The word “journey” has the perfect meaning of what we are doing with Project Universe, and it feels so good to share all of the work and development with this project. If you aren’t familiar with Project Universe and its journey, please catch up here:
Welcome back to another read about the journey to Project Universe, where I give a rundown on how I am building this universe. Before we start I want to give a special thanks to my co-creative producer Shanté because not only has Tay shown up for Project Universe, but Tay has also created some storylines that are worth being seen. Thank you, friend, and love you down!!!
Afrophoria (coined by Shareece Williams) is the refusal to imagine Black life only through trauma.
Okay, now you know what Project Universe and Afrophoria are, right? You should!! Now let’s get into how it’s being built for screen:
Listen, I don’t know how others do it, but from my experience and observation from some of my favorite realistic scripted universe builders (Courtney A. Kemp and Taylor Sheridan) there are key elements to include in your universe that are non-negotiable:
Locations
Families
Events
Media
Timeline
Key Organizations
Influential Figures
Series
For me, PU has both fictional and nonfictional locations that connect the characters and, most importantly, the story. Most of the characters have southern roots, but the story itself is a Black American Afrophoric experience. Therefore, having locations that are tailored towards that experience is very important to me.
Major Tip
If you’re creating a a fantasy universe, do not be afraid to go all out and create your own planets, states, and cities. The more creative you are, the more the story has room to grow.
I know I have previously spoken about anchor families, but I am also creating families who just exist in the world but also those who drive the story forward without being an anchor family.
I’ve been creating events like non-stop!!! The importance of events in a universe is at an all-time high because characters need to live outside of just their homes and workplace. Characters need something to do; they need to have fun, and they do this by attending events in the universe. Once again it can be nonfictional events, but you should be having fun too and creating your own events.
Babbbbbbssss……. Media is also an important factor in the universe. For me, I’ve been creating radio shows, podcasts, social media platforms, and products by characters because this is another way for my characters to connect. I’m a sucker for a character watching another character on a fictional social media platform, so of course I had to create my own.
Shareece’s Screens isn’t a hobby.
It’s a development room.
This publication operates as an open studio inside Realm Empire Network (REN) — where I build scripted and unscripted worlds, break down character psychology, publish development notes, and document the architecture behind universes like Project Universe and Vessel Century Universe.
I am a full-time creator.
That means:
I research.
I write.
I world-build.
I develop show bibles.
I design templates for storytellers.
I mentor through Script My Story.
I actively develop visual projects inside REN.
And I do it independently.
There’s no studio payroll behind this page.
No corporate marketing budget.
No network funding my development hours.
When you tip Shareece’s Screens, you are:
• Funding story development
• Supporting independent Black-led studio infrastructure
• Investing in world-building philosophy outside of Hollywood system
• Allowing me to create without compromising the vision
• Helping sustain a full-time creative practice
This work takes time, discipline, and emotional labor. The breakdowns you read here — from character autopsies to power dynamics templates — are the same level of thinking I apply inside writers’ rooms and development spaces.
Tipping allows me to:
Dedicate more hours to story development
Produce deeper research essays
Release more templates and tools
Host more free educational breakdowns
Continue building REN as an ecosystem
If something here helped you think differently, build stronger characters, or see story in a new way — consider supporting the studio.
Even small tips matter.
Independent storytelling only survives when the audience values the architect as much as the art.
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