ABSTRACT
The World Building Institute (Wbi) and its World Building Media Lab (WbML), part of the Media Arts and Practices program at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, explore how narrative design and emerging narrative technologies can be deployed to solve real-world problems. By drawing students from multiple schools across the university, the Wbi and WbML bring together filmmakers, game designers, writers, artists, musicians, computer programmers, scientists, architects, economists, and more to collaboratively envision new worlds – from fully imaginary storyworlds to future scenarios for our own world. Examples of this methodology in action, as well as examples of its benefits, can be found in two recent projects: The Rilao Project and Dry City.
