OpenAI's SORA Proves: Screenwriters will Become the Rockstars
When EVERYONE can create movies, the WRITERS with skill, speed, and quality will finally become the most valuable people in the industry.
You have a window of about 1-3 years in which to get AHEAD of the curve with this.
I've been saying it for YEARS, and now the proof is here.
Join me in FAST Screenplay -- fastscreenplay.com/join
Develop the skills that will enable you to take advantage of the PARADIGM SHIFT that is transforming our industry.
And if you want to get up to speed with A.I. (from the writer's perspective) WITHIN THE HOUR... visit go.screenwritingaccelerator.c...
This video covers my thoughts on the day of Sora's announcement. Sora is not yet publicly available. All video images are created by OpenAI and Sora. They have been used here for analysis purposes under the belief that they were released into the public domain (since OpenAI included download links for each of the videos). I do not claim ownership of any of those clips.
Jeff it is so great to hear you again we need your knowledge and enthusiasm to continue pursuing our goals. Thank you Artemio Diaz
I’m cooking up some great stuff to help writers (and producers) navigate this new era. Thanks for watching!
Well said. I’m no more scared of AI taking my job than I am of a bug. Because I’m 1/1. And no one or no thing can do what I do.
I have lived long enough to witness some amazing shifts in technology. (These days, you don't have to live that long... it is happening exponentially.) I think of discussions with Disney "old school" 2D animators about the coming wave of Digital, encouraging them to learn the new tools, and Professional Photographer's who were convinced that digital would NEVER surpass the quality of Film. I watched as Pixar and Red Digital Cinema blew everything out of the water... not to mention what we've seen in special effects in movies. It all boils down to, SHIFT HAPPENS! Fight the wave and be pummeled by it, or catch the wave and be sitting on top of the world!
Needed to hear this
I've placed such value on your insights for a long time now. From one Jeff to another, thank you for continuing to prognosticate. Your optimism, in what can often be a very dark and cynical line of work, is so needed. What I'm hearing here is extraordinarily exciting. Essentially this future is going to be 'screenwriter as auteur.' What a nightmare for those who are in this biz for self-serving reasons other than the joy of creativity and pure cinema!
Thank you for the voice of support (since, you’re right, it can be very dark and cynical in my surrounds). And yes, you’re hearing correctly (as I see it, anyway). But it goes beyond screenwriter as auteur - I think the screenwriter/writer is the role every one of us will morph into. Those who are afraid of losing their jobs (including actors, set designers, anyone) need only recognize the stories they themselves could only and uniquely tell, and that they can bring their other skill set and all its unique insights to this table. It’s one of the reasons I’ll be turning my immediate focus to topics like value and profitability and sustainability - because if quality and speed (which I’ve already solved for with FAST Screenplay) are in one’s skill set, then the ability to market oneself and one’s projects profitably and sustainably in a very noisy environment becomes the missing piece. We’ll see how that goes down with the old guard. I suspect I’ll be the bad guy awhile longer - until people realize I was the good guy all along. Anyone can do it. Everyone should. The future is beyond exciting and this is not a zero-sum game. If we could just realize that last bit, we could see that teaming up in new ways is what the industry looks like moving forward.
Great vid man
thanks for this different perspective
Thanks for watching. My belief is that human imagination is infinite - because ideas spark ideas. Advancing technology is a natural result of human creativity, so we don’t need to fear it - we need only adapt as it changes our environment. And a well-exercised imagination will always make that achievable. So I embrace the future and its changes, and aim to help others do so as well. Happy writing!
I started playing around text-to-video models. Great video, thank you. And I have a question, this created by Sora?
All of the clips in this video that are not me were created by Sora and can be seen on their website. openai.com/sora
It’s a nice idea, but this seems based around 2 conceits I’m thinking are fairly optimistic at best. 1) Ai won’t be able to write compelling stories. 2) That we are not heading towards a future of solipsism fed by user prompts to generate “engaging content” ad nauseam. It’s both where the technology in all the individual elements are advancing and to think streamers and studios are not waiting for the days that their cash isn’t going into transformers over writers, vfx teams, producers, lots, marketing and so fourth is VERY optimistic. I think we will see a blip where this technology will be harnessed by some artists effectively and possibly even to their benefit, and may even develop a cult following… but if music, film and even television (as we have left the golden age a few years back and are now in the “content” era for tv) have all had a tough time in the era of streaming and social media… the AI era will make that look like a bump in the road that is likely to be nothing more than a foot not in history. The evolution we are on with AI is unprecedented… we rarely encounter true exponential growth… we simply are not built to deal in abstract thought on this level… but we are here now.
I’m not sure how new you are to my content or to me, but I’ve been thinking about (and talking about - seem my 9-year-old ted talk) for a very long time. I’m not suggesting I’m right in my thoughts… just that I’ve been pondering for a long time. To your last point, I agree that we can’t really grasp exponential change. So it’s all likely to be more surprising than we imagine, though I believe in a good way. To the first two points, this is what my videos have been about for he past year. Every one of us is intrinsically unique. So every one of us has stories, ideas, insights, imagination that are unique to us. We are the only ones who could ever tell our stories. So we are not competitive with the AI. No matter how good AI gets, it won’t be able to tell OUR stories in our unique way. So the question becomes whether there will be ROOM for our stories in a world where stories and content are everywhere. That’s an open question, but my indie film career path shows me that it doesn’t matter what the mainstream is doing; there is always room to do your own thing in your own way. You simply need to figure out how to get your project in front of the right people. And that’s wheee your unique storytelling skills become the most important thing, along with the SPEED to be able to get there, and your ability to connect to your audience profitably. Everyone’s worried about the studios relaxing writers and not realizing that the studios themselves will be challenged by the content from the independents. I’m working on more to pull all of this together, but the individual human voice is empowered like never before. Don’t underestimate what it can do.
You're right, AI won't really be able to do it. This is where the writer comes in. There are many writers who aren't able to produce films. I'm an award-winning self-published author of two epic supernatural spy thrillers that would cost hundreds of millions of dollars for Hollywood to produce. I'm a nobody, so I can't get any traction. However, if I'm able to turn my novels into movies or even a TV series, that would level the playing field. I'm sure writers everywhere are going to be very excited about this.
@@brianwalsh7991 That’s exactly right. I’ve been saying for ages now that the reason writers are scared is the same reason they don’t take action and write, which is the same reason they don’t improve the right skills: They don’t understand the screenwriter’s value to the industry. Once they understand the value, they understand THEIR value - and, ironically, once they understand that, with the new tools coming online, they won’t even need the “industry”.
@@fastscreenplay "So it’s all likely to be more surprising than we imagine" I think it will be also so bizarre and the scale of the content produced will dwarf KZhead and Tik Tok.
@@TVADSNOW799 I agree.
"Do you think that writing a screenplay will become a visual material rather than textual?
I think the role of the screenwriter will change to include more of the visual design, as the tools improve. So it won’t stay entirely textual in all cases. But the power of the written word - when you know how to use those words effectively - will probably have unique impact for a long time. So I expect that the skill of writing will remain important and valuable. Like everything, I think it will exist on a spectrum and some people will lean toward and others away from it. But all of it will coexist. The real question is who will be the better writer. And I think that will be the one who uses the written word and develops the skill set of using carefully crafted words to express the nuances of their thoughts and the audiovisual experience of a story. But I say this because I understand deeply just how powerful words can be, and how using them to their fullest effect can literally pull more out of your imagination than you could get without them.
I’m not sure Screenwriters will be the new rockstars but I agree this is a paradigm shift. As you mention GenAI is just a tool to create visual and auditory media. Screenwriter’s write screenplays, which are not the end product. The end product is, as you know, traditionally made by people who have an eye for visuals, and ear for sound, a sense of projecting character and emotion through acting etc (Some screenwriters can do these things and some can’t). Novelists as storytellers have control over the output of their medium. Their writing is the art. Same for painters. If GenAI is a new art form (that is not cinema but something new) then it may give rise to a new kind of artist/writer. A “prompt artist” is already a concept emerging as a career but at present (as you say) too much control is with the AI to create the output. Traditional cinema controls what is in the frame. Are we screenwriters just prompt artists after all? Prompt artists for Directors and a whole team apply their creative skills to make films. If anything Gen AI makes us rethink what it is to be an artist and a writer just as the modernist art movement did in the last century.
I think you’re focusing too much on the semantics of the traditional definitions of these roles. “Screenwriter” is the title of the writer within the film industry. When one can make and distribute a movie oneself, “screenwriter” is not strictly what that person will be. They become a creator (which has other predefined meanings) or an auteur (whose meaning traditionally implies more of a directorial role) or an imagineer (which I think Disney has already trademarked)… the simple fact is that we don’t yet have a word for what they become. So I’m painting a picture using the words screenwriter (because that’s traditionally been the focus of my channel) and rockstar (because of its implications). The point is, what we’re actually looking at is a different kind of role that exists outside the current paradigm. We are transitioning into a new era and I am using the terms of old era as a way to help people conceptualize what the new era looks like and what we should focus on. The reality is that all those hundreds of film production jobs are genuinely necessary to the film production process and experience as it has existed up till now. Every last one of them is vital to the creation of a film - and to suggest that just anyone could do, say, a director or a cinematographer or a sound designer’s work to the level of a skilled professional in that role would be laughably naive. I’m not suggesting the writer will acquire those skills. I’m saying it’s all going to blend and morph into one, and the skills in your area of expertise will make your stories especially strong in those areas. That’s precisely where your value will come from. If I was talking to set designers right now, I would stress the importance of learning how to tell their stories - and the stories they tell would be the most visually magical there are, because what THEY uniquely bring is a master of the visual language of storytelling. They will have just as much opportunity in the new era as anyone, since this tech is accessible to everyone. A paradigm shift by its very nature requires us to rethink the traditional roles. If I can help people see that it’s not about jobs or job titles - but about creativity and an ability to connect with an audience - then we can all quite successfully navigate the transition, due to the legitimately infinite opportunity that has opened up to us. (That’s is, provided we look forward rather than backward.)
@@fastscreenplay Thanks for replying. I’ve enjoyed your You Tube series over the past couple of years. I agree that a new type of creator (artist) will emerge. And I know you are starting from where people are now (most of your viewers are screenwriter I assume). The fundamental question people need to ask themselves is what they want for themselves, as artists, business people and as audience members. Yes individuals may be able to become auteurs in this new medium (if we can resolve the ethical and legal IP issues of AI training). Then as with other areas there will be those who are great at the new medium and those who aren’t. And then beyond the art form there will be those wanting to earn a living. And as with the rest of the digital transformation of the last two decades the business side of “show business” will be about getting to reach your audience in sufficient levels to make a living. Changing times. :-)
@@artofadamlumb952 I’m actually working on a bunch of content and resources now to specifically focus on the “making a living” part of it because I see that as the short term existential threat. It doesn’t need to be, but it’s gonna take some upskilling in order to navigate the medium term if our society doesn’t wake up and implement UBI soon enough. But supporting oneself is part of the paradigm shift we have to grapple with and so I’m reluctantly going to focus on that bit in the coming months. I like to frame it as opportunity because that’s what it actually is, but it’s also just survival for huge numbers of people, too. Here’s hoping we can keep our heads about us during this extraordinary time.
Sora looks like a real game-changer for writers.
Sora itself will only be to a limited extent. It’s the tools that follow that will be the real game-changer - once we’re able to manipulate and refine the AI generated video. That’s why Sora signals the start of a tiny little window of outsized opportunity for writers. But if my channel is any sort of indicator, 99% of writers will reject the opportunity and then miss it entirely. Here’s hoping those that can see it seize it.
I'm going to be able to fix Game of Thrones.
If you want to miss the opportunity, go for it. GOT isn’t your IP so you’ll be able to do it as fan fiction but you wont be able to generate a return. I’d recommend spending the time crafting original stories you own and can profit from.
What you have to understand is nobody will watch anyone else’s movies. A five year old who wants to watch Dora the explorer but as herself as the main character will be able to do that. Everyone will be watching bing their own created content. It’s gonna be sad and crazy.
This fundamentally misunderstands the nature and purpose of storytelling. You are imagining one use case (and you’re right, that will exist) and projecting that as the ONLY end result. This ignores the complexity and infinite variation that is humanity. We tell stories to be entertained, but also to experience other windows on the world. Navel gazing is an immensely enjoyable pastime, but it wears itself out. We feed on external stimuli and other people’s imaginations. Story will be everywhere, and those who learn how to package it will always find an audience.
I doubt it. Have you not seen AI screen writing software? EVERYONE will be a great storyteller. How could you imagine a tech that will replace actors but not one that will replace text on a page? The whole industry is a wrap!
Again (as with your other comment here), a fundamental misunderstanding of the point and purpose of storytelling. Screenwriters will be valuable long after AI can write better than they can precisely because your own unique window on the world cannot be replaced by AI. Stories coexist with other stories. When you understand the value of a story, you will see that technology doesn’t replace the value of the stories only you can tell. The industry is not a wrap. Not by a long shot. In fact, the years ahead will be among the most extraordinary, exciting, and profitable we’ve ever seen. The paradigm will look different and the way we create our stories (and enjoy them) will shift - causing huge disruptions to the legacy business model. But to imagine that we’ll no longer want or need stories - or to imagine that we would be satisfied with only AI-created stories - is to quite literally misunderstand the human mind.
@@fastscreenplay good points. I agree
@@fastscreenplay I get what you're saying. But, you know, our brains don't just make stuff up out of nowhere. We draw on what we've been through, what we've seen, heard, and felt. There are so many stories out there, and imagine if an AI could soak up all those stories and really get you. Google and Facebook know me so well thanks to my online presence, AI would only need to whip up something that hits you right in the feels. Throw in tech that can read your face, check your heart rate, and figure out how you're feeling. Suddenly, you've got a machine that can tailor-make a movie on the fly, tweaking it to get just the reaction it wants from you. Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, But believe it or not, we're already there. So even though I think you’re right. AI can probably never write like a human, I don’t think it would really need to.
@@_Mach3 I agree with all these points (and made all these arguments about 20 years ago - so I’m very much on the same page with where you think it’s heading). But now imagine beyond that. Go further. That scenario you’re painting is being painted by your imagination today, as a comparison to what exists today. That is your horizon line, and it is so because your imagination exists to provide you projections of the future that you can act upon today to keep yourself safe, and to survive. But that’s not where it ends. That end point is only an end point based upon your current fears and considerations. Once the paradigm has shifted, it will take on new nuances. Once we live in a world of AI-generated movies-created-for-the-lone-individual and self-published movies that anyone can create, what become the nuances at that point? We don’t know. We can’t know. But we do know that you will still have a window on the world no one else will ever experience (irrespective of whether AI and technology can analyze it), and if you can find a way to package that to bring value to others, it will be valuable. The key is to adapt and shift as the realities change. And that just so happens to be the one thing humans are best at doing.
@@fastscreenplay yes I also agree with that. Interesting times ahead for sure.
It’s over for the film industry 😂😂😂
Why the glee? (As a side note, you’re wrong. It’s not over; it’s just undergoing a paradigm shift - like the rest of our civilization. To imagine that it’s over is to fundamentally misunderstand the industry.)