module specification

Extending the range of ideas previously explored in Comparing Theatre and Performance, this module will look at ways in which the languages of live performance and film may be combined in interdisciplinary practice. Through creative projects and references to contemporary practice in multimedia art and entertainment (e.g. Complicite, Secret Cinema, Punchdrunk etc.), the module will provide a range of opportunities to appreciate how the fusion of theatre and cinema may be used to engage the public in immersive and innovative experiences.

• To promote an interdisciplinary exploration of theatre and film, both through theoretical analysis and direct practical experience
• To further develop connections between theory and practice and provide a foundation for linking the various subjects included in the degree
• To experiment with analytical and experiential ways in which to envision innovations in the languages of theatre and film
• To realize the multimedia creative possibilities in fusing the languages of theatre and film

This module will be delivered through the contribution of a series of practitioners, each exploring a particular angle in the combination of theatre and film. Such angles may for instance include:

• The integration of video elements in staged performance
• The implementation of live components in cinema screenings
• The broadcasting of live productions in cinemas
• The fusion of video and performance in contemporary multimedia art
• The combination of live and digital elements in interactive public engagement experiences

Other angles may also be explored. Each practitioner’s work will culminate in a short practical task, which will be documented and reflected upon as part of a portfolio, delivered at the end of the module. Some tasks may be presented to an invited audience.

The following learning and teaching strategies are going to be employed in the course of this module:

• Multi-media lectures
• Student-led seminars
• Online activities through blended learning approaches
• Practical creative tasks (practical workshops, creative writing, design, photography and videography)
• Visits to relevant points of interest
• An inter-disciplinary research portfolio (assessed)
• Live presentations (assessed)

By the end of the module , students will have gained:

• A developed understanding, both from the point of view of the spectator and of the practitioner, of ways in which the languages of theatre and film may be combined together in interdisciplinary practice
• Direct experiences of ways in which to inform theory and practice and to draw innovative connections between different aspects of study in theatre and film
• A critical and practical insight into contemporary multimedia practices that blur the boundaries between live performance and film
• An ability to envision the experimental potential inherent to interdisciplinary practice both as an aesthetic ethos and public engagement strategy.

Practical assessment 1 and 2: (around weeks 10 and 22, though this may vary) these will be defined by each practitioner’s individual angle on the combination of theatre and film, as indicated above. Each practical assessment will therefore have a different interdisciplinary emphasis and promote distinctive creative and critical strategies.
Students will be assessed on the overall process as evidenced in class contribution, team-work, punctuality and attendance. They will also be assessed on their creative and experimental endeavours, as relevant to each specific task. Typically, these tasks will be produced in groups, though group sizes may vary according to the approach utilised.

Portfolio: for each practitioner’s approach and practical assessment, students will be expected to document their work and reflect on its broader artistic and cultural implications. They should evidence their ideas through appropriate references to research. As well as the written component, portfolios may include visual material (e.g. sketches, storyboard, photography and video links).

Comer, S. (ed.) (2009) Film and video art. London : Tate Publishing
Dixon, S. (2007) Digital performance : a history of new media in theater, dance, performance art, and installation. Cambridge, Mass. : MIT Press
Elwes, C. (2005) Video art : a guided tour. London : I.B. Tauris
Giesekam, G. (2007) Staging the screen : the use of film and video in theatre. Basingstoke:Palgrave Macmillan
Meigh-Andrews, C. (2006) A history of video art : the development of form and function. Oxford : Berg
Ricardo, F. (2009) Literary art in digital performance. New York : Continuum International
Weber, A. (2006) Upstaged : making theatre in the media age. New York : Routledge

Online resources:
http://bobnational.net/
http://www.jstor.org/
http://www.vam.ac.uk/page/t/theatre-and-performance/
http://www.bfi.org.uk/explore-film-tv
http://www.narodni-divadlo.cz/en/laterna-magika?lang=en