PROMPTS

In the context of AI, a prompt is the input you provide to an AI system to elicit a specific response or action.

• Core Function: Prompts serve as instructions or queries that guide the AI’s behavior.
• Forms: Prompts can take various forms, including:
  • Text: Simple questions, complex instructions, creative writing prompts, code snippets.
  • Images: Images used to guide image generation, style transfer, or object recognition.
  • Data: Datasets used to train AI models.
• Importance: The effectiveness of a prompt significantly influences the quality and relevance of the AI’s output.

Key Aspects of a Good Prompt:

• Clarity and Specificity: Clear and concise instructions help the AI understand the desired outcome accurately.
• Context: Providing relevant background information or examples can improve the AI’s understanding and the quality of the response.
• Constraints: Specifying limitations, such as word count, tone, or style, can guide the AI towards a more tailored output.
• Creativity: Experimenting with different prompt styles and formats can unlock unexpected and innovative results.

Example:

• Prompt: “Write a short story about a robot who dreams of becoming a chef.”
• Output: (The AI would then generate a short story based on this prompt)

By carefully crafting prompts, users can effectively guide AI systems to perform a wide range of tasks, from generating creative content to solving complex problems.

SCRIPTWRITING AND PROMPTS

Effective AI prompting for scriptwriting mirrors the core principles of traditional screenwriting. By understanding the fundamental elements of storytelling and translating them into clear, concise, and creative prompts, you can leverage AI as a powerful tool to enhance screenwriting processes.

The methods used to write a traditional film script have a strong correlation with how you’d approach prompting AI for scriptwriting assistance:

Traditional Scriptwriting Methods & Their AI Prompt Counterparts:

• 1. Core Concept & Logline:
  • Traditional: Screenwriters meticulously craft a logline – a concise, captivating summary of the film’s plot.
  • AI Prompting:
    • “Write a logline for a sci-fi thriller about a detective investigating a series of murders committed by an AI.”
    • “Generate a logline for a romantic comedy featuring a travel blogger and a grumpy local chef.”
  • Focus: Clear and concise prompts that define the genre, core conflict, and main characters are crucial.
• 2. Character Development:
  • Traditional: Screenwriters spend time developing compelling characters with distinct personalities, motivations, and backstories.
  • AI Prompting:
    • “Create a character profile for a cynical private investigator with a tragic past.”
    • “Generate three unique character concepts for a heist film, including their motivations and backstories.”
  • Focus: Detailed prompts that describe character traits, relationships, and desired impact on the audience.
• 3. Plot Structure:
  • Traditional: Screenwriters adhere to classic storytelling structures like the three-act structure, ensuring a clear beginning, rising action, climax, and resolution.
  • AI Prompting:
    • “Suggest three potential plot twists for a romantic comedy film.”
    • “Help me brainstorm ideas for a scene where the protagonist has to make a difficult moral choice.”
  • Focus: Prompts that guide the AI towards specific plot points, turning points, and narrative arcs.
• 4. Scene Construction:
  • Traditional: Screenwriters carefully craft each scene, focusing on dialogue, action, and visual descriptions.
  • AI Prompting:
    • “Write a witty and sarcastic exchange between two characters arguing over a parking spot.”
    • “Describe the opening scene of a horror film set in an abandoned asylum.”
  • Focus: Specific prompts that define the scene’s purpose, setting, characters involved, and desired tone.
• 5. Dialogue:
  • Traditional: Screenwriters strive for authentic, engaging, and character-driven dialogue.
  • AI Prompting:
    • “Write a dialogue scene between a young, rebellious teenager and their strict, conservative parent.”
    • “Generate dialogue for a scene where two detectives interrogate a suspicious witness.”
  • Focus: Prompts that specify the characters, their relationships, and the desired tone and style of the dialogue.

10 Essential Tips for Writing Efficient AI Prompts:

1. Be Specific and Concise:
   • Avoid ambiguity. The more specific your prompt, the more accurate and relevant the AI’s response will be.
   • Use precise language and avoid unnecessary words.
2. Provide Context:
   • Give the AI relevant background information, such as the topic, style, tone, or target audience.
   • This helps the AI understand the desired output better.
3. Use Keywords and Phrases:
   • Incorporate keywords that are relevant to the desired outcome.
   • For example, if you want a humorous response, include words like “witty,” “sarcastic,” or “funny.”
4. Break Down Complex Tasks:
   • For complex tasks, break them down into smaller, more manageable sub-prompts.
   • This improves the clarity and increases the chances of getting the desired output.
5. Experiment with Different Prompts:
   • Try different phrasing and variations of your prompt to see how it affects the AI’s response.
   • This can help you discover unexpected and creative results.
6. Use Examples:
   • Provide examples of the desired output to guide the AI’s understanding.
   • This can be particularly helpful for creative tasks like writing or image generation.
7. Set Constraints:
   • Specify limitations such as word count, format, or style to guide the AI’s output and prevent irrelevant information.
8. Iterate and Refine:
   • Don’t be afraid to revise and refine your prompts based on the AI’s initial responses.
   • Experiment with different approaches to achieve the best results.
9. Consider the AI’s Strengths and Weaknesses:
   • Understand the strengths and limitations of the specific AI model you are using.
   • This will help you formulate prompts that are more likely to produce the desired outcome.
10. Be Patient and Persistent:

• Crafting effective prompts can sometimes require experimentation and iteration.
• Don’t get discouraged if your initial attempts don’t yield the desired results.

ARISTOTLE’S POETICS

Aristotle’s Poetics is a foundational work of literary theory that examines the principles of tragedy and other forms of poetry. He defines poetry as an imitative art that seeks to represent human experiences through language, rhythm, and harmony. Tragedy, according to Aristotle, is the most superior form of poetry, aiming to evoke pity and fear in the audience, ultimately leading to catharsis, the purging of these emotions. He identifies six key elements of tragedy: plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle, and song. Of these, plot is considered the most crucial, as it determines the overall structure and meaning of the play. A well-constructed plot should have a beginning, a middle, and an end, with a clear cause-and-effect relationship between events.

Aristotle also emphasizes the importance of character in tragedy. He argues that tragic heroes should be neither purely virtuous nor entirely wicked, but rather possess a tragic flaw (hamartia) that leads to their downfall. This flaw can be a mistake in judgment, a weakness of character, or a combination of both. Through the contemplation of tragic heroes and their misfortunes, audiences can gain a deeper understanding of human nature and the complexities of life.

While Aristotle doesn’t explicitly define specific “roles” in the way we might understand them today (e.g., protagonist, antagonist, supporting character), he outlines key characteristics that a tragic hero should possess:  

• Good: The hero should be morally upright and admirable, even if they possess a tragic flaw.  
• Appropriate: Their actions and decisions should be consistent with their character and social standing.  
• True to Life: The hero should be believable and relatable to the audience.  
• Consistent: Their personality and behavior should remain consistent throughout the play.

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PROJECTS

1. SONNET 1
   Ask ChatGPT to create a sonnet inspired by William Shakespeare on the most mundane subject of your choice. It must follow the accurate measure and rhythm of all traditional sonnets, and must use language from the 16th century. You must include the prompts you used in the submitted files.
2. SONNET 2
   Ask ChatGPT to transform the previous sonnet into XX1 Century English.
3. SHORT STORY
   Ask ChatGPT to create a 3 paragraph HORROR / or / SCIFI / or / LOVE short story. Adjust it to your liking,
4. SHORT SCRIPT
   Ask ChatGPT to convert the previous short story into a 5 page film script.