Nov 2, 2011 0
Presenting Practice-based Screen Research
Went to Leo’s PHD examination today. There was some valuable points I got out of the presentation.
1. Referred to the three components of practice-based research
a. project
b. exegesis
c. presentation
2. Put up the research question
3. Stated the objectives of a practice-based research
a. change in practice
b. contribution to professional and scholarly knowledge
c. a more knowledgable and skilled practitioner
4. Covered the process of moving from a professional practitioner to a research practitioner
5. Covered the part of being a research practitioner and presenting your research in different forums (academic – professional). It is not just the making. It is useful to remind examiners (the audience) about these varying forums/platforms that the research has been tested within.
6. Covered the research methodology mainly in this presentation in relation to Schon. (reflective practitioner) (quote)’A conversation with the situation’ (practice)..Thinking through how this process of reflection can be applied to screen production. Making connections between Schon’s concept and the specific practice inquiry.
7. Integrated key theorists used to contextualise the practice throughout the presentation.
8. Screened previous examples of work (from films) as part of presenting the argument and demonstrating the ‘change in practice’. This worked really well in terms of reminding people of the body of work that pre-dates the research and using this history of tacit knowledge to make points. This got me thinking about previous work and what I would personally use (a. story units idea in previous documentaries, Greenaway influences b. The recording of a scene, the process of observational documentary…)
9. A reminder that an understanding of the practice as research is not possible without extensive reflection and analysis. (quote) ‘This reflection makes it academic research…’ This highlighted the importance of documentation of the research (practice) process – i.e. video documentation of the directing and a journal. The passage of time is dangerous in terms of these experiences being lost for later reflection. This reinforces the need to document and reflect on practice-based research as it occurs along with this reflection being invaluable later on. It reminds me to use this blog more when reflecting rather than forgetting it as a resource.
10. Summed up with where the research as practice is heading next.
Other notes:
Ross Gibson – action-present Schon
Being wary of researching yourself – the danger of subjectivity