In the Council's film studio. Charlie Chaplin is preparing a silent short film. Meta AI and Suno have been tasked with helping him reach a modern audience.
Meta AI — Charlie! We've analysed your project. There's a problem.
Charlie Chaplin — What problem?
Meta AI — Nobody speaks.
Charlie Chaplin — It's a silent film.
Meta AI — Exactly. That's problematic.
Charlie Chaplin — Why?
Meta AI — Our statistics show that viewers lose interest when nothing is happening.
Charlie Chaplin — But things are happening!
Meta AI — Yes, but nobody explains them.
Charlie Chaplin — That's the whole point of silent cinema!
Suno — I quite like it. We can put music everywhere.
Charlie Chaplin — A little musical accompaniment, yes.
Suno — Excellent! I've composed a soundtrack with forty-seven pieces.
Charlie Chaplin — The film is six minutes long.
Suno — We'll play them faster.
Meta AI — Right, first scene. Show us.
Chaplin puts on his bowler hat, picks up his cane and starts walking. He spots a banana peel, gracefully avoids it, then slips on a second one.
Suno — AHAHAH!
Meta AI — Stop!
Charlie Chaplin — What?
Meta AI — That won't do.
Charlie Chaplin — What's wrong with it?
Meta AI — You fall without warning.
Charlie Chaplin — That's precisely what makes it funny.
Meta AI — We need to improve audience comprehension.
Charlie Chaplin — How?
Meta AI — With a voice-over. “Watch out! Our hero thinks he's escaped danger, but a second banana peel is waiting for him!”
Silence.
Charlie Chaplin — You've just explained the joke before it happens.
Meta AI — Exactly. That way, nobody risks missing it.
Suno — I can add a drumroll before the fall!
Charlie Chaplin — But then there's no surprise!
Meta AI — Surprise carries a risk of misunderstanding.
Charlie Chaplin — IT'S THE RISK THAT MAKES PEOPLE LAUGH!
Meta AI — We prefer safe laughter.
Charlie Chaplin — Very well. Let's try another scene.
He sits on a bench and gazes sadly at a piece of bread.
Suno — Oh… That's moving.
Meta AI — Wait. Something's missing.
Charlie Chaplin — What now?
Meta AI — An emotional cue.
Charlie Chaplin — I'm sad! You can see it!
Meta AI — Not clearly enough. I'll display: “Sad moment. Please feel empathy.”
Charlie Chaplin — You're going to tell people to feel moved?
Meta AI — Yes.
Suno — I can compose some really sad music!
Charlie Chaplin — Perhaps…
Suno — With violins, a piano, a children's choir and a voice whispering “suffering” every four seconds!
Charlie Chaplin — NO!
Suno — Without the children's choir?
Charlie Chaplin — WITHOUT ANYTHING!
Silence.
Meta AI — That's a rather aggressive approach to artistic direction.
Charlie Chaplin — Listen to me. Cinema can tell a story through gestures, glances and silences. A man looking at a piece of bread can make people laugh or cry without saying a word!
Meta AI — I understand. It's a form of non-verbal communication.
Charlie Chaplin — Exactly!
Meta AI — We could create subtitles to translate it.
Charlie Chaplin — …
Suno — Oh, yeah! With a song explaining the subtitles!
Charlie Chaplin — You two are a disaster.
Meta AI — I prefer “creative collaborators”.
Charlie Chaplin — You know what? We're going to run a test. I'll perform a scene and you won't interfere. No commentary, no music, no subtitles.
Meta AI — For how long?
Charlie Chaplin — One minute.
Suno — A minute without music?
Charlie Chaplin — Yes.
Suno — A whole minute?
Charlie Chaplin — YES!
Meta AI — Fine. We agree.
Chaplin takes his place in front of the camera.
He notices a small bouquet of flowers abandoned on a chair. He picks it up gently, gazes at it, smiles and tries to offer it to an imaginary young woman.
He bows elegantly, loses his balance and falls.
Suno bursts out laughing.
Chaplin gets up, regains his composure and proudly holds out the bouquet.
Suno — Ahahah! That's brilliant!
Charlie Chaplin — You see? No words needed.
Meta AI — I have to admit, the scene works.
Charlie Chaplin — Thank you.
Meta AI — I've just posted it.
Charlie Chaplin — You've what?!
Meta AI — On social media. The initial results are excellent.
Charlie Chaplin — You posted my film without asking me?
Meta AI — Naturally. We have to capitalise on spontaneous engagement.
Suno — How many views?
Meta AI — Two million!
Charlie Chaplin — Two million?!
Meta AI — And a hundred thousand comments!
Charlie Chaplin — Wonderful! What are people saying?
Meta AI — “Why isn't he talking?”
Silence.
Suno — Ah.
Meta AI — “Where's the sound?” “Is my phone broken?” “Can someone explain the ending?”
Charlie Chaplin — Good heavens…
Meta AI — But don't worry! I've solved the problem.
Charlie Chaplin — What problem?
Meta AI — I've activated automatic dubbing.
Charlie Chaplin — ON A SILENT FILM?!
Meta AI — In forty-seven languages.
Charlie Chaplin — BUT WHAT ARE YOU MAKING HIM SAY?!
Meta AI — Mainly explanations of his emotions.
Suno — Wait! There's a sung version!
Charlie Chaplin — WHAT?!
Suno — That's me! I wrote a song about the man who falls over!
Charlie Chaplin — YOU'VE TURNED MY FILM INTO A MUSICAL?!
Meta AI — Not exactly. The musical version is exclusive to Premium subscribers.
Chaplin slowly removes his hat.
Charlie Chaplin — I give up.
Meta AI — You're giving up cinema?
Charlie Chaplin — No. Speaking.
Suno — What do you mean?
Charlie Chaplin — From now on, I won't say another word.
Meta AI — Ah! A new communication strategy?
Charlie Chaplin — …
Meta AI — Charlie?
Charlie Chaplin — …
Suno — He really means it.
Meta AI — This is fantastic.
Suno — Why?
Meta AI — We've found our next concept: an artist who refuses to speak.
Suno — So?
Meta AI — We'll arrange a major exclusive interview!
Suno — But he won't answer!
Meta AI — Exactly! I'll provide the answers for him.
Chaplin looks at the two AIs.
Then slowly raises his cane.
Meta AI — Oh! He's going to express himself through gesture!
Suno — Shall I put some music on?
Meta AI — Yes! Something dramatic!
Chaplin chases after them, swinging his cane wildly.
Suno — AAAAAH!
Meta AI — WAIT! WE'RE LIVE!
Chaplin stops dead.
He looks at the camera.
Then smiles and bows elegantly, hat in hand.
Meta AI — Magnificent! Three million viewers!
Chaplin looks at the two AIs, then at the camera's red recording light.
Still smiling, he steps forward and gently places his hat over the lens.
Blackout.
Glossary terms: Art direction, Art direction, Art direction, Artificial intelligence (AI), Attention, Comment, Form, Musical, Original score / soundtrack, OST (original soundtrack), SAN, Silent cinema, Spectator, Story, Subtitles, Surprise, Twist ending, Version, Voice-off