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Dr Charlotte Crofts

Biography I am Associate Professor of Filmmaking in the College of Art, Technology and Environment, Department of Arts, based at UWE's City Campus, Bower Ashton Studios. I'm Bristol born and bred and passionate about the city. I completed my doctorate at University of Manchester on Angela Carter's writing for radio, film and television in 1998, since published as Anagrams of Desire (MUP, 2003) and then ran away to film school where I first completed a City and Guilds in Video Production at the Workers Film Association (1999), Manchester before obtaining an MA in Film and TV Production at the University of Bristol (2000). I worked as an editor in the film and TV industry, taught editing at the New York Film Academy and returned to academia in 2003 at London South Bank University where I became Course Director, Digital Film and Video Production before joining UWE in 2007 as a Senior Lecturer in Film Studies and Video Production. I'm an independent filmmaker and creative producer. My short films have appeared at international film festivals, including LA Shorts, Palm Springs, Seagate Foyle, Rushes Soho Shorts, Brief Encounters. I've made award-winning locative heritage smartphone apps and currently direct the Cary Comes Home festival, celebrating Cary Grant's Bristol roots since 2014.
Research Interests I have been at the forefront of developing practice research within the discipline in my role as the first MeCCSA Practice Network Chair and subsequently on the Executive Committee of BAFTSS where I initiated the Practice Research Award and founded the Practice Research SIG. As editor in chief of Screenworks and an editor of Open Screens with responsibility for practice submissions, I have pioneered the publication of screen media practice research. This leadership has recently been recognised by my membership of the REF Panel as an output assessor for UoA33 and an impact assessor for UoA34.

My current and future research interests coalesce around three interconnected areas, all linked by place:

1) Bristol City of Film, formed the basis of a REF2021 Impact Case Study, entitled ‘Establishing and enhancing the cultural and economic significance of Bristol as a City of Film’ which asserts that UWE research was instrumental in evidencing, shaping and enhancing Bristol’s significance and profile as a regional, national and international screen hub and centre of screen production directly impacting on Bristol City Council’s successful bid to become a UNESCO City of Film (October 2017). As a founding member of the Bristol City of Film steering committee, I am well-placed to develop collaborative research and KE partnerships with Bristol City Council, Bristol Film Office and Destination Bristol leading to external funding bids.

2) Cary Grant: this formed the basis of a double-weighted multi-component practice output for REF 2021, comprising four iterations of the biennial Cary Comes Home Festival, established in 2014, associated fringe events, partnerships and international collaborations, and the Looking for Archie walking tour. Building on my previous research in New Cinema History and locative heritage, the project explores the various ways in which the star persona of Cary Grant was shaped by his Bristol birthplace as Archibald Leach in 1904. Through this focus on the importance of regional location, the research contributes to an ongoing international conversation about Grant’s stardom, contextualised within film festival studies, star studies, fan pilgrimage and cinematic tourism.

3) Angela Carter: building on my research on Carter’s writing for radio, film and television, my feature-film screenplay adaptation of Angela Carter’s ‘Flesh and the Mirror’, which has been supported by BFI Development Fund (2020), explores how Carter’s experiences in Japan inform her development as a writer. As co-founder of the Angela Carter Society, I am also involved with public-engagement around Angela Carter’s relationship to Bristol and Bath and I am an internationally recognised Carter scholar co-editing two collections on Carter, one a book with Professor Mulvey-Roberts and the other a special journal edition, with Professor Natsumi Ikoma (International Christian University, Tokyo).
Teaching and Learning I am Year 3 leader and module leader for the L3 Independent Research Project where I have introduced the videographic film assessment route. I also lead the L2 module Craft Lab which focuses on making and creative risk-taking . I teach into L2 & L3 Professional Practice modules, L3 Production 1 and 2 and L2 Narrative and lead on the ALBERT Educational Partnership, equipping final year students with sustainability knowledge leading to accreditation that will differentiate them in the jobs market, given that the film and TV industry is now adopting the ALBERT carbon footprint calculator, globally. I supervise on the MSc Sustainable Development dissertation module. I supervise and examine PhDs in film and media, mainly practice-based and serve as an Independent Chair. I would be particularly interested in supervising students in the area of green filmmaking, cinema culture and accessibility - and of course Cary Grant!