Authenticity ≠ Accuracy: Designing Truth Inside Fiction (Lessons from Music, Culture, and Interactive Worldbuilding)

Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of why authenticity and accuracy are not the same, and how conflating the two can impact creative outcomes. The session introduces a practical framework for achieving Minimum Viable Authenticity (MVA) across disciplines, alongside a constraint-based model for balancing time, budget, and cultural responsibility in production. Participants will gain insight into how authenticity is shaped through function, context, and intentional design—not just research or reference—and explore practical ways to integrate cultural collaboration and expertise into real-world pipelines while navigating the creative tradeoffs that inevitably arise.