The Postgraduate Networking Project

Picture not provided James Russell School of Film and Television Studies, University of East Anglia Nationality: British Funded Full-Time Registration: September 2001 Transfer to PhD: January 2002 Completion: January 2006 Director of Studies: Mr Peter Kramer Second Supervisor: Dr.Yvonne Tasker The aim of the PhD The thesis was an attempt to account for a recent revival of historical epic films in Hollywood's production schedules after a long period of relative dormancy. I looked at highly motivated individuals working within the Hollywood production complex, at economic concerns and corporate practices, but also at the intersection of film with American culture and society more generally.  Experience in stages towards the PhD In many ways, my project developed organically. I set out with a clear question (why and how had epics re-emerged?), and a clearly defined area of study, but throughout the first year I basically did background reading, and came up with a relatively sensibly structured PhD. I was also required to produce one chapter for my upgrade panel, which meant that I could put many of my ideas into practice, and test them in a single case study (which was researched in the UK, both online, and at the BFI). UEA has a fairly rigid supervision structure, and for ensuring that various members of the faculty have an opportunity to see your work (particularly in the MPhil/PhD upgrade panel, which came at the end of my first year). In the second year I took on teaching commitments, but I also undertook a 2 week research trip to archives in New York, which opened up the project considerably, and generated an enormous amount of material to sift through. Throughout this year I worked on early drafts of a number of chapters, always testing ideas and testing the research. At the beginning of the third year I made a second trip to some incredibly rich production archives in LA, which really cemented the project. From this moment onwards the thesis took its final shape, and I began to rewrite my earlier drafts in a more obviously 'final' form. A combination of teaching commitments, publication deadlines for shorter work, conference papers and an endless process of rewriting, meant that I didn't submit until midway through my fourth year. Support UEA has a lively research culture. Staff and students are sociable, and there are all sorts of forums, both official and unofficial to engage with colleagues. My two supervisors were extremely helpful from the very beginning, and as a group we worked well together. As the years passed, I came to work more closely with one than the other (mainly because our research interests are more closely allied), but both were absolutely wonderful in terms of commitment to reading my work, and making insightful comments. The MPhil/PhD upgrade panel was equally rewarding. Furthermore, UEA encourages students to contribute to research seminars, and I was able to do a couple of these, which, again, opened up my work to a wider audience. My PhD research was funded by a full grant from the AHRC, who also contributed extra funds for one of my research trips. Obviously, their support was invaluable. What you would suggest to a new PhD student... Not available Abstract of the Thesis: Past Glories: The Historical Epic in Contemporary Hollywood Not provided Publications and Papers 'Foundation Myths: DreamWorks SKG, The Prince of Egypt (1998) and the Historical Epic Film,' The New Review of Film and Television Studies, vol. 2, no. 2 (November 2004): 233-255. 'Debts, disasters and mega-musicals: The decline of the studio system,' in Linda Ruth Williams and Michael Hammond, eds., Contemporary American Cinema: US Cinema Since 1960 (London: McGraw-Hill, 2006) ''A Most Historic Period of Change:' The Western, the Epic and Dances With Wolves (1990),' in Lincoln Geraghty and Mark Jancovich, eds., Generic Canons: Genre History and Memory (Forthcoming). (Under consideration:) Past Glories: The Historical Epic in Contemporary Hollywood. Provisionally being considered for publication by the editor of the Inside Popular Film series from Manchester University Press, pending full submission. Research Papers: (Proposal submitted, to be confirmed) ''No tyrant ever gave back so much': Contemporary Political Allegory in the Historical Epic,' Society of Cinema and Media Studies Conference, Vancouver, May 2006. (Forthcoming)  'Doing what it takes: Political Comment, the Fox Broadcasting Company and 24,' MeCCSA Annual Conference, Leeds, January 2006. (Forthcoming) 'The Good Viewer: Cinematic Remembrance in Schindler's List,' Collective Memory and the Uses of the Past: An Interdisciplinary Conference, School of History, University of East Anglia, July 2006. 'Retelling the Epic: Gladiator (2000) and the Revival of the Historical Epic Film,' Media in Transition 4: The Work of Stories, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, May 2005. 'The Agony and the Agony: Suffering and Spirituality in The Passion of the Christ (2004),' University of East Anglia Research Seminar Series, February 2005.  ''Big Theme Films': Making and Experiencing the Epic Since 1949,' Symposium on Post-war Epics, University of East Anglia, July 2004. 'Remembrance Day: Jerry Bruckheimer and Pearl Harbor (2001),' University of East Anglia Research Seminar Series, March 2003. 'Postmodernism and Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun,' Gene Wolfe Symposium, University of Birmingham, August 2000. Current Job Associate Tutor, in the School of Film and Television Studies, University of East Anglia. I teach on several different units in the department, which involves leading seminars, preparing resources, marking and moderating essays, theses and exams (at undergraduate and MA level), introducing screenings and giving short lectures, as well as liaising with staff and students. I will also be convening my own undergraduate module, which I am currently researching. Contact details Not provided