Dystopia is the opposite of utopia—basically, a world so messed up that it makes our current reality seem like a beach vacation. Dystopian stories take the real world, tweak a few knobs until something breaks, and then revel in the beautiful fallout that ensues.
Sure, you can throw in a corrupt government, an oppressive regime, and a protagonist who works at a dehumanizing corporation, but let’s not be predictable. There are other ways to go about dystopian world-building.
Steps to Building a Dystopian World
1. Pick One Core Problem and Amplify It
Yes, the real world has a lot of problems, but dystopias are most effective when they zoom in on one specific issue and crank it up to an unbearable degree.
- Brave New World—People are too happy not being free-willed.
- 1984—Government control is so intense that even thinking rebellious thoughts can get you vaporized.
- The Hunger Games—Reality TV has gone way, way too far.
Your dystopia should take something familiar and make it terrifying. But don’t throw in every problem. One will do just fine and even open the door to additional, relevant issues that naturally fit in.
2. Government Doesn’t Have to Be the Big Bad Wolf
Yes, most dystopias blame “the system.” But sometimes, that system just reflects something else that’s rotting. Maybe it’s corporate greed (Wall-E), social obsession (Black Mirror), or scientific overreach (Gattaca). Your dystopia doesn’t have to be a fascist nightmare—sometimes, the horror is more subtle. Just look at what’s happening in the world today, #amirite?
3. Make It Look Like a Utopia First
I have an etymological theory. Originally, “dystopia” might not have meant “Hell on Earth.” Instead, it could have meant a place that seems utopian until you scratch the surface. Brave New World and 1984 both follow this principle—on the outside, things are efficient, orderly, and even pleasurable. Then you get a closer look. Uh oh… everything is horrible.
Steps to Writing Your Dystopian Screenplay
1. Character First, Setting Second
Nobody cares how clever your dystopian world is if the characters in it are made of plastic. Your protagonist needs to be someone worth following—flawed, driven, and more than just a guy/girl who “wants to escape.” Plenty of young adult novels fail because of this. Create a three-dimensional character that casts a shadow, then reveal how amazing that is, given an increasingly dim environment.
2. Cut the Exposition
If you need three monologues and a history lesson to explain how the world works, start over. Show, don’t tell. Let the dystopia reveal itself through small details—background propaganda, weird social customs, a terrifyingly casual conversation.
3. Make the Ending Hit Hard
Dystopian endings can be bleak (1984), rebellious (The Hunger Games), or even darkly ironic (Black Mirror). Just make sure it leaves the audience thinking—or at least staring at the screen in horrified contemplation about something they can connect the story to in their real life.
Ready to Build a Dystopian Nightmare? We Can Help.
If you want to create a captivating dystopian story, work with our team of writers. We’ll help you create a terrifyingly believable world, characters that feel real, and dialogue that doesn’t sound like a Wikipedia entry. Let’s bring your dystopian vision to life—before reality beats us to it. (There are definitely times that it has.)
Scott Duvall 