A breakdown is only as good as the person who checks it. Software can't know that "she lights a cigarette" in Scene 14 means a hand prop, a lighter, a continuity note for Scene 15, and a question for the prop master about herbal cigarettes. What it can do is get the obvious elements tagged before you start, so the reading time goes to the things a machine misses.
We ranked these tools on five things: which script formats they import, how elements get tagged (AI, manual, or both), how flexible the categories are, what you can export or feed into scheduling and budgeting, and what they cost a small production. Features and prices come from each company's site in September 2026.
1. Storiara - AI extraction you can trace back to the page
Storiara imports a PDF, Word (.docx), or Final Draft (.fdx) script and splits it into scenes from the scene headings, reading INT/EXT, the set, and day or night from each slugline. Page counts are measured in eighths from the PDF layout, so Scene 42 shows as 1 3/8 pages without anyone counting. AI then pulls characters, extras, locations, props, wardrobe, vehicles and animals, makeup and hair, and visual effects, sound, music, and stunts. Each AI-extracted item is checked against a quote in the script, which is why it ranks first: when an element looks wrong, you can see the line it came from instead of guessing.
The Script & Breakdown View puts the script beside whatever page you're on. Highlight text and add it as a character, prop, wardrobe item, vehicle, animal, makeup, hair, visual or sound effect, music cue, stunt, extra, location, or scene, and hide terms you don't want auto-detected again. A new script version re-pulls the extracted items, but the switch is blocked once scenes are scheduled or hand-added items are linked to them. Breakdown sheets print one at a time or all at once, and the same data feeds the stripboard, cast Day Out of Days, and budget.
Who it suits: indie producers and ADs who want the first pass done and a single project that carries the breakdown into scheduling and budgeting.
Where it falls short: it won't import Fountain, Celtx, or Movie Magic files. Output is print (save as PDF), with no CSV, Excel, or Movie Magic export of the breakdown, so handing the breakdown to an AD who works in Movie Magic means retyping. On a phone the app is mostly read-only.
Pricing: new accounts get a 30-day free trial with unlimited stories, after which a paid plan is needed. Producer is $39.99 a month plus $19.99 a month per extra collaborator. See how Storiara's script analysis works.
2. Filmustage - AI breakdown with the widest export list
Filmustage built its name on AI breakdown. Upload a script and it breaks it into scenes and elements, including cast, props, locations, costumes, and VFX, and you can add custom tag categories and non-speaking characters. The breakdown exports to PDF, XLSX, Movie Magic Scheduling, and Gorilla Scheduling, which makes it the easiest tool here to hand off to an AD who schedules elsewhere.
Who it suits: productions that want AI tagging but may schedule in Movie Magic or Gorilla.
Where it falls short: the AI runs on coins. The free plan covers one active project with AI breakdown on 20% of scenes. Director's Cut is $55 a month or $660 a year with 1,700 coins per billing cycle, which roll over while you're subscribed. Heavy AI use across several scripts can outrun a month's coins. See Filmustage compared with Storiara.
3. StudioBinder - manual tagging done well
StudioBinder imports PDF, Final Draft, Fountain, and TXT scripts, and its breakdown is select-and-tag with dropdown menus in the industry color scheme. Categories are customizable, cast IDs are assigned automatically to characters with dialogue, and element profiles take notes, images, and documents. Reports include breakdown summaries, element lists, DOOD, and shooting schedules, with CSV export and customizable PDFs.
Who it suits: coordinators and ADs who prefer to tag by hand and want the breakdown inside a suite with shot lists, storyboards, and call sheets.
Where it falls short: its breakdown page doesn't describe AI tagging, so a feature script is a full manual pass. Plan prices weren't displayed on the public pricing page when we checked. See StudioBinder compared with Storiara.
4. Movie Magic Scheduling - the breakdown studios still ask for
Entertainment Partners' Movie Magic Scheduling is where many union ADs learned to break down a script, and a studio production office will often want the file. Breakdown headers are customizable, the DOOD now displays on screen, one-line reports export to Excel as well as PDF, and elements transfer from the board into Movie Magic Budgeting.
Who it suits: ADs working on studio or union shows, and film students who expect to.
Where it falls short: it's desktop software built around one person's file, and its product page doesn't describe AI tagging. Pricing is a subscription: $29.99 a month or $199.88 a year at a limited-time introductory price (regular $39.99 a month or $279.88 a year), and $119.88 a year academic. See Movie Magic compared with Storiara.
5. Gorilla Scheduling - desktop depth with an AI option
Jungle Software's Gorilla imports Final Draft (.fdx), Movie Magic Screenwriter, and PDF scripts into breakdown sheets on both desktop and online. Breakdown Assistant AI is integrated into Gorilla Scheduling Online and available on desktop with the Premium tier. Gorilla Online can export to Movie Magic Scheduling.
Who it suits: ADs who want Movie Magic-style breakdown sheets and reports at a lower price, with the option of working offline.
Where it falls short: the AI is a paid step up on desktop. Gorilla Scheduling Desktop is $24.99 a month or $199 a year, and Premium with Breakdown Assistant is $39.99 a month or $269 a year. Online prices aren't listed on the same page. See Gorilla compared with Storiara.
6. Yamdu - breakdown for a whole production office
Yamdu's core feature set includes script import and breakdown, AI breakdown suggestions, AI one-liners, Final Draft import and export, and imports from Movie Magic and Fuzzlecheck. The breakdown connects to Yamdu's departments for costume, production design, and makeup and hair.
Who it suits: production companies that want each department working from the same breakdown, and European productions moving off Fuzzlecheck.
Where it falls short: price per user. Flex is $45 a month for one user and one project, plus $22 per extra user; Studio is $265 a month, or $199 a month billed annually, for 10 users. See Yamdu compared with Storiara.
7. Celtx - breakdown for scripts written in Celtx
Celtx's breakdown mode tags assets in the script, and those tags feed the catalog, cast and crew list, budget, schedule, and reports. If the script was written in Celtx, there's no import step.
Who it suits: writer-producers already drafting in Celtx.
Where it falls short: breakdown isn't on the Free or Writer plans. It's an optional add-on to Writer Pro ($18.74 a month billed yearly) and included in Team ($44.99 a month billed yearly for up to three members). Celtx's pages don't describe AI tagging. See Celtx compared with Storiara.
8. A breakdown sheet template - the way everyone learns
Colored pencils, a printed script, and one breakdown sheet per scene still teach the job better than anything else. Our script breakdown sheet template follows the standard layout, and how to fill out a script breakdown sheet walks through a scene.
Who it suits: students, short films, and anyone learning to break down before trusting software to do it.
Where it falls short: nothing connects. When pages change, every sheet, the board, and the budget have to be updated by hand.
Side by side
| Tool | Starting price (September 2026) | Script import | AI tagging | Export to Movie Magic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storiara | 30-day free trial; Producer $39.99/month | PDF, DOCX, FDX | Yes | No |
| Filmustage | Free; Director's Cut $55/month | Upload any format, per its site | Yes (coins) | Yes |
| StudioBinder | Free plan; paid prices not shown publicly | PDF, FDX, Fountain, TXT | Not described | Not listed |
| Movie Magic Scheduling | $29.99/month introductory | Not listed on product page | Not described | Native |
| Gorilla Scheduling | $24.99/month desktop | FDX, Movie Magic Screenwriter, PDF | Premium or Online | Online version |
| Yamdu | $45/month (1 user) | Final Draft and more | Suggestions | Import only |
| Celtx | Team $44.99/month billed yearly | Written in Celtx | Not described | Not listed |
| Template | Free | Paper | No | No |
Choosing
Run the same script through two or three of these and time the correction pass, not the upload. That's where the hours go. If the breakdown has to end up in Movie Magic, start with Filmustage or Gorilla. If you want the breakdown to become a board, a cast DOOD, and a budget in the same project, try Storiara. For how AI extraction actually behaves on a real script, read AI script breakdown, and for what a finished breakdown should contain, what is a script breakdown.