I Asked AI To Write Script Coverage For Men In Black: Here It Is.
Hollywood — As a screenwriter in the streaming era, I’m fascinated by the new ways the studios will be analyzing scripts. So when Anthropic released Claude, an AI assistant capable of consuming entire screenplays thanks to its 100,000 token limit, I had an idea: why not have Claude provide coverage on a classic film screenplay and see how an AI assesses the story, characters, and structure?
To put Claude to the test, I selected Ed Solomon’s amazing script for the 1997 sci-fi comedy hit Men In Black. The film went on to gross over $500 million worldwide and launch a franchise — and gave Ed absolutely none of those profits.
But forget that shit, how would Ed’s script stand up to AI script coverge scrutiny? I copied his entire 120-page screenplay from Simplyscripts.com and cut it into Claude 2, then prompted it to provide executive-style script coverage as if it were a studio reader.
So let’s see how it did —
Claude 2: Here is an example script coverage for Men In Black as if I were a Hollywood executive:
Overall Thoughts:
Men In Black is an entertaining and cleverly written sci-fi buddy cop comedy that puts a fresh spin on the first contact genre. The concept of a secret organization monitoring alien life on Earth is unique and offers tons of comedic fodder. The script moves along at a brisk pace, bouncing between action set pieces and humorous character interactions. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and does a great job establishing the contrasting personalities of the two leads. Some of the plot mechanics feel convoluted, especially in the second act, but the writer keeps the momentum going and builds to an action-packed finale. The blend of comedy, sci-fi, and police procedural makes for an appealing package that should draw interest from talent and audiences.
Strengths:
- The writer has dreamt up an endlessly fun high concept premise that allows for creative world-building. The MIB organization and the hidden alien population open up strong comedic and visual possibilities.
- The central odd couple pairing of Kay and Jay pops off the page and gives the narrative engine. Their contrasting personalities, experience…
