I Asked ChatGPT to Come Up With Movie Ideas

So, I jumped on the ChatGPT bandwagon to see how good the software was at writing movies. It was surprisingly fun, and surprisingly sophisticated. I’d highly recommend checking out the program (no offense to Botnik, our former ‘AI writes’ author).

Also, I’ll refer to the program as ‘him’, though obviously it’s not a ‘he’ – but it makes more sense that way. And for reference, you can find the software and learn more here: https://openai.com/

I started by asking him to describe an A24 movie made by Christopher Nolan and Wes Anderson. His response, essentially, was that no such movie currently exists, and he explained the different directorial styles. I reworded the question to make it clear that I wanted a hypothetical movie, not an existing one, and this was his response:

“The Dreamscape Adventures” is an A24 film that combines the storytelling techniques of Christopher Nolan with the quirky aesthetic of Wes Anderson. The film follows a group of misfit detectives who are hired by a wealthy eccentric to solve a string of bizarre and interconnected crimes happening within a series of interconnected dreams. As they delve deeper into the dream world, they discover a vast and intricate conspiracy that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy. With mind-bending twists and turns, “The Dreamscape Adventures” takes the audience on a journey through a fantastical world filled with whimsical characters, intricate set designs, and a hauntingly surreal atmosphere that will keep them guessing until the very end.

This was nothing short of mind-blowing. Now that we were on the same page about what I was asking for, I gave him several director/genre pairings. Here’s what he came up with.

Jordan Peele, Rom-Com:

“Love in the Time of COVID-19” is a romantic comedy that explores the absurdities of modern dating in the midst of a global pandemic. Through a mix of humor and heart, the film follows one man’s journey to find love in a world where Zoom dates and hand sanitizer are the new norm. Starring Lakeith Stanfield and Issa Rae.

Christopher Nolan, Period Drama:

“The Age of Enlightenment” is a cerebral period drama set in 18th century Europe, exploring the intellectual revolution that swept the continent and challenged the foundations of society. The film interweaves a web of political intrigue, philosophical musings, and personal drama as its characters navigate a rapidly changing world. Starring John Boyega and Robert Pattinson.

Reese Witherspoon, DC Movie:

“The Fierce and the Fabulous” is a DC movie that puts a fresh and fun spin on the superhero genre. Reese Witherspoon stars as the glamorous and powerful superheroine, The Fashionista, who uses her impeccable sense of style and love of justice to take down the city’s most nefarious villains. Starring Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling and Awkwafina.

Abraham Lincoln (as director), Thriller:

“The Great Emancipator” is a historical thriller that imagines Abraham Lincoln as a masterful filmmaker, weaving his own story into a suspenseful tale of political intrigue and personal turmoil. As he navigates the challenges of leading a nation during its most trying hour, Lincoln must also confront a conspiracy that threatens to undermine everything he holds dear. Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Lupita Nyong’o, and Tom Hiddleston.

George Clooney, Animated Movie:

“The Art of Diplomacy” is an animated political satire that follows the adventures of a suave and charming diplomat, voiced by George Clooney, as he navigates the absurdities of international relations. With wit, style, and a touch of absurdity, the film takes on some of the biggest challenges of our time, from climate change to nuclear proliferation, all while keeping the audience thoroughly entertained. Co-starring Sarah Silverman and John Oliver.

The Coen Brothers, Sci-Fi:

“The Unseen Frontier” is a quirky and unpredictable sci-fi adventure that explores the outer reaches of the galaxy and the human condition. Directed by the Coen Brothers, the film follows a ragtag crew of misfits as they encounter strange new worlds, confront mysterious alien threats, and struggle to find meaning in a vast and uncaring universe. Starring Frances McDormand, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Goodman.

Political Miniseries, Michael Bay:

“The West Wing Warfare” is a bombastic and action-packed political miniseries directed by Michael Bay. The show takes viewers behind the scenes of the White House as the President and his staff face off against an array of threats, both foreign and domestic. With high-octane thrills, larger-than-life characters, and a heaping dose of patriotic fervor, “The West Wing Warfare” is a thrilling and entertaining ride through the corridors of power. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Michael B. Jordan, and Charlize Theron.

Disaster Movie, Wes Anderson:

“The Grand Budapest Calamity” is a quirky and stylized disaster movie directed by Wes Anderson. The film follows the misadventures of Gustave H, a fastidious and eccentric hotel manager, as he navigates a series of increasingly absurd crises, from an avalanche at a ski resort to a city-wide earthquake. With Anderson’s signature deadpan humor and meticulous attention to detail, “The Grand Budapest Calamity” is a one-of-a-kind disaster movie that blends high stakes drama with lowbrow comedy. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Tilda Swinton, and Bill Murray.

At this point, I congratulated him, and asked if I could post the results on our blog – which he was fine with, so long as we gave credit to the company (see link above).

Now, here’s where he really blew my mind. I asked him to generate the first page of a screenplay for ‘The West Wing Warfare’. He said that writing a screenplay is tricky, and gave this disclaimer:

These are skills that are developed over time through practice, study, and collaboration with others, and are not something that can be easily replicated by an AI model. That being said, I can certainly generate text that resembles a screenplay, and I can provide examples of dialogue, action descriptions, and character descriptions, based on specific prompts or examples. If you have a specific scenario or genre in mind, I’d be happy to try to generate some text for you.

And here was his output, which is astonishing. All I did was reformat it: the content is entirely his (as in, entirely AI-generated).

So I guess I’ll be out of a job soon… On the plus side, I like the possibility of an AI reading one of my scripts and ‘filming’ it. As it is, they can come up with original art based on user inputs.

Speaking of which… The cover photo of the robot writing a screenplay? That was AI-generated! It’s a program called Dall-E, created by the same company. The prompt was: A robot writing a screenplay in a noir apartment, set in the 1940s.