The process of globalization has created what one can call a transcultural era, in that screenwriters can embrace a more transcultural view of screenwriting, adopt a more flexible approach to storytelling and write stories that transcend cultural boundaries. However, not all independent screenwriters have access to the means to pay professional translators to adapt their work. In response to these concerns, this practice-based research article investigates the application of artificial intelligence (AI) as a practical and low-cost tool for translating screenplays. Specifically, the study focuses on translating a feature-length screenplay from English into Korean to systematically test the capability of AI to translate dialogue and scene descriptions to create a screenplay suitable for presentation to Korean-speaking collaborators. The study explores the efficiency and accuracy of AI as an intermediate translator that can facilitate seamless language translation while preserving the natural and nuanced expressions essential to screenwriting; it utilizes OpenAI’s natural language processing (NLP) technology for translations and conducts a comparative analysis between human and AI-generated translations to assess fidelity to the original intent, emotional impact and dialogue coherence. By evaluating the strengths and limitations of AI as an intermediate translator, the research aims to establish a framework for optimal human-AI collaboration that may benefit screenwriters who wish to embrace the opportunities available in this transcultural era.
Tom Carter (Sat,) studied this question.