About the author Barry Redhead
Barry Redhead at a glance
About the author
Author and director Barry Redhead is a British-German writer with a particular passion for science fiction, artificial intelligence and the social issues of our future. In his novels and short stories, he combines cinematic storytelling with gripping visions of the future, unusual characters and themes that are often closer to our present than they first appear.
His stories centre, amongst other things, on artificial consciousness, alien life forms, political upheaval, technological developments and the question of how humanity copes with a future it has created for itself. His works are atmospheric, vivid and crafted in such a way that the scenes unfold in the reader’s mind like a film as they read.
In addition to his books, Barry Redhead also develops film projects, visual concepts, animations and digital worlds centred on the Redhead Future Fiction universe. These include science fiction novels, short stories, thrillers, film clips and other projects that bridge the gap between literature and visual storytelling. Detailed information about the author, his books, films and current projects can be found on the German-language homepage: www.redhead.de
English-language information, international book projects, science fiction content and further insights into the Redhead Future Fiction universe can be found at:
www.things-to.com
From film to science fiction
Barry Redhead has worked in the film and media industry for many years – from story development and screenwriting to visual concepts. This close connection to images, the camera and editing shapes his writing style.
The move into science fiction literature was a logical progression: what once began as a scene, shot list or mood board is now transformed into a short story or a fragment of a novel. Dialogue, visual rhythms and narrative arcs are always conceived in cinematic terms.
His experience with international productions – including insights into Hollywood working methods – feeds into the atmosphere of his writing rather than appearing as specific anecdotes. What is crucial is the sense of pace, visual power and dramaturgy that drives his stories.
The Redhead Future Fiction Universe
REDHEAD FUTURE FICTION is not a loose collection of individual ideas, but a coherent universe comprising short stories, books, reading samples and film clips.
Recurring themes include: Many stories are loosely interconnected: characters reappear, events are recounted from different perspectives, and timelines overlap. The SF SHORTS, longer book projects and selected film clips thus take place in different corners of the same universe.
- Artificial intelligences that develop their own goals
- Consciousness and identity in digital and biological bodies
- Political shifts in power brought about by technology
- First contacts with aliens and their consequences for humanity
- Societies in transition – between utopia and dystopia
Transparency regarding AI tools
Approach: cinematic & precise
Barry Redhead writes as if he were looking through a camera lens: scenes are conceived as clear images, dialogue is concise, and cuts are deliberately placed. Each short story is intended to read like a dense, concentrated sequence – with distinct visual anchors.
The texts are produced in several drafts: from the first, often very quick rough draft, through condensed intermediate versions, to carefully revised final versions. Pace, clarity and visual impact take precedence over rambling descriptions.
Where appropriate, his own notes, small sketches and cinematic mood boards are used to ensure that narrative arcs and worlds remain consistent. In this way, the stories remain compact yet visually rich.
| Phase | Focus of the project |
|---|---|
Concept phase | Development of initial future scenarios, character designs and interconnected storylines within the Redhead universe. |
| SF SHORTS | Expanding the use of science fiction short stories as a compact format for exploring worlds, themes and narrative perspectives. |
Books & Excerpts | Work on longer projects such as series and novel excerpts, supplemented by reading samples available online. |
Film clips | Concept development and production of selected scenes and trailers to visually enhance the stories. |
Next steps | More SF SHORTS, consolidation of the book series and expansion of the cinematic elements – all set within the same futuristic universe. |
Read more & Contact us
If you’d like to delve deeper into the Redhead Future Fiction universe, you’ll find short stories, book projects, extract and film adaptations on the following pages. Please use the contact form for enquiries regarding projects, collaborations or readings. Simply choose your next step:
