AI-Assisted Worldbuilding in Advanced Production

Full Description

Expressions of interest are welcomed for a practice-based PhD to research the application of worldbuilding in AI-assisted advanced production, with a focus on how to maximise benefit for independent and lower budget film and TV production.

The practice-based research should investigate and critically reflect on storytelling and worldbuilding in the creative industries, identity a current problem in screen convergence and show how the practice-based PhD research on worldbuilding can be used to address this.

The research should explore creative solutions, using AI-assisted advanced production methods, enhancing and supporting human creative endeavour and preserving creative intent in the film and television industries.

The aim of the research is to create original IP and show how this approach to worldbuilding can be used to maximise return on investment in the creative industries.

We envisage that researchers will engage with CoSTAR industry partners and utilise the CoSTAR Pinewood Studios research facility, opening in 2026, where the Indie Film Hub is based.

In their expression of interest applicants should state how they plan to develop story and worldbuilding materials, and innovate upon current creative industry practices, using AI-assisted advanced production in an original way both technically and creatively.

This should include a draft outline and timeline of their proposed research programme.

The research should be supported by theoretical, historical and other material augmenting the work conducted with industry, adding context to the creative practice.

We are open to a range of storytelling and worldbuilding approaches and methods, including but not limited to design fictions, storyworld design, performance.

Candidates will need to evidence their experience of innovation in storymaking and their capacity to draw insights from their process.

Experience of advanced production environments is desirable but not essential.

• Keywords/ID for application docs: AI Worldbuilding

• Based at Royal Holloway, University of London

• Lead Supervisor Prof.

Adam Ganz (Email: Adam.

Ganz@rhul.ac.uk)

• Second Supervisor Dr.

Claude Heath

• Mentor Prof.

Peter Richardson at Royal Holloway

For more information about CoSTAR and additional guidance how to apply please see:

CoSTAR Substack https://substack.com/@costarnationallab

CoSTAR PhD programme on Substack https://substack.com/home/post/p-178879603

CoSTAR National Lab Doctoral Programme https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and-education/research/research-institutes-and-centres/costar-national-lab/costar-national-lab-doctoral-programme/