FW Film Treatments — 17 Unique Submissions Analyzed
Multi-pass analysis combining automated lexical scanning (em dashes, AI vocabulary, filler density, sentence uniformity) with qualitative deep-dive by 4 parallel AI subagents. Reference framework: ai-writing-detection.md (Grammarly 2025, Microsoft 365, GPTHuman, Rolling Stone).
The complete absence of Setswana, zero typos, perfectly structured paragraphs, and aphoristic moral closings are hallmarks of AI-generated prose. Every other Botswana filmmaker in this batch naturally code-switches — this treatment writes about Botswana with sterile remove. The final two paragraphs read like an AI tasked with "write a thematic conclusion."
The underlying story concept is original and culturally specific — the tea motif is creative, characters have real names and complexity, and the unresolved ending shows writerly maturity. However, the prose is uniformly AI-polished: triple-adjective patterns ("articulate, glamorous, and professionally sharp"), clean em-dash analytical insertions, and thematic-arc language that belongs in a pitch template. The consistency of tone and absence of rough edges is itself a signal.
The core concept (literal bones as metaphor) is strong and likely the writer's original idea, but the prose wrapping has the smooth, self-congratulatory quality of AI pitch writing. Zero Setswana despite a Gaborone setting. The closing paragraph is AI-generated with near certainty — it contains every structural tell: thematic summation, "inviting audiences," abstract value statement, and a final aphoristic line.
Two distinct registers visible: a human creative voice (the Annie memory, the Protector section) alongside abstract philosophical sections with AI's smooth aphoristic cadence. "navigate life with logic" is a clear AI verb. Most likely a human writer who used AI to flesh out the more abstract mirror-personalities (FORGIVENESS, LIFE IN GENERAL).
Core story and cultural detail feel genuinely human — the Okavango setting, Bayei cultural knowledge, and radio-station premise are specific in ways suggesting real authorship. However, prose framing has a polished journalistic cleanliness suggesting AI assistance in drafting. The writer bio section ("amplifying underrepresented voices while maintaining cinematic depth") tips almost entirely toward AI-generated language.
The treatment body is too brief to flag strongly, but the writer bio is the clearest AI signal — it follows the AI-generated professional bio template almost exactly ("authentic African narratives rooted in identity, heritage, and social transformation", "committed to contributing to Botswana's film industry"). Story idea itself is human-originated with real geographic specificity.
Formatting artifacts (duplicate header text) indicate a real document origin, and the incompleteness (Act 3 is just three words) suggests a human who ran out of time. However, the synopsis language is noticeably smoother than the dialogue, and "a web of silence, corruption, and dark secrets" is genre cliché in clean AI triple-noun form.
Split signature — the core story and cultural details carry genuine local knowledge (Mmakutlwano naming convention, phuthadikobo ward, Bakwena lobola protocols). However the Visual Style section and thematic summary read AI-polished ("true wealth is not counted in cattle, but in responsibility and respect"). The typo "recue" is a clear human fingerprint. Most likely a human writer who used AI to round out sections like tone and visual language.
Most likely human-written, with the outline format accounting for organizational tidiness. The cultural specificity (Ngamiland, Tswapong, kgotla tree) and visual imagination ("one eye visible" — a striking, unusual detail AI wouldn't invent) point to genuine authorship. Minor signals cluster around the logline framing ("preserving their people's future while sacrificing their own personal happiness") and one schematic sacrifices list.
The most distinctively voiced treatment in the entire set. Combination of a human typo ("A page no turns willingly"), fresh darkly comic dialogue, an original metaphysical conceit (lifespan as numbered book pages), and a dramatically ironic Scene 3 twist all strongly indicate human authorship. "LIFE happened" as a pun is a human wit moment.
Written in a compressed, disciplined style AI almost never produces — minimal sentences, no padding, emotional beats delivered through physical action and withholding. "This is not negotiation." is three words. AI inflates. The deliberate incompleteness of the final image ("We do not hear the full ending / We only see the children listening") is a sophisticated human craft decision.
Clearest evidence of genuine human authorship in the high-concern batch. Grammar error "how our environment have an impact" is Setswana-influenced English that AI can't produce. "One-room 2 and half house" is hyperlocal Botswana township vocabulary. Missing section 8 is a human organizational error. SOS Children's Village is a real specific institution.
The Setswana code-switching alone is disqualifying for AI authorship — too naturalistic, too specific to Gaborone register. Authentic typos throughout: "swamming" (swarming), "Nancy is glad on her wedding gown" (clad), "schemes through it" (skims). "The math is not mathing" is contemporary vernacular used naturally. The longest treatment at 6,468 words — no AI fingerprints found.
The sheer volume of consistent typos rules out AI near-certainly — "becasue," "immediatley," "suppoused," "accidentatly." Deep knowledge of Bogwera (traditional male initiation) with specific ritual objects. Character names carry cultural meaning (Botlhole = "poison"). The fire ritual escalating to injury has a human dramatic specificity.
The treatment's restraint is its most human quality — AI tends to over-explain symbolism; this deliberately withholds. Zero AI vocabulary across the entire text. "Gives away a pen without explanation, already separating herself from a future she can no longer claim" is precise and earned. The white garment community specificity and spare dialogue point to a writer who knows what to leave out.
The roughest treatment in the batch — and that roughness is its most convincing human signal. AI does not produce incomplete sentences, dropped articles, or ambiguous narrative threads. "Cringes at returning to the sad cynical world of people" is idiosyncratic. "Mowana is the Baobab Tree that is 100 years old, a wise teacher tree" is brief, sketch-like, personal.
The density of verifiable hyper-local historical references is the strongest signal of human authorship. The Tlokweng bombing ending undercuts the feelgood resolution — a risky dramatic choice AI would smooth away. Djibril Diop Mambéty / Touki Bouki (1973) is an obscure West African art cinema reference showing genuine cinephile knowledge. BCGSEs, Brenda Fassie, and the "Motho le Motho Kgomo" UB initiative are all precisely deployed.
Pass 1 — Automated lexical scan (Python script against all 23 files):
Pass 2 — Qualitative deep-dive (4 parallel Claude subagents):
Reference framework: ai-writing-detection.md from coreyhaines31/marketingskills — sourced from Grammarly 2025, Microsoft 365, GPTHuman, Rolling Stone, MDPI Blog.
Duplicates excluded: KAGO MOCHOTLHI (2 identical PDFs), MOTHO LE MOTHO SENGWE (2 identical PDFs), PESA/PESALEMA RAPOO (2 identical PDFs). Bios (SETSO SIANE PROFILE, TSHEPANG RAWSON BIO, MONNAWALETSATSI BIO) excluded from treatment analysis.