The Director of Pirates of the Caribbean Has a Perfect Solution for AI Films
By Chris Snellgrove | Updated
Currently, there is an ongoing debate about the role of AI in filmmaking. Some consumers and creators think that movies should not have AI and that everything we see on the screen should be completely human-made. Some see this technology as a great equalizer, allowing independent directors to make movies they otherwise wouldn’t be able to make. While companies like OpenAI and Anthropic may be stumbling right now (the switch to token-based payments will!), it’s clear that we can’t put the cat back in the bag. AI is here to stay, and it’s important for us to figure out what it means for the films and filmmakers of tomorrow.
Now, one filmmaker has proposed a simple and elegant solution. At a recent film festival, Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski suggested a solution. Rather than calling for no AI in films, he believes that movies should get a different rating based on what they have used AI for. For example, you think using AI in writing a script is good enough to warrant an “F” rating. In some cases, Verbinski believes it is more acceptable for, say, cash-strapped directors to use AI for various production needs. The key to making this all work? Simple: perfect light.
Making AI Go Planned
Recently, Gore Verbinski attended the Taormina Film Festival. His main goal was to discuss his film Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Diewhich stars Sam Rockwell as a traveler from the future. He arrived in the past to recruit allies to fight the evil AI. If they can’t stop the AI in time, it will destroy all of humanity.
Given the context of this movie, it’s no surprise that Verbinski has deep thoughts about the role of AI in today’s society. Regarding the use of AI in movies, he took a limited stance, saying that (according to your definition), Hollywood has relied on AI tools for “20 years.” Regarding generative AI, he has a simple proposal: a rating system that specifies exactly how AI is used in a movie.
“If you use AI to write a script, you get an F,” he said. “The thing that people are most afraid of is that there is no transparency, people are afraid of what is true and what is not.” Unlike many in the industry, Verbinski is not a hard-liner who thinks all future films should be made without AI. Instead, he thinks it’s more acceptable for directors to use this technology in certain situations, such as when low-budget directors can’t bring an important part of their film to life.
Transparency Is Everything
For Verbinksi, the most important thing about this proposed rating system is that it allows customers to know what to expect before spending any cold, hard cash. “I think you should be completely transparent [about] it was used for that. I will never try to use it to be in front of the story,” he said.” Obviously, there is a lot of room for debate as to whether the use of AI does not have a negative impact on the story. But broadly speaking, Verbinski’s proposal is almost perfect: it serves to alert the audience to the possible existence of AI while also alerting us to how that AI is used.
This will allow everyone to vote with their wallet. If more people watch movies made without AI, we will see Humanized Content Innovation. Similarly, if many people show the films made with AI, such films will become the norm. Honestly, I think that if AI-made movies were properly written, most customers would avoid these movies in favor of completely human-made ones. We won’t know until we try it, and Gore Verbinski’s AI rating system is the best idea yet for giving the right virtual audience.
