The World Builders: The Influence Of Fantasy Tickets and Dates

A day of talks exploring the creation of worlds within filmmaking and game-design.

This event will take place in the British Library. All sessions will be simultaneously live streamed on the British Library platform.

In person tickets can be booked for the whole day, or for single sessions by visiting the session pages below.

Alternatively, online day tickets can be booked to watch all four sessions either live or within 48 hours on catch up. Viewing links for the online version will be sent out shortly before the event.

To close the British Library exhibition Fantasy: Realms of Imagination, this day of talks and discussions explores the creation of worlds within filmmaking and game-design. Bringing together leading production designers, game designers, costume designers, concept artists and illustrators, we look into their sources of inspiration in the fantasy genre and how it has influenced contemporary popular culture.

Panels explore the influence of fantasy fiction on contemporary film and TV world building, and how extraordinary architecture is portrayed on screen. We also look at the impact of machine learning on the future of film and game design.

Half price tickets available for British Library Members, students, under 26s and other concession groups.

11.00              Doors open

11.30 – 12.30  World Building in Games 

A session from BAFTA highlighting its Young Game Designers initiative for 10-18s. Game design professionals (to be announced) and past YGD finalists will discuss world building in games and how fantasy has inspired them.  A drop-in (unticketed) games concept workshop will also be running throughout the afternoon in the main Entrance Hall where you can find out more.

Visit the event page to book single-session in-person tickets. 

13.15 – 14.15  The Architecture of Fantasy in Film: from Anna Karenina to Barbie

Sarah Greenwood, production designer, and Katie Spencer, set decorator, discuss the worlds they created for Anna Karenina (dir. Joe Wright) and its ‘design cousin’ Barbie (dir Greta Gerwig) and how each draws on specific historical and fantasy references. Sarah and Katie’s other films include Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, Beauty and the Beast and Cyrano.The conversation is moderated by Jane Barnwell, who makes, teaches and writes about film.

Visit the event page to book single-session in-person tickets. 

14.45 - 16.00   Fantasy, Science Fiction and AI

An exploration of the history of the past and the future and the magic “what if…? 2 as leading storytellers and production designers look at how AI may change (or not) our way of imagining other worlds. Hosted by Robbie Stamp is CEO of Bioss International, TedX speaker and the former CEO of The Digital Village h2g2.com which he co-founded with Douglas Adams, whose works inspired the site. Stamp was also the executive producer of the movie version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Visit the event page to book single-session in-person tickets. 

16.30 – 17.45  The Influence of Fantasy Literature on Production Design 

Insights into building worlds for film and TV with multi-award-winning TV and film production designer Deb Riley (The Matrix, Moulin Rouge, Game of Thrones), designer Will Htay (Star Wars, Antman & the Wasp: Quantumania) and film concept artist and illustrator Adam Brockbank (Harry Potter, Maleficent).

Visit the event page to book single-session in-person tickets. 

Image from Game of Thrones. Production Designer. Deborah Riley © HBO

The World Builders: The Influence of Fantasy in Film and Games Design is co-curated and produced by Jo Paton Htay and Will Htay.

This event accompanies the British Library exhibition Fantasy: Realms of Imagination (27 October – 25 February) supported by Wayland Games and Unwin Charitable Trust: