FilmEU+ is launching a call for scenario writers to contribute to the development of the FilmEU Future Campus 2040.
FilmEU is a European University Alliance in the field of film and media arts education. The Alliance is developing a decentralised, transnational, future-ready model for the FilmEU Future Campus 2040, integrating physical and virtual environments across partner institutions.
Within the Erasmus+ European University Project FilmEU+, WP4: Resources, Task 4.4 Campus focuses on the conceptualisation and pre-design of this Future Campus, including the preparation of an architectural design call. To ensure that this call is grounded in robust futures thinking and participatory input, FilmEU+ will commission a set of narrative scenarios describing possible futures for the FilmEU Future Campus around 2040.
The present call seeks to select a group of scenario writers who will develop 4 to 6 fully articulated narrative scenarios based on a substantial body of workshop outputs, including textual and visual materials collected as building blocks for the scenario-writing process. These materials were generated through the FilmEU+ Future Campus foresight process and will serve as the primary input for the selected writers.
Scope of the Call
The selected writers will translate existing foresight material into narrative scenarios that:
- Describe future images of the FilmEU campus ecosystem across physical, digital, and hybrid environments.
- Provide world-building frameworks to inform an international architectural design call.
- Explore the spatial, technological, pedagogical, ecological, social, and cultural dimensions of future campus life.
The scenarios will build on the Four Scenarios Matrix — Growth, Collapse, Discipline, and Transformation — and The Voroscope Matrix, a futures framework exploring projected, preferred, probable, plausible, and preposterous futures. Both futures thinking techniques were used to collect the Futures Building Blocks that will inform the scenario-writing process.
Foresight Context
Between June 2025 and June 2026, the FilmEU+ Future Campus working group organised six large-scale workshops with students, academic and non-academic staff, institutional leaders, production designers, and industry professionals.
These workshops generated, among other outputs:
- Future learning environments and campus typologies.
- Speculative ideas on how to use architectural elements such as space and materials.
- Speculative artefacts, “postcards from the future”, and narrative vignettes.
- Futures Triangle analyses, scenario fragments, and foresight cards.
- AI-generated visual prompts and campus images.
This material will be made available to the selected writers as the primary input for the scenario-writing process.
Tasks and Deliverables
Each selected writer will be expected to contribute to a portfolio of 4 to 6 scenarios.
Mandatory Deliverables per Scenario
For each scenario, the following components are required:
Narrative scenario — maximum 2,000 words
A vivid, coherent narrative describing everyday life, learning, and creative practice in the FilmEU Future Campus circa 2040. The narrative may use diverse formats, such as third-person narrative, first-person account, design fiction, or scripted scenes, provided that it remains clear and usable for design purposes.
Spatial and architectural description — maximum 800 words
A description of campus environments, spatial typologies, circulation, materials, atmospheres, and relationships between sites, including physical and virtual environments.
Pedagogical context — maximum 500 words
An explanation of learning processes, curricula, AI-human tutoring, mobility between nodes, and student roles.
Technological ecology — maximum 500 words
A description of key technologies and infrastructures, including AI systems, XR/VR, data governance, and interfaces, as well as their implications for creative education.
Social and ecological context — maximum 500 words
A description of governance models, participation and decision-making, relations with local communities, climate conditions, energy systems, and sustainability logics.
All texts must be delivered in English.
Process and Timeline
Selected writers will be expected to participate in the following process-related activities:
- Participation in an online briefing session on 15 September 2026.
- Review of shared workshop documentation and alignment with the Task 4.4 methodology.
- Participation in a kick-off workshop during the FilmEU Industry Summit, taking place at IADT, Dublin, Ireland, from 26 to 30 October 2026.
- Participation in at least one interim online feedback session on 15 December 2026.
- Revision of scenarios following consolidated feedback from the FilmEU concept team.
The writing and revision period will run from October 2026 to March 2027.
If selected, writers will be invited to attend the FilmEU Industry Summit in person. Expenses related to participation in the kick-off workshop will be covered by the FilmEU+ project.
Expected Profile of Applicants
This call is open to natural persons. The following profiles are particularly encouraged to apply:
- Screenwriters, script consultants, and narrative designers.
- Writers of speculative or science fiction, design fiction, or world-building projects.
- Futures researchers and practitioners using narrative methods.
- Artists and practitioners working at the intersection of storytelling, architecture, design, and technology.
Desirable experience and competences include:
- Experience with film, media arts, or audiovisual storytelling.
- Familiarity with futures thinking, speculative design, or scenario methods.
- Interest in architecture, space, urbanism, or campus design.
- Ability to write visually and spatially rich narratives in English.
- Experience within or in collaboration with higher education institutions, especially in arts education.
Eligibility Conditions
Applicants must meet the following eligibility conditions:
- The applicant must be at least 18 years old at the time of submission.
- Applications must be submitted in English and within the stated deadline.
- The application must be complete and include all requested documents.
- Double funding for the same work under other schemes is not permitted.
- FilmEU+ partners’ staff may apply, subject to the internal conflict-of-interest rules of their home institution and of the project.
Contracting, Budget and Duration
The position is funded through the FilmEU+ project.
Up to five scenario writers will be selected. Selected applicants will be invited to an online interview prior to contracting.
The writing and revision period will run from October 2026 to March 2027. Remuneration and contractual conditions will be communicated to shortlisted candidates during the interview process.
Application Procedure
Applicants must submit the following documents in a single PDF file:
Application form / Motivation letter — maximum 2 pages
The document should include the applicant’s motivation to participate in the FilmEU Future Campus 2040 scenario-writing process and a description of relevant experience in writing, storytelling, futures thinking, and/or design-related work.
Short curriculum vitae or bio — maximum 300 words
The CV or bio should include main publications, scripts, performances, exhibitions, or equivalent experience.
Writing sample — maximum 2,000 words
Applicants should preferably submit a text that demonstrates speculative, world-building, or narrative design skills. This may include, for example, a screenplay extract, short story, design fiction text, or game narrative.
Optional concept sketch — maximum 1 page
Applicants may include a brief outline of one possible future FilmEU campus scenario. A full story is not required.
Applicants should also indicate their availability to participate in the in-person kick-off workshop during the FilmEU Industry Summit, taking place from 26 to 30 October 2026 at IADT, Dublin, Ireland.
Submission
Applications must be submitted by email to:
The email subject line should be:
“FilmEU Future Campus 2040 – Scenario Writer Application – [Name]”
The deadline for submission is:
31 August 2026, 23:59 CEST
Selection and Evaluation
Applications will be evaluated by a selection panel appointed by FilmEU+, including the Task 4.4 Campus team and invited experts.
The panel will assess applications according to the following criteria:
Quality of writing and narrative skills — 40%
Clarity, expressiveness, and capacity to create rich worlds and characters.
Relevance of experience — 25%
Proven work in screenwriting, speculative fiction, futures work, narrative design, or related fields.
Fit with the aims of the call — 25%
Demonstrated interest in future campus imaginaries, film and media arts, education, architecture, or design.
Diversity and complementarity — 10%
Contribution to a diverse portfolio of perspectives across geography, disciplines, and narrative approaches.
The panel may invite shortlisted candidates to a brief online interview before final selection.
All applicants will be informed of the outcome by email by 10 September 2026.
Intellectual Property and Use of Results
The selected writers will grant FilmEU+ and its partner institutions the right to use, reproduce, adapt, translate, and disseminate the scenarios for the purposes of:
- The architectural design call and related design processes.
- Internal strategic discussions and planning.
- Public communication, dissemination, and educational activities, including possible publication and documentary projects.
Moral rights will remain with the authors and will be duly acknowledged in all uses, in line with the contract. Detailed intellectual property provisions will be specified in the service or author’s contract.
Data Protection
Personal data will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and used solely for the purposes of managing this call, contracting, and related communication.
Applicants may request access to, rectification, or deletion of their personal data in line with institutional policies.
Contact
For questions regarding the content of the call or the application process, please contact: