Critically acclaimed writer and director Paul Schrader has defended the use of artificial intelligence when writing screenplays for movies. Schrader is best known for writing classic movies such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Last Temptation of Christ. In recent years, Schrader has directed several movies. Some of Paul Schrader’s best movies include First Reformed, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay, The Card Counter, and Master Gardener. Schrader’s recent comments are surprising since many writers have criticized the use of AI for writing screenplays.
In a Facebook post, Schrader claims that AI is capable of coming up with great ideas. He explains that he asked ChatGPT to come up with ideas for films from several different filmmakers, including himself, Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, and Martin Scorsese. He believes the ideas that ChatGPT came up with were great, and doesn’t understand why writers should waste months trying to come up with good ideas when AI can do it instantly. Read his full post below:
I’M STUNNED. I just asked chatgpt for “an idea for Paul Schrader film.” Then Paul Thomas Anderson. Then Quentin Tarantino. Then Harmony Korine. Then Ingmar Bergman. Then Rossellini. Lang. Scorsese. Murnau. Capra. Ford. Speilberg. Lynch. Every idea chatgpt came up with (in a few seconds) was good. And original. And fleshed out. Why should writers sit around for months searching for a good idea when AI can provide one in seconds?
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Schrader’s Comments About AI Are Controversial
Most Writers Do Not Agree With Schrader
The use of AI has become an extremely controversial topic in Hollywood, and was one of the primary reasons for the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. In 2023, writers felt like they needed to go on strike to protect their livelihoods against the rise of AI. The Writers Guild of America fought against studios so that AI could not be used to write movie scripts. Instead, Hollywood studios should value the hard work of writers. However, Schrader’s recent comments go against what the Writers Guild of America fought for.
Schrader’s comments about AI shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise, as he also defended using AI to write during the WGA strike. Schrader’s new comments about AI are very timely as awards season picks up. His defense of AI comes right after Best Picture hopeful The Brutalist was criticized for utilizing AI. After it was revealed that the creative team behind The Brutalist used AI to perfect Hungarian dialogue, as well as complete architectural drawings, many have demanded that it should no longer be eligible to win any Oscars.
Our Take On Schrader’s Comments About AI
Schrader’s Comments About AI Are Disappointing
Schrader argues that AI can come up with great ideas in seconds, but writing is not meant to be an easy pursuit. Using AI for writing, or for anything else while making a movie, removes the creative integrity of the project. It’s true that AI can come up with a new movie idea instantly, but there is something special about absorbing a piece of art that someone, or a team of people, worked tirelessly on. Therefore, Schrader continuously defending the use of AI while writing is disappointing.
Source: Facebook
