Comedy Copyright – ChatGPT follow Up

Stephen O'Donnell

Blog, comedy, Featured, writing

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comedycopyright

What follows is an experiment using Chat GPT to work as a scriptwriter.

I started with this as a prompt, to initiate a response:

You are a script writer, with an expertise in writing dialogue. Can you write a screenplay from this short story, including dialogue for the characters?

FADE IN:

EXT. GLASGOW – NIGHT

Gerry and his colleagues are drinking heavily at the office Christmas party.

GERRY: (slurring) Hey boss, you’re a f***ing miserable git.

BOSS: (offended) Excuse me? You’re fired!

GERRY: (shocked) What?! You can’t fire me!

BOSS: (angrily) Watch me!

INT. PAISLEY HOME – MORNING

Gerry wakes up in the spare room to the sound of his wife’s scream.

WIFE: (angrily) What the hell is this?!

Gerry sees that he is in bed with his much younger sister-in-law, Loreta.

GERRY: (defensive) Nothing happened, I swear!

WIFE: (skeptical) Don’t lie to me!

Loreta is too scared to speak up and corroborate Gerry’s story.

INT. AIRPORT – DAY

Gerry is boarding a plane to Germany.

GERRY: (to himself) I need to get out of here before Mario and Romolo catch up with me.

INT. BAR IN PHOENIX – NIGHT

Gerry is working as a bartender in the bar owned by Paul Gambetta.

PAUL: (to Gerry) You should try stand-up comedy. You’ve got the gift of the gab.

GERRY: (skeptical) I don’t know, Paulie. I’ve never written my own material.

PAUL: (nonchalantly) Just borrow some jokes. Who’s gonna know?

INT. TV STUDIO – DAY

Gerry is appearing on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

CRAIG: (to Gerry) These jokes sound familiar. Are you from Glasgow?

GERRY: (nervously) Uh, no. I’m from Phoenix.

CRAIG: (skeptical) Really? You sure you’re not Scottish?

Gerry breaks down and confesses to stealing the material from old-time Scottish comics.

INT. TV STUDIO – LATER

The Di Mascio brothers and the Gambetta family confront Gerry on stage.

DI MASCIO BROTHERS: (angrily) We’re gonna kill you, Gerry!

PAUL: (to the brothers) Back off, boys. He’s my client.

The Gambetta hoods arrive and attack the Di Mascio brothers.

INT. LAS VEGAS THEATER – NIGHT

Gerry is performing classic comedy routines with a modern twist.

GERRY: (to the audience) Thanks for coming out tonight. And a special thanks to Chic Murray for all the laughs.

The audience applauds and cheers.

FADE OUT.

What follows is an experiment using Chat GPT to work as a scriptwriter.

I started with this as a prompt, to initiate a response:

You are a script writer, with an expertise in writing dialogue. Can you write a screenplay from this short story, including dialogue for the characters?

FADE IN:

EXT. GLASGOW – NIGHT

Gerry and his colleagues are drinking heavily at the office Christmas party.

GERRY: (slurring) Hey boss, you’re a f***ing miserable git.

BOSS: (offended) Excuse me? You’re fired!

GERRY: (shocked) What?! You can’t fire me!

BOSS: (angrily) Watch me!

INT. PAISLEY HOME – MORNING

Gerry wakes up in the spare room to the sound of his wife’s scream.

WIFE: (angrily) What the hell is this?!

Gerry sees that he is in bed with his much younger sister-in-law, Loreta.

GERRY: (defensive) Nothing happened, I swear!

WIFE: (skeptical) Don’t lie to me!

Loreta is too scared to speak up and corroborate Gerry’s story.

WIFE: (suspiciously) “Don’t play dumb with me, Gerry. You know what you did.”

GERRY: “I swear, I don’t remember anything after the fourth pint. Did I embarrass myself in front of the boss again?”

WIFE: “You did more than embarrass yourself. You got into bed with my sister, Gerry. How could you do something like that?”

GERRY: (shocked) “What? No, I would never…I mean, I didn’t even know she was here.”

WIFE: (angrily) “Save it, Gerry. I don’t want to hear your lies. Get out of my sight before I do something I regret.”

GERRY: “Please, let me explain…”

WIFE: “There’s nothing to explain. Just leave.”

INT. AIRPORT – DAY

Gerry is boarding a plane to Germany.

GERRY: (to himself) I need to get out of here before Mario and Romolo catch up with me.

INT. BAR IN PHOENIX – NIGHT

Gerry is working as a bartender in the bar owned by Paul Gambetta.

PAUL: (to Gerry) You should try stand-up comedy. You’ve got the gift of the gab.

GERRY: (skeptical) I don’t know, Paulie. I’ve never written my own material.

PAUL: (nonchalantly) Just borrow some jokes. Who’s gonna know?

CUT TO GERRY ON STAGE:

“I went to the doctor and told him I broke my arm in two places. He told me to stop going to those places.”
“I was in a restaurant and asked the waiter how they prepare their chicken. He said, ‘We just tell them they’re going to die.'”
“I told my wife I was going to make a sandwich, and she said, ‘What kind of sandwich?’ I said, ‘One with bread and filling, what do you think? A bicycle?'”
“I’m not saying my wife is a bad cook, but last night she made a cake that was so dense, the only thing it could lift was her spirits.”
“I went to a restaurant and ordered the fish. The waiter asked me if I wanted it grilled or fried. I said, ‘Surprise me.’ He brought me a fish that was both grilled and fried. It was like eating a boot with fins.”

INT. BAR IN PHOENIX – MORNING

PAULIE: “So, you’re on the run from the Di Mascio family? That’s not good, my friend.”

GERRY: “Tell me about it. They’re like a pack of wolves, always looking for their next victim.”

PAULIE: “I know the feeling. I had to leave New York because I was suspected of snitching on my own family.”

GERRY: “That’s rough. But how did you end up in Phoenix?”

PAULIE: “I had some money saved up, and I always wanted to own a bar. Figured it was a good place to lay low for a while.”

GERRY: “And now you’re managing me? You must be crazy, Paulie.”

PAULIE: “Maybe I am. But you’re good, Gerry. You’ve got talent. And you’re making a name for yourself here.”

GERRY: “Thanks, Paulie. I owe you one.”

PAULIE: “Don’t mention it. We’re in this together now.”

INT. TV STUDIO – DAY

Gerry is appearing on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

CRAIG: (to Gerry) These jokes sound familiar. Are you from Glasgow?

GERRY: (nervously) Uh, no. I’m from Phoenix.

CRAIG: (skeptical) Really? You sure you’re not Scottish?

Gerry breaks down and confesses to stealing the material from old-time Scottish comics.

INT. TV STUDIO – LATER

The Di Mascio brothers and the Gambetta family confront Gerry on stage.

DI MASCIO BROTHERS: (angrily) We’re gonna kill you, Gerry!

PAUL: (to the brothers) Back off, boys. He’s my client.

The Gambetta hoods arrive and attack the Di Mascio brothers.

INT. LAS VEGAS THEATER – NIGHT

Gerry is performing classic comedy routines with a modern twist.

GERRY: (to the audience) Thanks for coming out tonight. And a special thanks to Chic Murray for all the laughs.

The audience applauds and cheers.

FADE OUT.

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Stephen O'Donnell

Stephen O'Donnell is a lifelong recruiter, internet enthusiast, fadgadget and peripatetic writer.