to NOT be ff itd have to be a traditional collaboration. if two people BOTH decide to work on something together, for example you & cory doctorow write a book together based on 1 of his novels- thats not a ff even though you didnt create the world.
if you create something based on his world but just have a license, still ff. if you dont have a license, still ff.
if he creates something based on HIS world but YOUR deriv, harder to say. imo not, or less ff- you could argue it is.