Screenwriting : Ai Generated Artwork by Gerald Barrett

I have seen people do it. I personally like the old-fashioned style, but depending on your budget, it can be an option.

I don't pitch, because English is not my native language. Instead I send a query letter telling that I have script. But if I had to, I would prefer to use photos or drawings because AI generated pictures often remind me of the uncanny valley. Neither do I want someone to suspect that my script was generated by AI.

Gerald Paul, for me it's a hard "no" when it comes to using AI to create movie posters.

I'd much rather use photos.

I wonder that, too, since so many writers here post AI images with their loglines.

Most people I work with (artists) hate AI images with such a passion that I would think the risk of turning someone off is too great to make fake posters and the like.

Personally, what jumps out to me is that the AI art I see used by screenwriters usually has the wrong tone or poor composition. And that’s aside from the computery glow that all AI art has.

are people using genAI images? yes – should they? no

genAI is unethical, unsustainable, anti-human and supports the billionaires who are currently destroying civilisation and the biosphere

Gerald Barrett Yes, I use Leonardo.ai to create my pitch decks. I write horror fiction and in order to paint the picture for producers, I paint with AI to create my supernatural monsters. It helps me to convey the story much easier. Attached is an image I painted for my screenplay Blood Rig.

Hi! Personally, I use ChatGPT and Leonardo.ai for mockup posters and main characters. BUT it's important to have a clear image in your mind of what you want, and express it well in the PROMPT. You still have to be the creator: don’t let the AI decide for you.

I've been using it for a few years now. Before that, I was buying stock images and putting stuff together myself, which took a lot of time and money to get something that was only vaguely close.

I've never taken part in it, but there's a bit of a scam industry built around pitch deck creation. I know of a writer-director who was $10K deep into concept materials, all because some platform was convincing him he was close to funding.

Amateur view: my primary role as a screenwriter is to create the screenplay, not the marketing materials. AI is the most cost-effective means to create compelling graphics to inspire interest in my scripts. I can reinforce "amateur" by creating my own graphics, pay for a commercial artist to create them, or utilize AI. I decline the first, can't afford the second, and consequently opt for the latter option.

Absolutely. After all, the reason for them is that the gatekeepers and producers have zero imagination - that's why they need to look at pictures.

Decks are only useful if you're a director. As a writer, no one is 'expecting' you to come up with visual material. More often than not, the lower quality images scream amateur. A strong, well-crafted treatment/written pitch with an intriguing concept and well-executed storyline will do wonders. The visual pitch deck is only helpful if you are creating a world etc. but it needs to look good.

Also, if you’re interested, there are ways to generate AI images so they’re much harder to detect as AI and even my methods that make them difficult for others to regenerate or impossible to recreate by other AI softwares. Happy to share more about that if you’d like the service :)

Geoffroy Faugerolas I am wanting to make sure I understand your response. So if we are writers only, is there no expectation that we have a pitch deck to go along with the pilot? That would be something that is created in conjunction with someone after the pilot has generated interest? If so, who takes the lead in getting that pitch deck created?

I use A.I 3% for grammar, spelling, word searching, and Google searches, which is way easier for me as a writer since not everybody has the time to help me improve my writing through storytelling and word choices. 97% I put my own thought into work.

Darrell Pennington To pitch a TV series, you really need a pilot script and a pitch bible/deck. What the pitch bible/deck looks like is up to you (it's salesmanship), but a 3-5 page treatment or a 10-page mini bible written in prose with no visuals can be enough to help you sell the project. If your project would benefit from a visual deck with pictures and a sizzle reel cut from other projects, why not. You just have to ask yourselves what do you need to sell it and what's adding value vs. cluttering. I've seen creators sell projects with a 2-page treatments, other with a 30 page bible. Some do visual presentations, others no. See what works best for your project, your world. But if you do decide to make a deck with visuals, it needs to look pro and make sense tonally. If you don't make it, the producer will guide you on what's needed, what they expect to pitch it.

Geoffroy Faugerolas thank you. Per usual, I have copy/pasted your helpful response in my growing file of notes.....

Any time! You can always email me and the team at success@stage32.com for guidance!

As a reader, I'm not that impressed by AI artwork in decks. Rightly or wrongly, it gives the impression that the writer may use AI in their scripts as well which always lowers the quality of it.

Long before Ai generated images I hired an artist to create a sample poster for my Christmas/family/action/sci-fi movie, "The Secret Santa Team". I was a little disappointed in the poster as some characters were 'off' a little, (look too angry/look too old/Santa looks insane, LOL) from my vision. But the poster exists.

Gerald Barrett Nice poster. Could be an animated series for kids.