At a time when dystopian fiction presents certain futures as unique and inevitable, this workshop offers a space to construct alternative narratives. Through an accessible and experimental process, you will learn the fundamentals of world building, enabling you to create a world with internal coherence. You will also explore different storytelling techniques and expand them into various formats.

In contrast to the classical approach, where the narrative universe is constructed to serve the story, Alex McDowell's methodology—developed and applied within the international consortium Junk—conceives of worlds as living systems with multiple interdependent layers. From this complex structure emerge autonomous perspectives that share the same narrative ecosystem.

This second edition is inspired by islands as a symbol of rebirth and expands on the experience of the previous edition, under the premise: What if the future began with new questions? Over six sessions, you will construct a future world in its various dimensions. This will allow you to observe the present from a different perspective and reflect on the structures that underpin our shared lives, the forms of power we take for granted, and what more equitable or sustainable alternatives could be implemented. The workshop combines critical analysis with narrative design to explore, through stories, what transformations in the present are necessary to open up other possible futures. It also offers valuable tools for artists and designers working in film and video games, as well as for activists and educators.

Creating a world begins with a question. We invite you to formulate it collectively and design the environment that allows you to test it.

Program

Wednesday, November 11

Introduction to World Building. The collapse. Causes and consequences.

Thursday, November 12

Timeline, geopolitical map and geographical selection of the island.

Wednesday, November 18

New rules for a new world.

Thursday, November 19

Inhabitants, relationships and daily life.

Wednesday, November 25

A day on the island. Stories and experiences.

Thursday, November 26

Presentation of the world. The island as a possible and aspirational metaphor.

Taught by

Helena Galán Fajardo holds a PhD in Audiovisual Communication, is a tenured professor at Carlos III University of Madrid, and specializes in narrative, screenwriting, new media, and social imaginaries. She is a member of the Junk International Consortium (USC), the Institute of Gender Studies at UC3M, and the Ibero-American Network of Audiovisual Narratives (Red INAV).

Mario Vera Loor is a filmmaker and cultural manager, with a degree in Cinematography from the University of kyiv and a master's degree in Film Industry Management from the Carlos III University of Madrid. His work focuses on digital narratives, museography, and the development of forward-looking projects, combining audiovisual creation and the design of cultural experiences.

Partners

World Building Planet Junk Consortium.

Futuropias.

Who may be interested

The workshop is open to anyone interested in world-building and storytelling, with no prior experience required. It will be especially useful for writers, filmmakers, artists, designers, video game professionals, teachers, researchers, cultural mediators, and activists who want to incorporate collaborative creation tools into their projects.

Information and registration

To register, write to workshops@circulobellasartes.com indicating the workshop name what you want to do

If you need more information, you can contact us at workshops@circulobellasartes.com or 600 711 242.

Places available: 18 (minimum 12 people registered for the workshop to take place).