Speculative Fiction learning resource

What is speculative fiction?

Speculative fiction narratives imagine events, possibilities and worlds that are – in some way – different from what we encounter in our real-life, everyday experiences. These stories may craft an alternate reality by rethinking what is possible in the real world, or address present-day concerns by exploring a future where today's issues play out in unforeseen ways. Many memorable ‘What if?’ narratives invite us to ask big questions and see things in new ways.

By stepping into imagined worlds or futures, we learn more about real-world issues, such as the value of diversity and acceptance, the impact of technology, the fragility of the environment, the dangers of unchecked power, and how collaboration can inspire change.

Look at the main image on this page. It is from a video artwork After the End that imagines a future where Australia's First Peoples return to the land and reclaim their sovereignty, and island communities form above oil rigs that have been turned into artificial reefs. This is a work of speculative fiction and has the important purpose of highlighting that First Peoples' connection to Country is powerful and ongoing.

Speculative fiction genres include:

• fantasy, where mythical creatures and magical powers can show us the importance of courage, friendship, or responsibility
• science fiction, where futuristic worlds can explore issues like climate change, technology, or what it means to be human
• science fiction about alternate realities, where a change in the past, present, or future has altered reality as we know it to explore themes like identity, choice, and the nature of what is possible
• dystopian adventures unfolding in imagined futures or alternate realities to highlight issues of injustice and inequality

Think Pair Share

1. What are some of your favourite speculative fiction narratives? (Think about books, videogames, TV shows, films etc.)
2. As a class, make a list of these favourites. Which titles were mentioned by multiple students and which are new discoveries for the rest of the class?
3. Choose one of your favourite stories and explain how its imaginary elements help you understand something about the real world, or see the world through new eyes. Share with the rest of the class.

Find out more

Check out ACMI and the ACTF's speculative fiction online workshop about the PM's Daughter Series 2 and the related resource.

As you will have learned from hearing about everyone's favourite speculative narratives, there is an almost limitless number of great tales to discover. Here are some examples to inspire you.

This short film is a great place to kickstart your thinking. You need to watch it all the way through, as it has some surprising twists.

Reflect and respond

1. What’s the 'What if?' question in this film?
2. A plot is the series of events that make up a story. Describe the plot of this film in as few words as possible.
3. How does the film keep us wondering what is going to happen next? Think about acting and visual elements as well as plot.
4. Einstein-Rosen contains a number of twists. What are they and how do they add to the 'What if' question the film asks?
5. Describe the setting of this film. Why has the filmmaker chosen to set this surprising story in this ordinary place?

Animation brings inanimate things to life -- it's a great form for speculating about alternate or future worlds. As you watch Mr Hublot, take note of the differences and similarities between the story world and our real world.

Reflect and respond

1. What’s the 'What if?' question in this film? is there more than one? Explain.
2. Describe the world Mr Hublot lives in. What stands out? Refer to visual elements such as colour, shape, lighting, texture and composition (where things are placed). Why have the filmmakers chosen to design the world in this way?
3. How is the outside world different from Mr Hublot's home? What does Mr Hublot's home tell us about him and his life.
4. How does the design of Mr Hublot's character communicate his personality without using words?

Think Pair Share

1. Why and how does Mr Hublot change?
2. This story about the power of love is a familiar one. Think of other examples and share them with the rest of the class. What does the dark, mechanical retro-futuristic setting add to this familiar story?

In this TV series, the land is under threat from a huge dust cloud and the mysterious Takers that lurk within. A group of brave young adventurers have to make their way to the Thalu, a place of great power, in order to stop the cloud before it destroys everything in its path. During their journey, they encounter many unexpected characters.

This series is available on iview. Watch the first episode to get a sense of the characters and their world.

Reflect and respond

1. What are your first impressions of the world of Thalu? Make a list of adjectives that describe the setting.
2. What are some of the elements that tell us this show is not set in the everyday world but is a work of speculative fiction?
3. The seven young adventurers who make their way across the land each have their own personality and strengths. As a class discuss how much you learn about the individual characters in the first episode.
4. Share what you noticed about the characters' costumes. How do the costumes contribute to world-building in this show?
5. How do the characters respond to the strange things that happen in their world? How does this affect the mood of the story?
6. The story of Thalu was created in collaboration with the Ieramugadu (Roebourne WA) community where the show was filmed. There are lots of references to important aspects of culture and community, including the petroglyphs (rock art) in the Murujuga National Park. If you were creating a fantastical story about your community, what elements would you want to include?
7. You can also find out more about the Neomad comic and videos made by young people in Ieramugadu (Roebourne WA). These exciting and imaginative speculative fiction stories reflect culture and community.

Follow these steps to craft your own unique speculative fiction narrative. Once you have followed these steps, you can write a script and/or map out a storyboard as part of the pre-production process.

STEP 1 Come up with your 'What if' idea

• Work in small groups to brainstorm curious situations, possibilities or worlds that are different from the everyday reality you know.
• Choose the 3 strongest 'What if?' ideas from your list.
• Share your ideas as a class and discuss how they might work as the basis for a narrative. (Don't worry if more than one group wants to use the same or a similar idea. Once you start planning your narratives your individuality will shine through.)
• Make your final choice and stick with it!

STEP 2 Build your speculative world

• Imagine the world where your story happens. It could be very different from our real world, or it might be like the setting in Einstein-Rosen where extraordinary things happen in a very ordinary place.
• Decide where the story is taking place, what makes it unique, and its rules (such as animals can talk or all the food is blue).
• Plan what your setting looks like (special features, landscape, buildings, colours, shapes) and how it sounds and maybe even what it smells like.
• Draw a map of your world.

STEP 3 Create your main character

In speculative fiction, characters face unusual or extraordinary situations.

• Begin creating your main character/s. Remember this is a speculative world so your characters don't need to be realistic or even human.
• Describe them -- give them names, a situation, special qualities/skills and hopes/fears/goals.
• Use the Character design worksheet (below) to dig deeper and to start thinking about each main character's role in the story.

STEP 4 Establish a problem or conflict

Most stories are organised around a problem or conflict to be resolved. Sometimes there is no solution but on the way, the characters have learned something and changed in some way.

• What is the problem or conflict?
• Why is it important for it to be resolved? What are the stakes -- will there be major consequences if this is not resolved?
• What is getting in the way of a resolution?
• Is there a solution to this conflict or problem? If so, what is it? What have the characters learned and how have they changed? (You don't need to come up with a 'happy ending' or tie up all the loose ends. In speculative fiction it can be powerful to leave room for your viewer/reader/player to wonder and speculate.)

STEP 5 Plan the story structure

• Begin with this simple structure – it will provide a framework that supports your creative story ideas without limiting them:
  • Beginning – introduce characters and world and set up problem/conflict.
  • Middle – show characters trying to solve the problem.
  • End – problem is solved (or not), and character learns something new.
• Use a timeline to plot out your story in short sentences or pictures.

STEP 6 Add some exciting details

Speculative fiction often has unique elements that make the story feel magical or otherworldly.

• Think about how your characters could solve problems in unique ways.
• Add fun descriptions of strange creatures, environments, or objects.

STEP 7 Write your script

Now it’s time to write the script for your short film or animation.

• Depending on how much time you have, you may like to focus on writing just one or two scenes of your film, or you could choose to focus on the beginning, middle or end of your planned narrative.
• There are special rules or conventions for formatting movie scripts. Find out how to do this here.
• Films and animations communicate story through visuals, sound and music, as well as through dialogue. Only use dialogue where necessary. You may not even need any dialogue, such as in the Mr Hublot animation.

STEP 8 Create a storyboard

You've put a lot of effort into imagining the look of your characters and world. Now you need to communicate your ideas using storyboards.

• Find out more about the purpose of storyboards and how to create them here.
• Each panel in a storyboard represents a camera shot and therefore what the camera will see and show.
• Your storyboard doesn't need to be a work of art, but try to include enough visual information to tell your story effectively.
• An important part of your visual storytelling will be in the shots you use. You should familiarise yourself with all the different shot types. Find out more here.
• You can use the storyboard template below. You can also use a digital tool such as Storyboarder.

If you are keen to move beyond the pre-production stage and make your short film or animation, these ACMI resources will help you get started.

Film it covers filmmaking skills used in pre-production, production and post-production stages.

Make a stop-motion animation gives you the tips and tricks you need to know to make an outstanding stop-motion animation.

The planning you have done for your speculative fiction narrative could be expanded to become the basis of a multi-strand narrative set in a captivating videogame world.

Videogames are a powerful way to tell stories about alternate realities and future possibilities. Through interactivity and decision-making, players actively engage with new ideas and perspectives.

Unless you have an enormous amount of time, don't expect to make a playable game, but you can have heaps of fun developing the world of your game and thinking about different story strands and game levels.

Get some inspiration from Saltsea Chronicles.

In the post-flood world of Saltsea, Captain Maja and her misfit crew must heist their impounded ship and mount a rescue as they travel across islands that reveal glimpses of the places that existed before the flood.

Think Pair Share

1. Watch the Saltsea Chronicles trailer. What elements of the game stood out for you? Share your responses in pairs or small groups and then discuss with the rest of the class. What do you think of the game's main idea, different chapters, watery locations, art style (what it looks like), game mechanics (such as the exploration system and approach to time), and any other special features.
2. What else would you like to know about the game? (If anyone in the class has played it, ask them to share their experience of the game!)

Reflect and respond

1. Saltsea Chronicles imagines a future after a climate crisis where communities thrive by staying connected to nature and each other. Does it surprise you this post-flood world is hopeful and optimistic? Explain.
2. Instead of a single hero, the game focuses on teamwork and emphasises the importance of collaboration in overcoming crises. Why is this an important feature in a game dealing with the consequences of a climate crisis? What other single player videogames have you played where gameplay emphasises teambuilding?

Videogame Narrative Plan

You've already designed an intriguing alternate or future reality, great characters and an exciting story, use these ideas to complete this plan.

STEP 1 Game Title

• What is your game's name? You don't need to come up with this first. You can wait until you've finished planning, but a great name might help your game stay on track.

STEP 2 Main Storyline

• What is the main story of the game?
• What do you want players to learn or feel after playing the game?

STEP 3 Characters

• Who is the main character of your game?
  • name
  • personality
  • special powers
  • goal
• Who are the other important characters and what is their role?

STEP 4 Strands (Story Paths)

• What different paths can the player take in your game? (Choices the player can make) For example:
  • Path 1: help the village or find the secret map
  • Path 2: break free of the time loop
  • Path 3: trust the stranger or go alone

STEP 5 Levels or stages

• What are the different levels or stages of the game, and what happens in each? For example:
  • Level 1: escape the world of dreams
  • Level 2: solve puzzles in the ancient temple
  • Level 3: battle the wizard in an alternate dimension

STEP 6 Choices & Consequences

• What major choices will the player have to make, and how will these choices change the story?

STEP 7 Ending(s)

• What are the possible endings for your game?

Game Builder is an online resource for teachers and students making their very first videogame, and for those who have some experience already.

Before you start making we want you to remember a couple of things:

There's more to a good game than good code! As with most creative projects, success comes from great ideas and thorough preparation.

Don't be discouraged! The videogames you've played before probably took thousands of hours and millions of dollars to make. Your first (and second, and third...) videogame will be simple. With each game you make, you’ll pick up more skills and improve upon your last.

Note to teachers: Our Honk! Untitled Goose Exhibition education resource is a very long way away from speculative fiction, but you may find the explanations for each design stage of gamemaking helpful.