www.aber.ac.uk/en/tfts Department of Theatre, Film & Television Studies Working in PartnershiP TheaTre, Film & Television sTudies Design: Simon Banham with Quarantine Introduction Most businesses and organisations tend to think As one of the largest university departments of our kind in the of Universities as academic institutions divorced UK, we are keen to work closely from the industrial landscape. We do, of course, with industry partners and to pride ourselves on the quality of the teaching, exchange both knowledge and expertise. For us, industry learning and research within our Department means the cultural and creative - but we are also aware of the increasing role industries – theatre and the of universities as centres of creativity performing arts, film and video production, television and radio and innovation which can work in broadcasting, online activity, partnership with industry for mutual benefit. and arts and media policy. The Department has a range of facilities, resources and expertise in these areas, including theatre-making, scenography, acting and voice training, stage and television studio directing, video and audio editing, camera-work and broadcasting regulation. You can read more about our work in this document but we also want to hear from you. If you work in the creative industries in Wales – for a public or private company, a not-for-profit organisation, a public 2008 Research Assessment Exercise corporation or institution – or if you’re an individual entrepreneur, please get in touch. Our aim is to forge closer links between the Department of Theatre, Film & Television Studies Department and the business community, and to increase innovation Aberystwyth University and understanding in our field. We look forward to working with you in creative partnership. - 30% of research “world-leading” (4*) Professor Adrian Kear - 30% of research “internationally excellent” (3*) Head of Department - 20% of research “internationally significant”(2*) TheaTre, Film & Television sTudies 1 Our Mission The Department of Theatre Film and Television Studies (TFTS) has a key role in Wales and the wider world to educate and inspire individuals who go on to excel within the Creative Industries. The Department aims to meet the diverse needs and aspirations of its students and stakeholders, whilst recognising the context - the social and industrial landscape – in which our students will find employment and our staff contribute their research and expertise. TFTS therefore seeks to engage with external partners to ensure the continued resonance of our practices within cultural and creative industries and the broader social context. The Department is committed to conducting leading edge research and providing innovative courses across the range of our disciplines through both the Welsh and English languages. We pride ourselves on nurturing and developing the scholars and industry leaders of the future. We maintain that there should be no barriers to the fruitful interplay between academia and industry: the one should enrich the other, and we are keen to develop ways in which this can be achieved through learning, research and partnership work. Our mission is to foster the exchange of knowledge and innovation at a local, national and international level. We work to provide our graduates with the skills necessary for employment in a globalised knowledge economy. We are aware that they are global citizens who benefit from an understanding of different practices in theatre, film and television and who need to negotiate the digital, multi-platform world in which they will live and work. The profile and prestige of the Department rests on the achievements of its staff in teaching and research; but it also rests with the achievements and quality of its graduates. Our mission is to maintain and nurture our reputation as an international centre of academic excellence and to share our knowledge and understanding with the cultural and creative industries. 2 TheaTre, Film & Television sTudies Design: Simon Banham with Quarantine Facilities The Department offers a range of professional facilities and resources, including: Aberystwyth University is a partner • three fully-equipped theatre spaces, seating approximately 100 in Skillset Media Academy Wales people each, including the Castle Theatre which is scheduled for a major refurbishment and redevelopment project. • a new digital media suite • digital sound studio with copyright deposit Libraries of Centre; and Theatr Arad Goch, designed specifically for work in advanced multi-track digital the UK, including the specialist an Aberystwyth-based theatre digital production and editing. recording and editing facilities, National Sound and Screen organisation which has benefited • three rehearsal studios, each ISDN line with dual codec. Archive. from substantial recent investment. with sprung floors and technical • Centre for Performance • further facilities are available The BBC’s Mid Wales offices and facilities. Research Resource Centre - through our partnership with studios are also housed within the • a state-of-the-art studio a unique set of collections major independent television Department. dedicated to performance of books and audio-visual production company Boomerang+ research and experimental materials on world theatre and Plc; the Aberystwyth Arts theatre practice. performance. • an HD digital television studio • lecture theatres with integrated and gallery. screening facilities. • 36 digital and HD editing suites • close proximity to and and over 40 industry standard partnership with the National HD and digital cameras. Library of Wales, one of the four TheaTre, Film & Television sTudies 3 Knowledge Transfer, CPD and other projects Knowledge Transfer Continuing Professional Development, Project There are various forms of knowledge transfer activity. The most and Contract work common perhaps are ‘spin-outs’ where an independent company is set The Department is developing a Continuing Professional Development up by a university department or where a company makes commercial programme aimed at people working in the creative and cultural use of academic research. Within the arts, there is a vast body of industries. In August 2009, we were awarded (in partnership with other knowledge which can be of use in a knowledge transfer context, Universities who are members of the Wales Skillset Screen Academy and demonstrating the value of research through wider dissemination and Media Academy) a substantial grant from the Higher Education Funding application. Council (HEFCW) to develop a series of industry-related courses. These In 2008, for example, are aimed specifically at helping the creative industries sector through the Department formed the economic downturn and are awarded under the Council’s Economic a three-year strategic Support Initiative. The work is a further development of our Skillset partnership with the Media Academy Partner status and the project is marketed as Skilset Boomerang+ media Academy+. production group. As The Department has also tendered successfully for external contract partners, we share and exchange knowledge and expertise. The aim is work and is seeking to develop more industry links of this nature. Areas to develop innovations in multi-platform broadcasting and to help the of interest include technical theatre skills, acting and directing, television company grow. We also compete for new funding in research which is editing and directing, and aspects of arts and broadcasting policy and relevant both to our academic staff and to the company. regulation. Here are some examples of our external work: An example of the benefits of this working in partnership is our Film Production successful bid for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership Award. The funding of £82,585, from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and Welsh In 2009, lecturer John Burgan was commissioned to produce a short Assembly Government through the KTP scheme, is for a project to film on a zero carbon future for the Centre for Alternative Technology investigate 7-11 year old children’s television viewing preferences and in Machynlleth. The film was given its first screening at the Smithsonian multi-platform media practices with the aim of creating a model for in Washington in June 2009 as part of the Wales Smithsonian Cymru the production and delivery of children’s television programming. The season. project is supervised by an executive producer at Boomerang+ and Dr. Audience Research Merris Griffiths at TFTS. The work builds upon research conducted by Dr. In 2008, Professor Martin Barker completed Griffiths into children’s viewing preferences and provides strategic and a project on audience research for the British financial benefit to the company. Board of Film and Video Classification titled The Department is looking to develop other knowledge transfer projects “Sexual Violence in Contemporary Cinema”, in all its research areas. There are many ways in which TFTS can combine looking at a range of films which have raised expertise with external companies and organisations in order to assist in developing either their businesses or other activities in the creative and difficulties of classification. In cultural industries. Partnership opportunities range from research into 2009 this collaboration was aspects of European broadcasting policy within the Mercator Institute developed further though an for Media, Languages and Culture to the investigation of particular AHRC Collaborative Doctoral