Media Studies Conference 2007
Wednesday 4 July - Friday 6 July 2007
BFI Southbank, London
NB Programme changes are posted at the bottom of this page
This Conference offers all media and film teachers in the 16-19 sector an opportunity to discover new approaches, find essential resources through a variety of workshops, seminars and presentations as well as offering teachers the chance to meet one another. The programme is designed for maximum flexibility to enable each participant to construct their own route through the event, taking into account particular needs, knowledge gaps, level of professional experience and the demands of specification taught.
Plenary Sessions
This year there will be four Plenary Sessions. David Gauntlett will present his ideas about Web 2.0 and the place of Media Studies in the landscape of 21st century media. David's ideas have provoked some vigorous debate amongst Film and Media Studies teachers and Julian McDougall will be on the platform to discuss them and offer his own take on the debate. On Thursday morning we are pleased to welcome Greg Dyke to the BFI Southbank. He will talk about his diverse career in television and how he sees its future in the 21st century. In the afternoon Michael Chanan, academic and film-maker, will offer his perspective on documentary and particularly its place in contemporary film culture. And finally, there will be a surprise speaker from the world of film-making on Friday afternoon.
Conference Strands
In addition to the plenaries, there will be four conference strands: teacher-led workshops sessions; how to teach the key concepts; Inside Industry slots where media professionals talk in detail about their jobs and the Strand Four slots, plus two panel discussions.
- Teacher-led sessions in which experienced teachers will share their approaches to teaching a particular topic or area of the curriculum. These are informal sessions, supported with documentation, including worksheets, bibliographies and resources information.
- How to Teach… introduces the key critical concepts of Narrative, Genre, Institution, Audience and Representation. Designed for those new or newish to the field of Film and Media Studies, these sessions can also offer a useful refresher opportunity to the not-so-new teacher.
- Inside Industry are sessions in which practitioners from a range of media industries talk about their work, giving a view from the inside of, for instance, the BBC Trust, television news, film music and cinematography. After a brief introduction from the speaker there will be ample time for questions and discussion.
- Strand Four gives teachers the opportunity to catch up on some recent research in film and television in a seminar context. This year the selection on offer includes Gender and Gaming, Cult Audiences, Adaptation and Teen Films. Please note that Strand Four sessions aren't designed to help your day-to-day teaching directly.
- There will be two Panel Discussions - one looking at the Creative and Media Diploma from a range of perspectives and the other at Women in the Media Industries. Details will be posted on here as speakers are confirmed.
How to Apply
The Programme is designed flexibly so that you can miss out the Inside the Industry and Strand Four options and only attend the Teacher-led sessions. Alternatively, you can make a more varied selection. It's up to you! Although we try to give first choices wherever possible, the earlier you apply the more likely you are to get them. With confirmation of your registration we will send you joining information and list of local hotels. You will receive session allocation lists in your conference pack when you register.
After you have read through all the information please complete the Application Form and return to BFI Education with a cheque. The fee covers tuition, refreshments (but not lunches), all the Workshop Papers and the Reception.
If you have any questions not answered by our FAQ page please contact BFI Education.
Programme changes
- Unfortunately, Danny Powell and Rob Roy are unable to run the two sessions on The Swinging Sixties but we are delighted that Stephanie Muir has agreed to take these two workshops.
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