Notes from a session with Marc Bernardin, Naren Shankar, and Emily Carmichael about building worlds at the ScreenCraft Writers Summit 2021.

If research not a favorite thing, work on story first and do targeted rather than general research.

Research depends on story.

Uses research to make the story feel real.

Make rules of the world feel consistent (not necessarily truly and fully consistent). Otherwise, audience notice.

When watching a show, the small details don’t make as much of difference to enjoying show. Just shoot for audience not noticing as much.

Art analogy. Your job is not to represent the objects but to use the objects to get to your painting.

Use of experts: Ask what doesn’t feel right.

Levels of research: Star Trek vs For All Mankind requires different levels of research.