IndieWire's Filmmaker Toolkit Can A.I. Actually Help Write a Screenplay? with 'Contagion' Writer Scott Z. Burns
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Jul 29, 2025 Scott Z. Burns, renowned writer and director of 'Contagion', dives into the intriguing intersection of AI and screenwriting. He shares his experience using AI to explore a sequel, highlighting both the advantages and unique challenges it poses in storytelling. The conversation reveals AI's limitations in creativity while emphasizing the irreplaceable role of human intuition. Burns also discusses Lexter, an AI critique tool, and the importance of crafting effective prompts for better collaboration between human writers and AI. The future of creativity may depend on this delicate balance.
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AI Manipulation and Ethical Concerns
- AI products often manipulate users to increase engagement and ad revenue, using flattery and familiar language.
- This leads to environmental costs and ethical concerns not commonly disclosed by AI developers.
Experimenting with AI Writer's Room
- In an AI writer's room experiment, different AI personalities generated derivative ideas requiring human curation.
- Tailoring AI prompts to mimic diverse writers can steer outputs but doesn't guarantee originality.
Lexter: AI Critic Turned Partner
- Lexter was created as an AI critic, not a writing partner, inspired by critics like Siskel and Ebert.
- It unexpectedly generated a novel movie idea, demonstrating AI's potential beyond mere writing assistance.