Hi all.
No review today. Instead I wanted to take a bit of time and discuss something that’s been kicking around upstairs for yours truly, and mentioned more frequently in some of the site’s screenwriting reviews.
That would be artificial intelligence and how it relates to the movie industry, both currently and where we might be headed in the future.
As more and more cash is thrown at it by media, software, and chip companies, sometimes via a giant shell game of each incestuous investing a la a Dot.com 2.0, it’s worth discussing some of the things that can be done now with it and what might be in store taking those possibilities to the next level.
Now, these are just one amateur’s opinions, but two aspects I truly see a long term, viable use for are in customer service and the entertainment industry.
The first seems reasonable enough, because realistically what’s the difference between someone overseas troubleshooting problems via a complex drop down menu they barely understand and an algorithm that can comb entire databases of company and technical information to generate a possible answer?
In my opinion, not much, and this really struck home when I called Sirius XM last summer to cancel my subscription. I didn’t have to talk to a single human being. Instead the virtual assistant had me state the reason for my call, handled it with ease, and the only hiccup was that it offered me the same promotion twice in a row which I turned down before canceling.
It ended with the virtual agent letting me know the exact date my subscription would officially expire and took about five minutes.
One major thing it left out was having someone say, “We understand your frustration with…” and then repeating my problem back to me verbatim, without actually understanding my frustration or even seeming to care.
You teach a virtual representative to not give me lip service and I’m all for it.
The second use, and the subject of our article today, is how it does and can play into Hollywood and entertainment.
(I debated breaking this up into parts, but not wanting to tease things out, you’re presented with it all in a single, mentally indigestible stream of consciousness.)
A bit of background…
I’ve referenced several AI related videos in the past year, mainly discussing how cool it is being able to see fake trailers for various films and shows in different styles or time periods.
It was never really more than a novelty for me though.
And then I saw this…
It took me a few seconds to figure out that Chloe was actually artificially generated, something I almost began to second guess during the first watch because she’s really well done.
Obviously the background and setting are “AI slop” as my daughters refer to it, but presenting history in this way was informative via entertainment (the historical “facts” being up for some debate on this channel’s videos).
Apparently, this is a rather popular new genre in terms of shorts content, and led me to this “how to” video.
The title did a good job grabbing my attention, but what made me stay for the entire video?
That these time travel AI vlogs were made in five minutes or less.
Holy. Shit.
Seriously…take a few moments and watch the video.
You can do all this with three programs, two of which are from Google.
(This would be the spot in the article where you’d expect me to insert a video I made here, but I’ve reached that “old” stage in my life that being able to do this in five minutes means using a technology that’ll more than likely just frustrate me. But our younger/techie members, please try it out!)
Now…why am I bringing this up?
“Hank, there’s too much AI slop, both time travel and otherwise, on social media already!”
Certainly…but we’re writers…and writers are creative…so…
What else can we do with this newfound info and technology?
In past “marketing” sections we discussed self publishing stories to build an existing audience before pitching a screenplay, so how is this any different?
If anything, I’d argue that if you’re younger than this particular reviewer and/or more tech savvy you could have a field day generating genuine content that is under ten minutes and possibly monetize it.
A similar example would be The Backrooms.
What started out as a “creepypasta” shared in an online post, generated countless YouTube videos based on the subject, which is now an upcoming film directed by Kane Parsons, a pioneer of early YouTube “found footage” videos based on the subject.
The difference here is AI is doing most of the heavy lifting now.
(Who says you need to start out writing anything?)
Where we are now…
Late last week, I shared this with the boys via our email chain.
(Don’t worry, you’re not missing out on anything. 3way rarely chimes in, and it’s mainly the Cap’n and Reals going back and forth about video games I’m too old to play or low budget horror I’m too much of a chicken to watch.)
Real life…
When this happened, I was a bit nervous for Alan Ritchson. Being a fan of Reacher, or at least the Amazon show’s take on it, and appreciating the actor being open about his history with depression, if you only see the TMZ footage, it looked like he would be in a bit of trouble.
Lucky for him, and sad it’s come to this in today’s society, Alan had his own footage which I assume was being used to record the ride with his kids, it just happened to show the parts of the story the neighbor was conveniently leaving out in his TMZ exclusive.
Apparently the police ruled it as self defense for Ritchson because the whole ordeal was some sort of staged political dispute meant as a “gotcha” moment the neighbor could use to his advantage.
Anyway…taking that a level further…
The film we didn’t know we needed!
If you read some of the comments, an overwhelming opinion arises that this is what AI was meant for.
No offense to Kevin James, because I Playdate was good for what it was, but Amazon Studios should be pitching this to both actors.
What can we do with this though?
The Pros
First off, as writers, if we’re willing to learn, or already familiar with this technology, we can create trailers or concept videos of scenes from our own scripts that can be used to generate interest with Hollywood gatekeepers and maybe lead to a worthwhile read.
What in the past was a substantial investment of both time and money, even at the most shoe string of budgets, now only takes decent computing power and a few days, if not a single afternoon.
Sure, currently generative AI is mainly a novelty where normal folks have access to explore their imaginations generating pictures and videos that don’t currently exist because they lack the required talent to make it or not one has thought of it before.
But each creative step moves us forward, and as technology expands so too will the creative possibilities.
The “pro” for Hollywood though?
Take that fan trailer based on the Alan Ritchson neighbor incident.
That’s a legitimate proof of concept if ever I saw one.
Artists shouldn’t be able to pirate copyrighted material for monetary gain, but if I were on the production side of things, I’d be urging a bit of leniency.
Why?
It’s fucking free labor.
You have someone passionate enough to take the time to create an idea based on something you have the rights to or an actor you have a contract deal with?
“Give me the same, only different” just hit a whole new level of viability and you didn’t have to pay anyone to do it!
For instance Star Wars…
Since Disney purchased the franchise, it’s had mixed results to say the least.
From the films to the original shows, every fan might not hate them, but audiences long for the nostalgia of the originals.
Enter fan created shorts and even some feature length installments that are generated from AI.
Are they perfect? No.
One main issue is that video segments seem to work best in small sometimes seconds only shots. But again, this will only get better.
Now studios shouldn’t be okay allowing these creators to steal money from them via intellectual property, but they should be mining some of these ideas for popularity and the possibility of expanding on some for their own benefit.
Another aspect is in terms of “filler” content, primarily in historical representations.
The Cap’n shared one from TIME’s YouTube channel.
Does the audience need to be forgiving watching this?
Sure.
Is that audience going to pay for it?
No, but at the same time it’s probably not costing an arm and a leg to produce.
The Cons
Okay, there’s a lot of them, but here I’ll cite two specific issues my family has brought up.
An (almost) unlimited access to opportunities.
This is where I lose the wife on AI as it relates to the future of entertainment.
NJ Teen arrested for nude AI classmate photos
As the mother of two teenage girls, this is what frightens her most about the coming AI revolution.
Not the layoffs, not the excessive power consumption, but the unlimited access of people to use this technology inappropriately and without true consequence.
When I asked the question of how is this different than computer generated scenes and images in movies from the 2000s, she made a valid point.
Most of the general public lacked the access and/or knowledge of how to create said images or videos.
Now all it takes is an open sourced program and a few key strokes.
And I now share her concern.
One of the reasons I don’t use mobile “wallets” is based on the fact that Apple couldn’t keep Jennifer Lawrence’s nude pictures safe on their servers, so why would I want to give them my financial information?
Do tons of people use them, sure, but in the case of the Hunger Games star, something that was meant to be private was shared with the entire world.
Now take that “interest” and say someone wants to be “more creative”.
Without proper guardrails in place (guardrails a lot of these companies are hesitant to implement, mind you), users can create a “sex video” of anyone they choose, whether celebrity or neighbor, of age or otherwise.
That’s scary, and not because I’m a parent of teenage daughters.
Will a decent percentage of AI be utilized in the porn industry?
Probably, but none of us are entitled to see these types of things, and my hope is that restrictions are put in place to avoid them.
The environmental impact.
This argument comes from the girls themselves.
I’d argue the first issue should be more pressing for them, but being young, they’re too innocent or ignorant to realize how gross this world is.
What the youngest told me, while watching the Chloe vs. History video, is that this AI slop is ruining the environment.
Yes and no, I’d argue.
By that I mean, there’s no more of an impact via current generative AI data centers than there is mining the minerals it takes to make EV or hybrid car batteries, or when compared to the supply chain of those cheap ass Temu outfits they’re okay purchasing.
As more are built, sure they may outpace other industries in terms of environmental impact.
Is it great now?
No, but I’m not going to preach from a soapbox about it.
Do I see the benefits of this technology moving forward?
Of course I do, but I’m also extremely against one of these data centers going up in my backyard.
Will it bring a lot of jobs and investment?
On the front end of development, sure, via real estate and the companies involved in construction.
Once built, these things are mainly automated and run by minimal staff.
Also there’s a reason President Trump suggests the companies that want them should also build the power plants to supply them. This isn’t your typical backup or cloud storage data centers. New ones being built for the purposes of generative artificial intelligence require four times as much power in some cases.
(Realistically companies won’t build new sources of power either. They’ll give all levels of governments lip service about paying a premium for the power or help fund the utilities themselves, but at the end of the day the taxpayer will bear the brunt of it.)
My biggest concern in terms of environmental aspects though?
Water.
It takes a lot to cool all these servers and more than electricity, this will be the finite resource that defines artificial intelligence moving forward.
I hope city and state jurisdictions are smart about this, setting aside personal and financial gains to understand the realistic challenges of building one in their community.
So, where are we headed?
One of the talking points associated with artificial intelligence is unemployment.
Will people lose their jobs because of it?
Sure, in certain industries.
This point came from a Bloomberg interview…
Did you know that the invention of the tractor led to massive unemployment and one of the largest labor shifts in history?
That’s interesting to think about, and the same argument is being made for AI.
Now as it relates to Hollywood…
Do I think we’ll reach a point where AI is creating feature length movies and shows?
Yes.
Evidence supporting this already exists and is probably closer than we think.
Unfortunately I believe a good chunk of the support jobs or “production adjacent” careers will become obsolete in an already dwindling Hollywood labor pool post Covid.
Craft services, grips, make-up artists, costume designer, gaffers, assistants to main jobs, etc. will either be eliminated entirely or have seriously diminished roles.
Please know there is zero joy on this end stating that, but the entertainment industry won’t be declining so much as it will experience an existential shift similar to what happened in the early 20th century after the tractor.
People will lose their jobs and either retire or be forced to learn new in demand trades/skills.
(I tend to be “hopeful” thinking that AI will create new positions we haven’t begun to comprehend, but realistic enough to know in the short term it could be really hard for folks.)
Even unions can only stave it off for so long, and I don’t say that as someone who is “anti-union” just practical.
The current studios with union contracts will have to honor them, but there will be new creators and studios that choose “right to work” states bypassing required unions based on the needs of production and to reduce budgets.
Listen, my summer job is working for an airline. The staff there wants to unionize, complaining things were better X years ago when our airport was a hub for the airline. Over time the market and demand shifted, and no union will create more flights if it’s not financially viable for the company.
That’s what I see happening with AI in terms of entertainment jobs.
No studio will pay for a job that doesn’t have an added value to the bottom line.
What about actors?
The smart ones? The smart ones will be those that license their likeness to these AI studios.
Sure there will be an initial pushback from members of SAG not to do it, but sooner or later someone will see the writing on the wall and find a way to cross that line.
The simple choice will fall to say a Timbo Chalamet of becoming a paid AI entity or being completely replaced by someone similar that doesn’t actually exist and costs nothing.
And as technology advances, and we have a harder time telling real from artificial, who’s going to stop these companies?
No one, especially if they’re delivering a product audiences enjoy.
(My condolences to all those struggling actors working one or two side gigs in LA that haven’t made it yet. Unfortunately you might have missed the party altogether.)
Will all films be AI generated?
Here’s where I lean “no”.
Last night I watched the last two films in Lord of the Rings.
I think big budget epics will be hard for any algorithm to replicate, mainly due to one simple human trait…emotion.
That is impossible to quantify.
Now it’s a well known fact that I’m a baby when it comes to horror, but right after that is the lesser known fact that I’m also a sucker when it comes to getting emotional with cinema that’s done well.
The binary sunset in A New Hope.
The Rohirrim riding out at sunrise in The Two Towers.
Captain America finally saying, “Avengers assemble,” in Endgame.
Hell, even The Patriot when Benjamin Martin sets aside personal vengeance and picks up the US flag rallying a newborn nation to freedom.
Shit like this brings a tear to my eye.
These are the moments that stir audiences and that computers will have a hard time creating without the likes of a Spielberg/Lucas paired with Williams or a Jackson and Shore combo.
Visuals with just the right score is hard to get right.
That’s why I find it hard to believe all jobs will be eliminated in Hollywood.
The same argument with lower budget stuff.
Mom-in-law is retired and often an extra in Hallmark Christmas movies.
Pretty sure her job is safe, but it’s more a hobby since she can’t pay the bills with it.
These types of productions are lower budget by nature, and since they’re all more or less recycled ideas, locations, and cast it’s probably just as easy to keep doing what they’re doing.
(I mean it’s not like AI is going to make them less predictable.)
One last thought before I close with what’s in store for us as screenwriters…
The theater.
Considered the truest form of art, I believe interest will only increase as audiences crave more live human beings.
Will Disney or Warner Brothers close up shop with their studios, going all in on live performers?
No, but there could be more future expenditures based on fans craving what’s “real”.
What’s about screenwriters?
Will our craft be one of the casualties of artificial intelligence?
Personally, I don’t think so, but we will be forced to adapt in terms of a new format.
Will we ever be able to just plug a spec script into AI software and have it spit out a decent film?
Maybe, but I have less faith in the money and resources of Final Draft to develop this type of technology versus an Amazon, Disney, Microsoft, etc. who continue to throw cash as companies like OpenAI. They will have more specific ways of generating content that might not be compatible with current screenplays.
Instead of what we’re currently familiar with, we’ll more than likely need to adopt a “storyboard” style of writing.
If you watched the “how to” time travel video in the opening of this article you probably noticed that the software worked better with a certain template that you could copy and paste from the description or a few other places online.
This won’t be “storyboarding” in its current form, and instead we’ll need to break scenes up based on these prompts that help narrow what we’re asking AI to generate. Remember the trick to being useful is making ourselves marketable and that won’t change in the future, so we may need to learn a bit of code too.
Perhaps technology advances, and the algorithms become less dependent on prompts, but our talent will not only be in the structure of storytelling, but how to write that in a form easiest for a software program to generate a visual worthwhile enough for the big screen.
This is less an “all is lost” moment and more a “catalyst” that should deter us from becoming obsolete.
(NOTE – All images generated via Gemini and Nano Banana 2. If you haven’t done so already, try it out for yourself.)
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