[artinfo] MPhil Interactive Cinema Offer - Culture Lab Newcastle

[Norman]

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/vacancies/studentships/vacancy.phtml?id=1142348021


MPhil Studentship - Perception & Interactive 
Cinema, School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics

The School of English Literature, Language, & 
Linguistics and the Informatics Research 
Institute at the University of Newcastle upon 
Tyne invite applications for a 1-year MPhil 
studentship based at the University of Newcastle 
upon Tyne's Culture Lab commencing October 2006 (or sooner).

The original conception of "interactive cinema" 
was that it would  allow viewers to play a role 
in the showing of films. Both conceptually and 
technologically the field is in its infancy. As 
initially conceived it aspired to create 
productions in which users might directly 
influence narrative flow, but instantiations of 
these ideas for actual film proved to be little 
more than sets of pre-generated linear sequences 
(for obvious technical reasons).

This research project proposes to explore a 
notion of interactive cinema that reconnects 
with, and exploits, traditional film making; by 
harnessing the full creative potential of modern 
digital filmmaking practice. Rather than offering 
viewers capabilities to manipulate narrative 
progression, we aim to furnish them with access 
to control over portrayal through a real-time 
interactive editing process; that is, editing 
while viewing. The goal of this project is to 
provide the  viewer access to these "lost" edits 
through a seamless interaction paradigm driven by 
the process of viewing itself. In simple terms 
our goal is to explore the issues in film 
perception through the creation of a production 
in which the very manner a film is viewed has a 
real-time and dynamic impact on its unfolding content.

Funding includes fees (£3,250) and a studentship 
of approximately £4,750. Applications are 
invited from committed individuals wishing to do 
research in a practical film and interactive 
media context and who have a 1st class or upper 
2nd class honours degree or equivalent in arts, 
media, social sciences, psychology or a related discipline.

For further information please contact Tina Gharavi or Patrick Olivier.

Details on how to apply are available from our application website
Application deadline 31/5/2006
On the application form please quote 'MPhil 
Studentship - Perception & Interactive Cinema'.