Paul Schrader, the writer of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, and director of First Reformed, is stirring the pot in Hollywood with his candid thoughts on AI’s potential role in filmmaking.
In a recent Facebook post, Schrader revealed he had turned to ChatGPT to generate plot ideas for films, including hypothetical movies by renowned directors, and the results left him floored.
Schrader shared: “I’M STUNNED. I just asked ChatGPT for ‘an idea for a Paul Schrader film.’ Then Paul Thomas Anderson. Then Quentin Tarantino. Then Harmony Korine. Then Ingmar Bergman. Then Rossellini. Lang. Scorsese. Murnau. Capra. Ford. Spielberg. Lynch. Every idea ChatGPT came up with (in a few seconds) was good. And original. And fleshed out.”
Schrader then posed the question: “Why should writers sit around for months searching for a good idea when AI can provide one in seconds?”
As you might imagine, Schrader’s post quickly drew backlash. Responses ranged from comments like, “Paul, is everything okay?” to outright disapproval: “Jesus Paul… stop promoting that shit, please.”
Schrader also disclosed that he had asked ChatGPT to critique a script he wrote years ago. He then said that “in five seconds it responded with notes as good or better than I’ve ever received” from a “film executive.”
This experience led the filmmaker to this conclusion: “AI is smarter than I am. Has better ideas, has more efficient ways to execute them.”
Schrader likened the moment to when chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov faced defeat by IBM’s Deep Blue in 1997, describing it as “an existential moment.”
AI’s place in the creative world is a contentious topic, with Schrader unapologetically positioning himself at the forefront of the debate. I want to point out that Schrader’s admiration for AI’s capabilities doesn’t undermine human creativity but questions the inefficiencies of traditional brainstorming processes.
Schrader most recent project is Oh, Canada, starring Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi, which premiered at Cannes and explores the reflections of a dying filmmaker. He’s also developing a noir thriller about “the stupid things men do for love,” titled Non Compos Mentis.
What are your thoughts on Schrader’s experience with AI?
This post was originally published on here
