Movie Magic Scheduling vs TillyBoard compared
Long-established scheduling application built around the stripboard, a standard in scripted production. Here is what Movie Magic Scheduling and TillyBoard do and cost according to their own documentation — with source and date — and who each one is worth it for.
What Movie Magic Scheduling is for
Long-established scheduling application built around the stripboard, a standard in scripted production.
Entertainment Partners sells Movie Magic Scheduling 10 to professionals and students in film, TV and streaming who build and track shooting schedules from prep to wrap; it was developed with input from ADs and UPMs.
Pure scheduling tools are strong when the schedule is the problem — and silent about everything upstream of it. They assume a finished breakdown: if the scenes are not yet in strips, there is nothing useful to open the stripboard editor for.
Movie Magic Scheduling vs TillyBoard: feature comparison
The table only records what each vendor documents on its own site — "Not stated" means we could not evidence it there, not that it is missing.
| Feature | Movie Magic Scheduling | TillyBoard |
|---|---|---|
| Shot list | Not stated | Yes — runtime per segment |
| Storyboard frames | Not stated | Yes — AI preview frame per shot |
| AI-generated images | Not stated | Yes — 10–400 images/month by plan |
| Moodboard / concept board | Not stated | Yes — concept canvas |
| Screenplay writing | Not stated — scripts imported from Final Draft | No — treatment document, no screenplay editor |
| Script breakdown | Yes — breakdown sheets after script import | No — shots come from brief and concept |
| Shooting schedule | Yes — stripboard, units, One-Line, DOOD | Yes — day plan with daylight and weather |
| Call sheets | Not stated | Yes — crew confirms via link, no account |
| Budgeting | Partly — via separate Movie Magic Budgeting | Partly — Enterprise plan only |
| Video review & approval | Not stated | Yes — frame-accurate notes, versions |
| Mobile app | No — desktop app for macOS and Windows | Yes — iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Free plan | Not stated — none shown in the EP store | Yes — 1 project, 1 GB, no card |
As of October 2026. Source: ep.com · TillyBoard: tillyboard.com
Movie Magic Scheduling pricing compared
Movie Magic Scheduling is now sold only as a subscription in the EP store; the old one-time MMS 6 licence no longer appears there. Introductory prices of $29.99 a month and $199.88 a year ran until 15 October 2026. Real-time collaboration needs an active MMS 10 licence for every collaborator.
TillyBoard bills per workspace, not per person: the Studio plan covers up to 25 members, and crew and clients confirm and comment via link without an account. All TillyBoard prices exclude VAT.
| Vendor · plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Movie Magic Scheduling Monthly | $42.99/month | cancel any time; macOS or Windows |
| Movie Magic Scheduling Annual | $299.88/year | 12-month commitment |
| Movie Magic Scheduling Academic | $119.88/year | students and faculty, verified |
| TillyBoard Free | €0 | 1 project, 1 GB, 10 AI images/month |
| TillyBoard Creator | €22/month (€19 billed annually) | unlimited projects, 100 GB |
| TillyBoard Studio | €39/month (€35 billed annually) | 25 workspace members, unlimited projects |
| TillyBoard Team | €109/month (€99 billed annually) | unlimited members, branded exports |
As of October 2026. Prices change — the vendor's pricing page is authoritative: ep.com/ep-store
Is Movie Magic Scheduling free? Free plan and trial
No free plan and no software trial are listed in the EP store; only the EP Academy training course is offered with a free coupon. TillyBoard, by contrast, can be used for free without a card.
TillyBoard has a free-forever plan with no credit card: one own project, 1 GB of storage, Tilly AI on the standard quota and 10 AI images a month. That is enough to plan one real job end to end, from brief to call sheet, before deciding on a paid plan.
Who Movie Magic Scheduling is the better pick for
Put honestly — here Movie Magic Scheduling is the stronger choice:
- Feature films and series scheduled from a screenplay with hundreds of scenes, units and episodes
- ADs and UPMs who need One-Line, DOOD and conflict reports in the industry-standard format
- Productions that continue in Movie Magic Budgeting or EP SmartAccounting
Who TillyBoard is the better pick for
And here TillyBoard is the stronger choice:
- Commercial, corporate and social shoots planned per shot and per day, not per script page
- Teams who want shot list, preview frames, schedule and call sheet in one browser project instead of desktop licences
- Crews who want the day plan on iPhone and call times on Apple Watch
Where TillyBoard takes a different route
TillyBoard produces a stripboard too, but derives it from constraints — daylight, travel, crew availability — rather than manual arrangement.
A brief becomes a shoot-ready plan: shot list, storyboard, schedule and call sheet that stay connected. Change a shot and the schedule, call sheet and packing list follow.
Movie Magic Scheduling in practice: what to weigh
Not a star rating, but the points that follow from Movie Magic Scheduling's design, pricing model and documentation and that make the difference on real jobs:
- Every collaborator needs a licence: three people working in one schedule means three subscriptions.
- It installs on macOS 11–15 and Windows 10/11, works offline and syncs cloud schedules when back online.
- Script import expects Final Draft (.fdx or the tagged .sex export); legacy MMS 6 schedules open and save as .mmsx.
Switching from Movie Magic Scheduling to TillyBoard
TillyBoard has no direct import from Movie Magic Scheduling. The switch runs through an export and a fresh plan — ideally between two jobs, not mid-production:
- Export the One-Line and breakdown reports from Movie Magic Scheduling as PDF or .xlsx.
- Create a free TillyBoard account (no card) and set up the next production there.
- Enter the shots per scene — by hand at roughly a minute per shot, or drafted by Tilly AI from the concept.
- Create the shoot days and drag the shots into order; following times, daylight and weather update alongside.
Frequently asked
Is TillyBoard a replacement for Movie Magic Scheduling?
That depends on what you use Movie Magic Scheduling for. TillyBoard produces a stripboard too, but derives it from constraints — daylight, travel, crew availability — rather than manual arrangement.
How much does Movie Magic Scheduling cost?
In the EP store, Movie Magic Scheduling costs $42.99 a month or $299.88 a year; students and faculty pay $119.88 a year. TillyBoard starts free; Creator costs €22 a month or €19 billed annually, plus VAT.
Is there a free version of Movie Magic Scheduling?
No free plan and no software trial are listed in the EP store; only the EP Academy training course is offered with a free coupon. TillyBoard, by contrast, can be used for free without a card.
Can I bring my data from Movie Magic Scheduling to TillyBoard?
Movie Magic Scheduling exports the One-Line and breakdown reports as PDF and as Excel (.xlsx). TillyBoard cannot open .mmsx files; the days are rebuilt from the One-Line, by hand or with Tilly AI.
Is there a free alternative to Movie Magic Scheduling?
TillyBoard has a free-forever plan with shot list, shoot-day plan with daylight and weather, and call sheet for one project. It is built around shoot days and shots rather than script pages, so long-form drama with hundreds of scenes is still better served by a stripboard tool.