In a post on the Stage 32 blog, Eyo Obot shares worldbuilding tips from the animated series, Arcane. “The economic, political, and ideological forces of our society or the world at large make an immense impact on individuals,” Obot says. “This can also be applied to world-building in film, television, and animation. The place our characters live in influences their journey, story, and behavior.”
Obot shares a number of tips from Arcane:
- Start small. No matter the size of your story world, you should start with a constrained setting, to allow you audience to acclimate without being overwhelmed with information. Robert McKee has said the small the world, the more complex and complete your knowledge of it, and the longer your list of creative choices.
- Make sure your world’s rules and laws are consistent. This applies not only to your world’s legal system, but its cultural mores and laws of magic and science.
- Use worldbuilding to enhance character development and move the plot. In Arcane, society is divided into an upper class and an Undercity, creating tension between the two classes and obstacles for characters whose goals are denied them.
- Set restrictions. No place is perfect, and your story world shouldn’t be either. Technological, social, and emotional weaknesses can make your setting more compelling.
