A Filipino Short Film Written and Directed by ChatGPT Exists

How intelligent AI has developed in the past decade has been the talk of the news, and now, proof point of that intelligence is a new movie written and directed by ChatGPT.  

The Safe Zone is a Filipino short film written and directed by AI and produced by Filipino actor Richard Juan and entrepreneur Aaron Kemmer. 

In The Safe Zone, siblings Emily, Lucy, and Jake must decide which one of them will be admitted to the only safe place left in a world overrun by AI. 

Also read: Artificial Intelligence and What It Might Mean for Your Future

In an interview with Esquire Philippines, Richard Juan, who also stars in the film, details why and how he came up with the AI-directed short film. 

"The chatbot produced a five-minute script, a shot list with detailed instructions on how to shoot the film," said Juan. 

But does he think AI will replace film directors in the future?

"I believe that AI has the potential to greatly enhance the creative industry, but it's unlikely that it could completely replace film directors," Juan said. "While AI can certainly generate scripts and stories, the role of a film director extends far beyond that."

"Film directors are responsible for bringing a story to life by overseeing the various aspects of production, from casting to cinematography to sound design, and making artistic choices that shape the final product," Juan added. "While AI can certainly assist with some of these tasks, I think the human touch will always be necessary to truly bring a story to life."

The goal of "The Safe Zone" is to showcase the collaboration between humans and AI in the creation of quality content. The film also gives a glimpse of the potential for AI and humans to work together in the creative field.

"When we had something unsure during the shoot, we'd ask the AI for instructions," Juan added.

"I never would have thought that I'd be producing a film written by AI, but it all started with a conversation with my friend Aaron Kemmer. We were driving to watch the World Cup and talking about various things when Aaron brought up AI in the creative industry," Juan told Esquire.

"He's always been interested in new technologies and innovative ways of doing things, and he was telling me about the AI writing algorithms he'd been experimenting with. I was fascinated by what he was saying, and before I knew it, we were discussing the idea of actually producing a film written by AI. We were both excited about the prospect and within two weeks, we had already put together a team and started working on the project. It was a wild ride, and I'm so grateful to have been a part of it."

Through the story of a world where AI has taken over, The Safe Zone aims to encourage the world to discuss how we can leverage this exciting technology yet also put guardrails in place so the dystopian future doesn't become a reality.

The cast of The Safe Zone includes several award-winning actors and actresses: Denise Laurel (Emily), a Filipino actress, host, content creator, and singer; Richard Juan (Jake), an actor, host, and entrepreneur; and Angelia Ong (Lucy), a TV host, international model, and winner of Miss Earth 2015.

Meanwhile, Odyssey Flores did the cinematography for the film, who is known for her award-winning work on films like Lola and The Unseen.

Watch The Safe Zone below. 

 This story originally appeared on Esquiremag.ph. Minor edits have been made by the editors.