Welcome to Film Studies

Chat to Sam

Message Sam with any questions about student life and studying at Lancaster. No question is too basic! "During my first year, I looked for different opportunities within Uni such as travelling to Boston and New York on the Global experiences programme. I work as a Student Ambassador and I’m local to Lancaster so I have pretty good knowledge of the area which I’d be happy to share. Feel free to ask questions about anything I just mentioned, as well as my course or the Uni in general."

Javier's life at Lancaster

Javier is a third-year Film and Sociology student who has been using his Film skills to create short videos in a part-time job as a digital ambassador.

Javier says, “Born in Spain, raised in Poland and (according to everyone else) with a Canadian accent of obscure origin, one of my lifelong obsessions has been to tell stories – and joining Lancaster University has given me the opportunity to find and tell more of them than ever. I’ve made a few short films over the past few years, and I’m always doing some writing, photography, graphic design, animation or film editing on the side.

One of my favourite things about Lancaster is the extracurricular part of university life and how it allows you to go beyond your degree – maybe even beyond your career plans –, and that is one of the aspects of my time at Lancaster University that I’m the most excited to share […] I’ve been working with LU Film Production (LUFP), directing, writing and producing both short films and advertisements for companies and other student societies and putting together some amazing content over many cold shoot days and sleepless editing nights.”

Here is a video Javier made about campus accommodation.

Dr Bruce Bennett

Bruce specialises in transnational cinema, including how migrants and refugees are portrayed in film and TV and the mediation of the war on terror. He also researches technology and film, looking at 3D cinema, digital imaging, Hollywood blockbusters and science fiction film.

Dr Gary Bettinson

Gary’s work encompasses two distinct areas: Hong Kong cinema and New Hollywood filmmaking (circa 1967-1975). He is particularly interested in the storytelling strategies used in films, their historical and industrial production circumstances, and their effects upon the viewer.

Dr Maryam Ghorbankarimi

Maryam is an expert on Middle Eastern cinemas and Iranian cinema in particular. She is also an award-winning filmmaker, and has made several documentary and short fiction films. She is perhaps best known for The Desert Fish.

Dr Richard Rushton

Through his research into Film Theory and Philosophical approaches to film, Richard focuses on film spectatorship and the effects and affects that films have on viewers. He does this in relation to mainstream Hollywood film, European art cinema and avant-garde film, and is also interested in Asian cinema.