Research Focus
My main research interests are focused on animation production cultures – who makes animation, under what circumstances and in which contexts – with a particular and longstanding interest in nonfiction/documentary animation. Recent work in this area has examined how viewers are emotionally engaged by nonfictional animations. I am also fascinated by the inter-relationships between practice and theory in the field, and the ways in which we think about pedagogy/teaching in relation to Animation.
My published work includes articles for the journals ‘animation: an interdisciplinary journal’, ‘Animation Journal’, and the ‘Historical Journal for Film, Radio and Television’, as well as numerous anthology essays. I am the Series Co-Editor (with Dr Caroline Ruddell, Brunel University) for Palgrave Animation, a major series of books dealing with animation theory and history. The first volume in the series, The Crafty Animator: Handmade, craft-based animation and cultural value, (co-edited by Caroline and I) was published in 2019. I am currently developing another book for the series, which is focused on ‘expanded and participatory’ forms of animation, and stems from the Leverhulme-funded Visiting Professorship of Eric Dyer (who was at AUB for four months in 2022). [Further details on Dyer’s visit are in Projects and Events section.]
Research Student (PGR) Supervision - areas of interest
I am interested in supervising PhD students in any area of animation, including:
Animated documentary forms
Animation production cultures
Historical studies of animation/animators
Animation and pedagogy
I am also interested in supervising practice-based students in these fields or those who want to explore the changing role of technologies, communities of practice or theory-practice relationships.
My training as a Film and Media historian means I am also interested in proposals relating to film and media historiography more generally.
Current PGR supervision
Charlotte Blacker (Director of Studies; with Dr Romana Turina) 2022-
Ben Oakley (Director of Studies; with Dr Paul Taberham and Dr Tom Walsh) 2019-
Laura Blake (Second Supervisor; with Dr Petronilla Whitfield (DoS) and Dr Rebecca Savory Fuller) 2021-
Previous PGR supervision/completions
Second (external) Supervisor for Fatemeh Hosseini-Shakib (completed PhD research into Aardman Animation and realism), University for the Creative Arts, Farnham – completion date Spring 2009;
First (external) Supervisor for Wynn Gerald Hamonic (completed PhD research on Paul Terry's animation studio business practices), Brunel University – completion date Summer 2011;
Director of Studies for Joe Sheehan (completed PhD research into practice and theory of stop motion animation), AUB – completion date March 2016;
Director of Studies for Fran Norton (PhD research into practice/process of drawing), AUB – completion date January 2019;
Second supervisor for Kate Hall (PhD research in the Museum for Design in Plastics) – AUB – completion date September 2019.
Director of Studies for Carla Mackinnon (PhD research into animated documentary production cultures in the UK), completion date May 2022;
Director of Studies for Marc Bosward (PhD research into animated collage/composites), completion date December 2022.
PGR student examinations
I have served as External Examiner for 12 PhD vivas at various institutions in the UK, Denmark, Singapore and Australia.
