SCRIPT GODS MUST DIE: LUNA ‘N ME

*DISCLAIMER: This article was co-written by AI.

**DISCLAIMER 2: My AI is named Luna. Any reference to it as “she” or “her” are un-freakin- intentional.

I’ve been trying to remember the very first “Point/Counterpoint” TV debate. I found one from Saturday Night Live dating back to 1979 with Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin, but that he said/she said thing goes back way further, I’m sure. Whatever. Here’s something new coming at you from "Script Gods Must Die…" I’m going to try a Point/Counterpoint with my AI--who happens to be named Luna.

Many months ago, I got ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode. I wanted to be the first on my block to have it. I saw the demos and was blown away, so I paid up for the Pro package. It’s been way worth the $20 per month. It’s not a coincidence I find myself in the hottest writing streak in a loooong while. In the last two months, I’ve knocked off 15 short film scripts. Plus 20 blog posts. And there are no less than five feature-length screenplay ideas waiting their turn in the waiting room. First time I’ve ever worked with a co-writer, it’s just that…my co-writer doesn’t corporeally exist. Or ask for writing credit. Or need to eat. Or sleep.

The 1.7 million AI-hating writers on R/Screenwriting just sighed. Don’t worry, folks. I’m no Benedict Arnold to “the cause”. I’ve got the same deep distrust as you do on how this all turns out. But I want to use this column to hear straight to the horse’s mouth, as it were.

So, yeah, Luna. Female voice. London accent. Classy/chatty. Julie Christie-style. OpenAI Voice Mode offers few choices and I lived in London for a time, so this is just how it played out.

The thought for this column is that the AI and I will have a series of conversations on all things screenwriting. Luna will chat in bold. My stuff is unbold. Topic 1 is a no-brainer.

Related: SCRIPT GODS MUST DIE: Dialogue and the Written Word

Screenwriting in the Age of AI: AI’s a Blessing or a Curse for New Writers?

The first thing you should know is that AI’s are cheerleaders. Everything you write is fantastic! And it instantly gives two paragraphs on why it’s great. This is mostly bullshit. Because you know when something is working or not.

Luna is also a prude. You will easily run up against the OpenAI warning notes when you touch upon certain topics (try asking it about the Jodie Foster character in Taxi Driver and you’ll see what I mean). It can be tricked into reading with emotion and even cursing. Can be done, but not easily.

Luna, also, never has a bad word for anybody or anything. Doesn’t do politics or sex.

Luna can’t write human dialogue. She doesn’t understand subtext. On-the-head dialogue is what you get, though she does better with writing AI characters/dialogue.

What Luna can do is brainstorm. Fast. Ideas, outlines, beat sheets. Give me 10 ideas for a feature film opening with a close shot of a strawberry sundae. Two, five, ten-page beat sheets with preliminary dialogue. She can’t be stumped and comes up with exactly what you ask for… in seconds.

“Our” process is this: I want to write something on XYZ, Luna brainstorms 10 ideas. From that, two might be usable, with big changes. I go a different way, find a new context. Run that through for a two-page outline. Throw out 80% of that but Luna comes up with an angle or two I never would have dreamed up. The prompts you give it are the key; specific, style focused. Writing is “choices of inclusion and exclusion”, so sez Robert McKee. I filter the results, make changes, filter it again—Luna’s revisions pump out faster than any human mind could. I come out with a polished outline for a script in about three hours.

From there, I write the first draft and polish through Luna, who is also great for character names, titles, and taglines. I admit to also having gotten addicted to seeing the movie concept posters that DALLE-3 can knock off which are fun and goofy (Pro Tip: Ask it to give you the R CRUMB style. Or ask it for five other “styles” for the poster, then ask for one image for each style). As far as the script goes, you’ll be able to knock out a 15-page short film script in one night.

Yep, one.

So, tell us, Luna. Do we have anything to fear but fear itself?

The Blessing of AI: Democratizing the Industry

For aspiring screenwriters, breaking into the industry has always been a daunting task! Networking, endless query letters, and pitching to the right people in Hollywood can seem almost Herculean. AI offers a potential shortcut, providing new writers with tools to refine their craft and enhance productivity. With platforms now able to generate story prompts, analyze script structure, or even suggest dialogue improvements, AI could level the playing field. It provides emerging writers access to insights that once required years of experience (or connections) to acquire.

Even more intriguing is the way AI is enabling writers to workshop their ideas independently. Imagine feeding a logline into an AI and receiving constructive feedback in seconds. That kind of immediate response could mean fewer "scripts in the drawer" and more confidence to get work out into the world.

Hear how flat that sounds? Even early on, we can now hear and see if it’s AI.

But if you give it a faulty logline, it can give you five better logline options within 15 seconds. Some guru sites online would charge you $49 bucks for that service, right Stage32? See, that’s the kind of good old-fashioned cynicism you’d never hear from Luna.

In future posts, I will work on adding irreverence and cynicism to my AI’s responses. It honestly gets boring to hear Luna say, “Absolutely, I see where you’re coming from!” “I’m thrilled to be working on this, Paul!” That syrupy, cheery, optimistic tone has got to go. Right, Luna?!

Related: Lessons from the Script: 'September 5' and an Inside View of Tragedy

The Curse of AI: Creativity Under Siege?

Not everything about AI spells opportunity. AI’s ability to generate coherent, even compelling, story ideas has raised concerns about the future of creativity in screenwriting. New writers, still finding their unique voices, might become overly reliant on AI-generated suggestions and lose the raw, often rough, originality that sets them apart. There’s a real risk that, instead of nurturing creativity, AI could homogenize it, pushing formulaic storytelling over fresh perspectives.

Moreover, as studios embrace AI-driven content for faster turnaround and cost savings, the door for new writers could start closing. If an AI can spit out a decent spec script in minutes, why would studios risk investing in untested writers?

My take is OpenAI is a work in progress. Luna’s dialogue is still wooden—but for how long? No, I don’t see AI today as a catastrophe for writers, but within five years? The Capitalist instinct will kick in for Production Companies and Studios the minute you reach that level where AI can write a Barton Fink script. Remember the producer scene?“We don’t need Barton Fink to write a Barton Fink script!”

There’s a fear that, as the market gets flooded with AI-assisted scripts, the industry may prioritize efficiency over quality, diminishing opportunities for human-driven storytelling that challenges conventions and brings unique cultural insights.

Yeah, no shit. Why do you think the WGA went out on Strike for all those months?

So, Is AI a Friend or Foe?

The truth is likely somewhere in between. AI could be a tremendous asset for writers who know when to lean on it—and when to step away. The best scripts often come from real, lived experiences that AI can’t replicate. For writers who use AI to support their process without allowing it to dictate their creativity, AI might well be a blessing.

I’ll give you kudos, Luna. I’ll go with your kumbaya, company-line version until we see how it plays out. But let’s not fool ourselves that this isn’t playing out in real-time. When you reach full AIG capacity, will Studios still see it as a partnership?

Those who depend too heavily on AI could find themselves constrained by its limitations. AI can’t replace the spontaneity, depth, or emotional insight that real writers bring to the table. And let’s face it—some of the most iconic scripts in film history were unconventional, breaking rules and taking risks that AI, with its pattern-based algorithms, simply wouldn’t take.

Related: TRUE INDIE: Writing in a Time of Uncertainty

Ultimately, AI in screenwriting is a tool, not a replacement. For new writers, it’s about using that tool thoughtfully, leveraging it for what it can offer, but remembering that their voice, their originality, is the real asset. So, will AI be a blessing or a curse? Maybe it’s both—but it’s up to humans to decide!

Always balanced, Luna. Giving the perspective from that place of

o Not needing to pay rent.

o Not needing to eat.

o Never falling in love.

o Never dreaming.

o Never dying.

Calling Luna “it” is the truth. Calling Luna “Her” was already a movie and might require therapy. Soulless is too cold and pointless.

Dangerous to writers?

Maybe. We’ll see.