Grants and engagement

Research grants and fellowships

Belinda Smaill, Therese Davis and Chris Healy (UMelb) - ARC Discovery Grant:

Remaking the Australian Environment Through Documentary Film and Television (2019-2021).

This project aims to investigate how documentary film, television and online media have transformed our sense of the Australian environment since the 1950s. The project will produce a historicised account of how media has fashioned contemporary environmental consciousness.

Koichi Iwabuchi, Olivia Khoo, Fran Martin and Audrey Yue - ARC Discovery Grant:

Transforming Cultural Identity: Media Flows Between Australia and Asia (2016-2019).

The rise of East Asian media industries, estimated to be worth US 36,120 billion and reaching at least 2 billion consumers, is changing Australian media culture. While East Asian media reach in to Australian audiences via new media, Australian media industries are reaching out to Asia via transnational co-productions. This project examined these trends in media consumption and production and analysed impacts on the cultural identities of Australian audiences and media products.

Ross Gibson (UCanberra), Deane Williams, Mick Broderick (Murdoch), John Hughes (Independent), Joseph Masco (UChicago) - ARC Discovery Grant:

Utilitarian Filmmaking in Australia 1945-80 (2016-2019).

'Utilitarian' describes client-sponsored, instructional and governmental filmmaking existing outside the conventional theatrical contexts by which cinema is usually defined. This project unearthed, analysed and compiled an archive of Utilitarian Filmmaking in Australia. Focused on the post-WWII decades prior to the proliferation of video in the late-1970s, the project brought to light previously unstudied aspects of the media industries.

Julia Vassilieva - ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award:

Cinema and the brain: Eisenstein-Vygotsky-Luria's collaboration (2016-2019).

The first systematic and interdisciplinary study of a unique intellectual collaboration between the revolutionary Russian filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein, the founder of contemporary neuroscience Alexander Luria, and the cultural psychologist Lev Vygotsky. This project used this collaboration to identify principles for successful interdisciplinary research on the relationship between the brain sciences, cinema theory and psychology in the digital age.

Whitney Monaghan - AFI Research Collection Research Fellowship:

Queer Television in Australia: Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals on the Small Screen from 1970 to 2000 (2019).

The project examined the rise and fall of LGB representation on prime time Australian comedies and dramas from 1970 onwards in order to understand how key shifts in the politics of Australian cultural life came to influence Australian television broadcasting.

Chris Healy (UMelb), Therese Davis - ARC Discovery Grant:

Contemporary Indigenous Film and Television: New Frames of Understanding (2014-2016).

From The Sapphires to Redfern Now Indigenous film and television has been transforming Australian media and garnering international acclaim. This project articulated challenging ways of understanding the history and global significance of this work; introduced new Indigenous perspectives and provided an innovative take on national culture.

Audrey Yue (UMelb), Olivia Khoo, Belinda Smaill - ARC Discovery Grant:

The History of Asian Australian Cinema: Diaspora, Policy and Ethics (2009-2011).

This project delivered the first study on the development of Asian Australian cinema. It evaluated the history of Asian Australian cinema from early colonial to multicultural representations, film and immigration policy developments, and the creative emergence of Asian Australian filmmakers.

Con Verevis, Noel King (MQ), Deane Williams - ARC Discovery Grant:

Australian Film Theory and Criticism (2007-2010).

This research project mapped the local and international flows of Australian film theory and criticism. By tracing key critical positions, personnel and institutions it generated an understanding of the particularity of Australian film theory and criticism.

Community and industry engagements

Romaine Moreton, Therese Davis, Chris Healy (UMelb), Matteo Dutto - creators

Australian Indigenous film and television online research platform

http://aiftv-research.net/Home/Index

An online platform for sharing knowledge, ideas and resources about Australian Indigenous film and television. Funded by the Australian Research Council.

Tessa Dwyer

Co-convener, the inaugural Screening Melbourne conference, Melbourne Screen Studies Group (2017).

Co-convener, "Wentworth is the New Prisoner" international television conference at RMIT University (2018).

Australian Centre for the Moving Image Renewal Academic Advisory Committee (2017, ongoing)

President of Senses of Cinema journal (2016, ongoing)

Billy Head

Competition Judge, Melbourne Documentary Film Festival (2018, ongoing).

Creative Director, "Outside In Films" (2017, ongoing).

Olivia Khoo

Panel Chair, "Women and Sexuality", Jewish International Film Festival/ Melbourne Women in Film Festival (October 2017).

Panel member, Roundtable with Anhui Broadcasting China at Monash University (October 2017).

Belinda Smaill, James Oliver, Therese Davis, Billy Head - organisers

"Documenting Environments: technologies, practices and imaginaries"
Colloquium exploring the intersection of documentary practices and research (28 Nov-30 Nov 2019).

Therese Davis and Claire Perkins - organisers

"Leading the Way: Empowering Women’s Leadership in the Screen Industries"
Panel discussion of prominent screen industry leaders including Caroline Pitcher, Film Victoria CEO, and Penny Smallacombe, Head of Indigenous, Screen Australia (February 2019).

Julia Vassilieva

Co-convener, First Conference of Eisenstein International Network, INHA, Paris, (14-16 October, 2019).

Convener, Conference "Eisenstein for the Twenty First Century Conference", Monash Prato Centre, Italy (21-22 June, 2018).

Deane Williams and Con Verevis - co-convenors

Screen Studies of Australia and Aotearoa/ New Zealand conference "The Uses of Cinema: Film, Television, Screen Media", Monash University (21-23 November, 2018).

International conference “Cinema at the End of the World”, Monash University (2015).