installing a desktop or mobile application.

Who it's for

Choose it when a lean crew wants breakdown, scheduling, paperwork and production accounting in one project, especially for bounded productions that benefit from one-time billing. The free tier can validate a workflow on a tiny shoot. Larger teams should budget for Indie or Studio; productions needing more than 10 GB of media storage should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Breakdown data flows into schedules and paperwork, reducing duplicate entry.
• Pro: Revision matching preserves work on unchanged scenes.
• Pro: One-time per-production fees avoid an ongoing subscription for a finished project.
• Con: The free plan's two-day, eight-person and 512 MB limits are restrictive beyond a miniature shoot.
• Con: Automated breakdown covers scenes and characters, leaving many categories for manual entry.
• Con: Studio removes day and people caps but still provides only 10 GB of media storage.

Alternatives

For broader device coverage and a low-cost monthly collaboration plan, consider CineLog. Gorilla Scheduling is the alternative when desktop support, trials and established scheduling/report options matter. Production Slate suits teams wanting a mobile-friendly free tier with explicit project, crew, budget and call-sheet quotas. Choose Cinetech for a web workflow with a credit-based assistant and separate scheduling tier. Filmustage is worth considering for AI-assisted breakdown and a free trial. Prescene is oriented toward screenplay editing with optional AI usage. Shamel Studio offers a free editing plan with call-sheet and report add-ons. Slatefox is the choice for monthly euro-priced plans and script breakdown on its Indie tier. Browse Film Production Scheduling Software for the wider category.

Verdict

MoviePrepper is a strong fit for lean crews that want one place to connect a PDF script breakdown with scheduling, department coordination and downloadable production documents. Its one-time pricing and upgrade credit are compelling for discrete shoots. Look elsewhere if your production exceeds the Studio storage allowance, needs native mobile or desktop apps, or prefers a subscription model with different quota priorities.