One of the greatest joys in writing for me is worldbuilding. For those who may not know, worldbuilding is the multi-layered process of using your imagination to create a world or entire universe. In fiction, cinema, and television, this process helps the audience get lost in the story and focus only on the narrative at hand.
It happens every time you sit down to write anything. You have to establish the tone, rules of the world, and even set audience expectations.
So how can you improve on your worldbuilding skills?
The simple answer is to just write a lot more.
But as your writing, I wanted to come up with eleven tips to keep in mind. You don't have to use all of them. You may use three or four of these tips at a time to get your point across. These ideas are all skewed around you building the best world possible.
Check them out below.
'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
11 Ways To Establish Worldbuilding in Your Story
Worldbuilding is a crucial aspect of storytelling, whether it's in movies, TV shows, or books. Creating a rich and immersive world can transport the audience to a different time or place, making the story all the more compelling.
When done well, worldbuilding can add depth to characters, drive the plot forward, and make the story more memorable. In this article, we will explore the art of worldbuilding in movies and TV shows.
From epic fantasy realms to dystopian futures, we will delve into the details that make these worlds come to life on screen.
'Prometheus'Credit: 20th Century Fox
1. Start with a Clear Vision
Before you start writing, have a clear idea of the world you want to create. Consider the culture, geography, history, technology, and magic system of your world. Spell it all out in the simplest of terms.
Write a lot of notes to yourself and plan how you're going to deliver this information to the audience. Think about how the Harry Potter books and movies slowly reveal more and more about the magical world to use. Just enough to keep us reading further.
'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
2. Use Sensory Details
Use vivid sensory details to immerse the reader in your world. Describe the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of the environment to create a fully realized setting. You're building a world.
Think about the layers that are required. Even though film and TV are visual mediums, you want to add details like this to enhance.
Like inGame of Thrones, I feel like I can smell the difference between Flea Bottom and Dragonstone.
'Game of Thrones'Credit: Warner Bros. Television Distribution
3. Incorporate Worldbuilding into Dialogue
Use dialogue to reveal cultural nuances, local customs, and the unique features of the world. Have characters discuss events, politics, and technology to help establish the rules of the world.
Do people have accents or diction that change? Are there ongoing rivals trying to be rulers? Or could you build out landscapes by having people point them out?
Think about how the Shire is highlighted in The Lord of the Ringsand The Hobbit. The Shire helps to characterize the Hobbits that live in the Shire, and their actions throughout both series.
'The Hobbit'Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
4. Introduce the World Gradually
Avoid information dumps and introduce the world gradually. Show, don't tell, and let the reader discover the world through the characters' experiences.
So many people just dump all the rules upfront. You want to lay them out as the story unfolds. One of my favorite movies that does this is The Terminator. The only thing we have to know upfront is that someone is trying to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). As we go, we learn about the future, her eventual son, and the fall of mankind.
'The Terminator'Credit: Orion Pictures
5. Create a Map
A map can help readers visualize the geography and locations in your world. It also adds to the sense of realism and helps readers navigate the story.
I saw this trick on TikiTok where people dump rice out onto paper and trace the outline, and then they use that as a map of their world.
The point is, make your world feel tangible and real.
A map of Middle Earth, drawn for the original LOTR trilogyCredit: Allen & Unwin
6. Develop a History
Create a history for your world that informs the present. Consider how events in the past have shaped the culture and technology of the world. What's happened in the past? How does that affect the world now?
Are there old feuds, stolen artifacts, or bad blood?
Think about Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. We have two guys in the present with past issues. We also have a new world from them to try to understand and to figure out the past, to know why their relationship evolved this way.
'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'Credit: Paramount Pictures
7. Establish Social Structures
Consider the social structures in your world, such as class systems, gender roles, and power structures. Show how characters interact with these structures. How are men and women viewed in this society? What is the social strata?
This often gets brought up in fantasy, but it matters in anything you're writing. Think about Deadwood, which had to set the rules in the old west. You have to learn that because it's so different than today. and it explains who can do what in that town. and who holds the power.
'Deadwood'Credit: HBO Enterprises/Paramount Global Content Distribution
8. Develop a Magic System
If your world has magic, create a clear and consistent magic system. Establish the rules, limitations, and consequences of magic use. This one is not mandatory, but many people find it helpful.
Magic can build a world out. who can do it and why they can do it matters.
Think about a TV show like Charmed. They had to establish who was a witch and what those witches could do at any moment.
'Charmed'Credit: CBS Television Distribution
9. Show the Impact of the Environment
Consider how the environment affects the characters and the world. Show how the characters adapt to the weather, terrain, and natural resources of the world. What's the weather like in this world and how does the natural landscape work with or against characters?
In a movie like The Revenant, we learn so much about the environment. We see the force of the animals, the winters, the rovers, and the snow. They create an unforgiving world that shows what settlers battled.
'The Revenant'Credit: 20th Century Fox
10. Use Symbolism
Use symbols to represent themes or ideas in the world. For example, a symbol of a bird might represent freedom or hope. In a series like The Hunger Games, we meet all sorts of symbols. the Mockingjay becomes one of freedom and hope, and it is emblazoned on our lead character.
You can show a lot about a society with what they believe and what they yearn for.
'The Hunger Games'Credit: Lionsgate
11. Create a Unique Language
Create a unique language or slang for the world. This can help establish the culture and add to the sense of immersion.
Think about how the elves speak in The Lord of the Rings. You don't have to phonetically spell it out, but you could just say they do in the action and figure it out later. Anything to add some texture to the world.
The One Ring from 'The Lord of the Rings'Credit: New Line Cinema
Summing Up Tips on Worldbuilding
worldbuilding is a vital tool for creating unforgettable stories that capture the imagination and transport us to new and exciting worlds. Through our exploration of worldbuilding in movies and TV shows, we've seen how the tiniest details can make all the difference in creating a rich and immersive world.
From developing intricate magic systems to crafting believable histories and cultures, the art of worldbuilding is a delicate balance of creativity and consistency. We hope this blog has provided you with some valuable insights and inspiration for your storytelling endeavors.
So, whether you're a filmmaker, writer, or simply a lover of great stories, we encourage you to keep exploring the many worlds that await you on screen and the page.
Who knows, maybe the next great world will be one of your creations.
Go get writing.
