More Tech: Best Firefox Plugins for Screenwriters, Film Students, Indie Film, etc…

At this ungodly hour I have more fun tools for those screewriters, film students, and indie filmmakers in the need of productivity management.

I didn’t mention it yesterday, but Firefox is an essential software for me. The open source web browser is not only slick enough to quickly surf even the most media-rich sites, it also is extremely adaptable to your needs via its large collection of add-ons. Here are a few I use to keep my life and my work straight:

• Delicious Bookmarks – The internet has a wealth of resources, but they are little use if you can’t find them when you need them. While Firefox’s built-in bookmarking is sleek and well-organized, this plugin (combined with a del.licio.us account) allows you to your bookmarks online for easy access and sharing capabilities. I’m actually thinking of starting a bookmark index of useful film and screenwriting sites.
• Google Notebook - This add-on collects “clippings” from the internet and stores them for later reference. While I’ve largely replace my use of this add-on with Journler and Scrivener’s link-storing capabilities, it’s a great way to capture a website excerpt for blogging, screenwriting, and sharing inspiration with collaborators. And the excerpts link back to their source!
• Google Toolbar – This is a no-brainer if you use Google Apps to organize your life. Gmail, Reader, Calendar, Docs, and a variety of other resources are just a button click away. Best of all, you can customize the toolbar to only have the buttons you need.
• Zotero - More helpful to students and scholars, Zotero is basically a reference organize that collects and then generates citations for web sites you want to use in research papers and essays. I think it’s very useful for historical research in period films because you can generate a list of reference works for collaborators.
• Weather Bug – If you’re making films then you’re worrying about the weather. Have no fear! There’s yet another way for you to consume the lies meteorologists feed you about things like temperature, chances of rain, and odds you’ll be filling out insurance paperwork for tornado-torn light kits. And instead of listening to another annoying weather dude, you can just check the corner of your browser!
• ScribeFire – I’m using it right now! ScribeFire is a blog client that integrates right into your browser. You can surf the web looking for post content without multiple windows being open. Your entry just sits at the bottom of the screen. While it’s not as powerful as a dedicated client, ScribeFire’s convenience and ease of use makes it my top choice for creating blog content.

There are many, many more add-ons on Firefox, so go ahead and check some of them out. There’s everything from dictionaries to To-Do managers, and so much more. Once you’ve given a go, feel free to leave a comment letting me know if you find any gems of awesomeness or giant duds.