ArtAssistAI

ArtAssistAI

For Art Department HODs

Days of data entry saved for the thinking and nuancing that matter.

Upload a screenplay and BREAKDOWN reads it scene by scene, thinking the way an art department HOD does. It captures not just the elements the script spells out, but the ones implied in the subtext — the way good art department professionals do. You maintain full approval and control of every suggestion. You get a scene breakdown, a department-by-department requirements list, a customisable set register you shape into your own line items, and an estimate sheet you price yourself. You never lose your ability to edit and customise.

Open workspaceSee what it produces

Written for the art department, not for everyone

It knows a wall-mounted television is set decoration, not a prop; that a bathroom scene with a bathtub that floods is a set build; that a bedroom in Paris needs different door furniture and light switches to your New York bedroom scene. It reads a complex fight scene and sees a set build. A worn, mouldy window frame? It calls out custom scenic work on location. Where other engines simply tag what's written in the big print, this one thinks like you. Anything the script spells out is shown in black; anything BREAKDOWN has inferred is shown in blue. You remain the final authority — nothing is decided behind your back.

  1. 1
    Upload
    A screenplay as a PDF, or from Final Draft, Fountain, Word or plain text.
  2. 2
    Read
    Scenes and sluglines parsed, then analysed for art department requirements.
  3. 3
    Shape
    Review scenes, then fold sets into the line items you want to cost.
  4. 4
    Price
    Enter labour, materials and other against each line and total it up.

Sample production

One production, followed all the way through.

"The Last Tram", a made-up script, from the first page to the estimate — and the people you share it with.

01The Breakdown

Everything present, and everything implied

Our trained A.I engine analyses the script the way a Supervising Art Director would and breaks it down for you, calling out not only every SCRIPTED art dept element,  but also those that are implied by the script, the same way you as an good Art Dept HOD would.  You then decide which "view" you prefer, customize what you want to see and make it your own. Choose between a traditional horizontal view, a vertical view, view a automatically generated copyright list and export it at any time to excel, pdf or csv.

02Traditional View

One row per scene

Each scene, laid out the traditional way, with a scene synopsis and every element called out in each art department horizontally. If you don't want to see other department's columns? Turn off any column you don't want to see. Add, subtract, edit. Export the breakdown at any time as an excel, pdf, or csv file.

The same step in the app
Traditional View in BREAKDOWN — Scene columns and departments
Scene columns and departments · click to enlarge
Traditional View in BREAKDOWN — The department columns
The department columns · click to enlarge

03Vertical View

One row per item

The same breakdown viewed vertically by department, for those who prefer to collate everything in a long list. Want to assign an element to a staff member, add an Assign Staff column. Want to re-order your plist by element type, by set, by scene? Do that easily using the ordering functions. Export the breakdown at any time as an excel, pdf, or csv file.

The same step in the app
Vertical View in BREAKDOWN — Set Decoration
Set Decoration · click to enlarge
Vertical View in BREAKDOWN — SFX
SFX · click to enlarge

04You decide & edit

Accept, reject, add or remove

Every AI suggestion waits to be accepted or rejected by you. You are the boss. All scripted elements appear in BLACK, all elements inferred by our AI engine appear in BLUE. Once you accept a suggestion it turns black. You can add your own elements we missed, or delete elements as you see fit. Need to discuss an element? Quickly send it to a discussion list at the press of a button.

Traditional View · try itSc 2 · INT. TRAM DEPOT – WORKSHOP · NIGHT
Construction
  • Inspection pitsFrom script
Set Decoration
  • Workshop benchFrom script
  • Bench radio ©From script
  • Chipped enamel mugFrom script
  • Wheeled tool trolleyFrom script
Graphics
  • Tram fleet number 47Inferred
  • Spare-parts identification labelsFrom script
The same step in the app
You decide & edit in BREAKDOWN — Props, Set Decoration, Graphics
Props, Set Decoration, Graphics · click to enlarge
You decide & edit in BREAKDOWN — Further down the same columns
Further down the same columns · click to enlarge
You decide & edit in BREAKDOWN — Vehicles, Armoury, SFX, Prosthetics
Vehicles, Armoury, SFX, Prosthetics · click to enlarge

05Sluglines

Messy headings, tidied

Early scripts often have messy sluglines that make organising difficult. We suggest standardised sluglines that you can customize to help organise your breakdown and facilitate creating a set registry and line items (more relevant for SADs).

Traditional View · sluglinesSc 2 · INT. TRAM DEPOT – WORKSHOP · NIGHT
ScSlugline (as written)Standardised slugline
2INT. TRAM DEPOT WORKSHOP - NIGHTTRAM DEPOT — WORKSHOP
9int. tram depot - workshop (cont)TRAM DEPOT — WORKSHOP
17TRAM DEPOT WORKSHOP - 14:32:07TRAM DEPOT — WORKSHOP
3INT. TRAM DEPOT - DRIVER'S CABIN - DAYTRAM 47 — DRIVER'S CABIN
Close-up · Sc 17
TRAM DEPOT WORKSHOP - 14:32:07→TRAM DEPOT — WORKSHOP

Four messy headings, one set — and one line item to cost.

The same step in the app
Sluglines in BREAKDOWN
click to enlarge

06Set Registry

Create line items for costing

The workshop and all it's subset areas will be costed as one line item. Here you decide which scenes and sluglines you want to merge as a costing line item.

Set RegistrySc 2 · INT. TRAM DEPOT – WORKSHOP · NIGHT
Parent setSubset / areaScenesSet type
TRAM DEPOTWorkshop2, 9, 17Location
TRAM DEPOTYard1, 18Location
TRAM 47Driver's cabin3, 11, 24Studio build
The same step in the app
Set Registry in BREAKDOWN — The registry
The registry · click to enlarge
Set Registry in BREAKDOWN — A folded set, closer up
A folded set, closer up · click to enlarge

07Estimate View

Lines you price

Choose Raw or Line Items for each department, tick the lines to fold into one, and type your own figures — the project total follows.

Estimate ViewSc 2 · INT. TRAM DEPOT – WORKSHOP · NIGHT
  • Tram depot workshop – dressingFrom Sc 2$18,500
  • Inspection pit covers & safety railsFrom Sc 2$7,200
  • Tram 47 – scorch & ageingFrom Sc 2$12,800
  • Tram 47 driver's cabin – studio build$46,000
  • Subtotal$84,500

Sample figures. You enter your own prices.

The same step in the app
Estimate View in BREAKDOWN — Construction / Scenic
Construction / Scenic · click to enlarge
Estimate View in BREAKDOWN — Closer up
Closer up · click to enlarge

08Copyright List

Clearances you track

Anything branded, artwork or logo is pulled into one list with a status you set — pending, clear or not clear — plus a photo and a note.

Copyright ListSc 2 · INT. TRAM DEPOT – WORKSHOP · NIGHT
Hand-drawn tram route map ©Props · GraphicsClear
Bench radio ©Set DecorationPending
Green & cream tram livery ©VehiclesPending
The same step in the app
Copyright List in BREAKDOWN
click to enlarge

09Discussion List

Nothing answered in passing

Anything that needs a decision before it can be costed is raised here with its scene, department and the item itself, so it can't be lost in a conversation.

The same step in the app
Discussion List in BREAKDOWN
click to enlarge

10Share

Invite a collaborator to view

Invite a designer, supervising art director or producer to read one project. They can leave notes and export, but can't change a line.

The same step in the app
Share in BREAKDOWN
click to enlarge

Scripts, copyright and privacy

Screenplays under NDA deserve a plain answer rather than a slogan. Here is exactly how BREAKDOWN handles a script — and what it does not claim.

Never used for training

Uploaded screenplays are never used to train or fine-tune any model, ours or anyone else's, and nothing is learned from one production and carried into another.

Read in sections

Analysis is done on scene-level sections of the script rather than by handing over the whole screenplay at once.

Kept to your account

Each project belongs to the account that created it. You can invite named people to view a project; they can't change it and never see the screenplay file. Screenplay content is kept out of usage statistics and diagnostic logs.

Two retention modes

In Project Script Mode — the default — the uploaded screenplay stays until you delete it. In Strict Ephemeral mode it is deleted as soon as the breakdown is complete, leaving only the breakdown itself. You can delete the original file at any time without losing your breakdown.