It’s not difficult to understand the appeal of intricate artificial worlds in works of fiction. They don’t just give us a new narrative to digest, but an entirely new universe with its own logic, laws and rules, and we – the audience – are invited to become participants. But should great works of fiction demand more from readers and viewers than merely assisting in worldbuilding? Incisively written by the US blogger Evan Puschak (also known as The Nerdwriter), The Perils of Worldbulding is a shrewd take on the appeal of imagined worlds, and their potential pitfalls.
Video by The Nerdwriter
videoFilm and visual culture
Space and time expand, contract and combust in this propulsive animation
5 minutes
videoMaking
On the Norwegian coast, a tree is transformed into a boat the old-fashioned way
6 minutes
videoBiology
Butterflies become unrecognisable landscapes when viewed under electron microscopes
4 minutes
videoNature and landscape
California’s landscapes provide endless inspiration for a woodcut printmaker
10 minutes
videoStories and literature
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14 minutes
videoGender
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16 minutes
videoFilm and visual culture
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8 minutes
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Replicating Shakespearean-era printing brings its own dramas and comedy
19 minutes
videoTechnology and the self
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7 minutes