Archive for May 2009

[Previous message][Next message][Back to index]

**Spam**: [ecrea] AHRC doctoral opportunity, Aberystwyth and the British Board of Film Classification

Thu May 21 23:47:08 GMT 2009



Further Particulars ? AHRC-funded Collaborative Doctoral Award between Aberystwyth University and the British Board of Film Classification: ?How have successive developments in new media technologies been taken up and used by fans of extreme horror films??

The Arts & Humanities Research Council (award reference: AH/G018111/1) has awarded a funded doctoral place to Aberystwyth University, for a collaboration between the University?s Department of Theatre, Film & Television Studies, and the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). The award begins on 1 October 2009. Main supervision at Aberystwyth will be provided by Professor Martin Barker, with support from Dr Kate Egan and Dr Jamie Sexton. At the BBFC, Pete Johnson, Head of Policy and Business Development, will also contribute to the student?s supervision, and will be the primary means of access to policy and practices within the organisation. This project builds on an existing relationship between Aberystwyth University and the BBFC, which culminated in 2006 in a team of researchers from Aberystwyth, led by Professor Barker, undertaking contracted research for the BBFC. This research, into audience responses to screened sexual violence, has been published via the BBFC?s website.

The purpose of this project is to provide an opportunity for a doctoral student to explore the ways in which one chosen community of fans of ?extreme horror? films have made and continue to make use of the stream of technological advances across the last thirty years, in pursuit of their engagements. A range of methods from within the broad audience and reception studies traditions may be drawn upon for this purpose, partly according to the strengths and preferences of the student appointed to the position. The context of the project is the BBFC?s wish to deepen its knowledge of the ways in which fan engagements and uses may have been, and may continue to be, changed by their take-up of the opportunities offered by the array of new technological possibilities which have emerged since the rise of domestic video in the early 1980s. This was the first in a series of advances and, in the UK, one heavily associated with fears about possible dangers associated with the ?video nasties?. Domestic video was originally feared because it gave unregulated access to previously unavailable materials, and because of the ability to watch scenes repeatedly. But it has since become clear that these may not have been the only, or indeed the most important, features of video. The capacity to own and collect films, to have ?originals?, different ?cuts?, and to watch in one?s own time have all emerged as important. And retrospectively such films have become objects of nostalgic desire and economic worth, as shown by the establishment of networks of exchange for particular videos.

As well as video, a series of competing formats have emerged: notably, laserdisc; DVD; and Blu-ray. Alongside these developments has come an array of new means of forming communities, and exchanging both information and materials. The internet has given fans multiple means to talk via chatrooms, special domains, and favoured websites. Peer-to-peer, and other file-sharing technologies have become a new topic of fears, for reasons of copyright breaches and uncontrolled sharing. Online catalogues, and international transit of DVDs and the like have enabled participants to catalogue and compare different nationally-available versions, and assemble knowledge bases on these. Most recently, the rise of social networking sites, of cheap and readily available digital film production technologies, and of mobile video technologies, have increased the local production and sharing of ?home-made? and commercial films. Meanwhile, a flourishing circuit of specialist publications and horror festivals has leavened and renewed these virtual communities with other kinds of contact and experience.

?Extreme horror? is our broad expression intended to encompass a range of different kinds of interest in cinema. It covers those interested in older materials (the ?video nasties? as an example, or B-movie or drive-in classics), particular national traditions (for example, Italian, Spanish or J-horror), exploitation, atrocity, slasher/gore, and ?extreme reality? cinema (the BBFC?s own term for an as yet un-named cycle of real-death materials). These partially separate but interlocking interests have constituted themselves as particular areas of connoisseurship, often with distinctive websites, festivals and publications.

This doctoral research is intended to allow exploration in depth of one of these specialist communities of extreme horror fans, looking at the ways in which, over time, new technological possibilities have been taken up and used. It will address, among other things: (1) how these technologies have successively and incrementally altered the ways in which the films are watched; (2) how particular versions are valued as a result, and what counts as ?expertise?; (3) how the community has been created and maintained, around and by means of these technologies; and (4) what fans are looking for in currently emerging technological developments. The choice of community will be in part a function of the particular interests and experience of the person appointed to this position. The choice of main methods of research will be the topic of early discussion between the appointed student and his/her supervisory team.

At the heart of this project, and at the basis of this collaboration, is the concept of the ?potential viewer?. The BBFC is required by statute to take account of this, as it makes decisions on classification. Therefore it has an interest in obtaining good research knowledge on the nature of actual viewers and users of challenging materials. Meanwhile researchers at Aberystwyth have developed a track record of both unpacking ?figures of the audience? within policy and public debates, and for exploring audiences for such challenging films (and other materials). This doctoral research will be positioned within these two intersecting concerns. Part of the doctoral research will involve an investigation, at the BBFC, of the policies and practices of classification relating to ?extreme horror? materials, including the issue of their release in different formats, and how these draw upon working ideas about the ?potential viewer? and how s/he is likely to use these materials.

The student appointed will:

· Have a good first degree (2:1 or above) and a relevant Masters qualification, ideally in film, media or cultural studies (however we will consider applicants whose studies have included components of these, under other titles).

· Have experience of the theory and practice of audience and/or reception research (although this may be supplemented by attending specific taught courses at Aberystwyth in the first year of the award).

· Have good knowledge of general debates about ?cult cinema?, horror cinema and associated areas, and ideally have involvement with at least one community of ?extreme horror? fans.

· Demonstrate the ability to work both with such a community and with the BBFC, and an understanding of the challenges involved in managing the relations between the two.

· Applicants for this award must comply with the AHRC?s current eligibility rules. EU applicants are eligible for a full award only if they can prove that they have been ordinarily resident in the UK for 3 years (full details are available in section 2, 22-27 of the AHRC?s guide to eligibility - <http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Documents/Guide%20to%20Student%20Eligibility.pdf>http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Documents/Guide%20to%20Student%20Eligibility.pdf).

You will be based in Aberystwyth during this award, but will need to make regular trips to London to visit and carry out parts of your research at the BBFC. During your time in Aberystwyth, you will undertake all normal research training, as required by the University and the AHRC, and will be subject to the normal processes of monitoring and progress. Studentships attract national rates for tuition fees and maintenance grant. In 2008-9 the grant level was set at £12,940 p.a. We are awaiting an AHRC declaration on levels for the forthcoming year. In addition, you will be able to claim up to £300 per annum for three years to support travel and associated costs of visiting the BBFC. The Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies also provides funding support of up to £500 per year for students to attend conferences or other external events relevant to their studies.

The BBFC has guaranteed the appointed student access to its detailed policies and decision-making processes, subject to the student signing a confidentiality agreement drawn up between the University and the BBFC. The student will also have access, at need, to the BBFC?s counselling service.

The outcome of this research will be a thesis designed to meet the requirements of the University for the award of a PhD. Subject to certain restrictions around particular materials and processes to which the student will be given access by the BBFC, s/he will be able to publish the outcomes of his/her research, as part of building a career beyond the doctoral award. S/he will also have an opportunity, at completion of the research, to make a presentation of findings to the Examining Board at the BBFC, with opportunity for discussion and debate.

How to apply.

Applicants will need to complete Aberystwyth?s postgraduate application form (available at <http://www.aber.ac.uk/pga/web/apply.htm>http://www.aber.ac.uk/pga/web/apply.htm). In addition you should attach an outline (1,000-1,500 words) of your reasons for interest in this position, and your proposed research focus. Please ensure that within this outline you address:

· where, how and to what extent in your previous studies you have encountered audience and/or reception research, and what specific methods of research you have any experience of;

· the nature of your general knowledge of existing debates around extreme, horror or ?cult? cinema;

· the nature of any personal engagements within the arena of ?extreme horror?;

· any specific questions you would hope to answer through this doctoral research, and what methods you think could most appropriately enable you to answer them.

It will help if you also outline any general views you hold on the role of the BBFC and its classification practices.

Applications must be received by the University by 30 May 2009. Interviews will take place in Aberystwyth in late June.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Nico Carpentier (Phd)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Vrije Universiteit Brussel - Free University of Brussels
Centre for Studies on Media and Culture (CeMeSO)
Pleinlaan 2 - B-1050 Brussels - Belgium
T: ++ 32 (0)2-629.18.56
F: ++ 32 (0)2-629.36.84
Office: 5B.401a
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
European Communication Research and Education Association
Web: http://www.ecrea.eu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
E-mail: (Nico.Carpentier /at/ vub.ac.be)
Web: http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~ncarpent/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
ECREA-Mailing list
----------------
This mailing list is a free service from ECREA.
---
To unsubscribe, please visit http://www.ecrea.eu/mailinglist
---
ECREA - European Communication Research and Education Association
Postal address:
ECREA
Université Libre de Bruxelles
c/o Dept. of Information and Communication Sciences
CP123, avenue F.D. Roosevelt 50, b-1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Email: (info /at/ ecrea.eu)
URL: http://www.ecrea.eu
----------------

[Previous message][Next message][Back to index]