Screen Studies: Then and Now

The idea of Screen Studies as an definable area of interest, research, ideas and examination is a complex and oftentimes problematic beast. On one hand, what is very often called Screen Studies within universities the world over is really more accurately described and understood as Cultural Studies. In such cases culture, sociology and behavioural constructs are examined through the prism of Cinema and the Screen. But this is NOT the same as Screen Studies which is (or should be) more readily understood as a study of the Screen and Screen production itself - What we make and How we make it. Whilst i would certainly agree that Screen arts are a vibrant and dynamic conduit for studying Culture, this is very much Not the same thing - and should not be interchangeable with - studying the Screen itself. 

Having then separated Screen studies form Cultural studies, another issue arises which becomes a great challenge for institutions such as film schools - that is the vast complexity of the screen-media eco-system and apparatus in the 21st century. This problem and challenge was beautifully summed up by my colleague and Head of Screen Studies at the Australian Film TV and Radio School, Dr Karen Pearlman. Karen is both a scholar of great note as well a multi-award winning filmmaker and editor (co-director of the Physical TV Company). karen brings to any such discussion a cleared headed vision of where cinematic ideas meet cinematic process and form that vantage point she summarised - in two simple diagrams - the evolution of Screen Studies as being from this….

To this…

The former shows, humorously but not by any means inaccurately, what was considered Screen Studies when the Spielberg’s and Scorsese’s were at film school. The later shows the complexity and challenges of Screen Studies in 2011. Unless we can functionally navigate this complexity in a way that marries process with ideas, concept with execution, then we likely run the risk of a whole generation of cinematic banality and confusion. A state particularly painful if you, like me, believe that the 21st Century should and could be the greatest period of creative endeavour the world has ever known.