These hearts are beating enthusiastically. Besides Harry’s
passionate leadership as executive producer of our documentary
on food insecurity in Philadelphia, I Am Hungry In Philadelphia, he is
also channeling some of that passion and energy into a couple of
our narrative film projects.
While already quite controversial in many circles, not the least of
which involves screenwriting, we see the conscientious use of
artificial intelligence as having some benefits. No, nobody is
saying that a software program has better taste and insights than
a human being but sometimes, often even, it might not be
convenient to ask a friend to read a screenplay or submit it to
coverage service for feedback. So, we took the leap and let
Greenlight AI take a look at a couple of our screenplays.
Triple A, is the inspiring but heart wrenching true story of Harry’s late
younger brother Bradley’s love of baseball and Harry’s father
risking his career as an international banker to ensure that his son
could enjoy one last season of Little League even if it meant
creating a whole new division of the sport. The AI scored an
impressive 8.5 out of 10 and received the following feedback “this
is a heartwarming, engaging screenplay with well-developed main
characters and emotional resonance.The plotting and dialogue
are effective. With its uplifting yet grounded story and messages, I
believe this script has strong potential.”
Next, we decided to see what the program had to say about
Metronome, loosely based on the way Harry found himself when
he was the most lost following the death of his brother and
nagging uncertainty about his professional future. Harry found
himself and his place in the world in, quite possibly, the last place
he would have ever thought to look, the legendary Philadelphia
jazz club Zanzibar Blue in the 1990s. Screenwriter David J.
Greenberg did not want to take a conventional approach with this
screenplay, he wanted it to flow like a jazz piece itself, which
proved to be a challenge.
Still, the A.I. liked it overall, giving it a 7.5 out of 10 – not bad for a
screenplay written without following many of the established
“rules” of screenwriting. In highlighting the way in which the
screenplay works well, the report said “The central character Alex
goes on a compelling personal journey of self-discovery. We see
him struggling with expectations from his wealthy family and trying
to figure out his path in life. His experiences working at the jazz
club allow him to explore new worlds and perspectives.The jazz
club, Zanzibar Blue, is vividly portrayed as a vibrant cultural hub.
The atmosphere and array of passionate musicians and patrons
help expose Alex to jazz music and culture.Alex’s relationships
with characters like Michelle, April, and Dave are well developed.
Through their conversations and wisdom, he gains insights into jazz, life, and finding one’s
rhythm.The script captures the rich musical history and local
flavor of Philadelphia’s jazz scene. The music itself takes on an
important role in Alex’s transformation.”
While the focus is on the documentary right now, this positive
feedback on these two narrative screenplays is awfully
encouraging so do not be surprised to see one or both fast-
tracked into production in the near future.