1. A reminder of next year's Studies in French Cinema paper call: Conference 2005: Genre and Technology: The Fifth Annual Studies in French Cinema Conference will be held on Wednesday 30 March 2005 in London. Please note that this is intentionally (so as to allow colleagues to attend both conferences) the day before the start of the Society of Cinema and Media Studies Conference, to be held 30 March-3 April at the Institute of Education, London. This year we are calling for papers on any aspect of genre or technology. We are asking for papers that look in greater depth at (preferably) popular genres (comedy; costume drama; heritage; thrillers, etc) from any period in French cinema, and which would focus not just on the genre per se, but also address the genre's socio-political and economic motivations. We are also calling for papers on aspects of technology from any period in French cinema (including pre-sound cinema), such as colour, sound, image, light, the history and politics of cinema technologies, cinema technology and ideology, digital technology. We have a good record for fostering postgraduate work, so please draw this to the attention of any postgraduates whom you think may have an interest in either or both of these areas. Please submit your proposal (250 words max) to Phil Powrie ([log in to unmask]) and Susan Hayward ([log in to unmask]) by 15 November 2004. 2. Call for Papers: 'Designs for Living: space and place in the cinema', 28-30 June 2005 Venue: Queen Mary, University of London (Mile End Campus) This interdisciplinary conference invites proposals from scholars interested in the role played by sets and locations in filmic representation. The aim of the conference is to create a forum for interrogating both design practice and its creative effects in a variety of national and transnational contexts. By highlighting the performative role of sets and locations in filmic expression, we hope to initiate debate about how design practice inscribes space as place in the cinema. Proposals and plenary papers will reflect both the diversity and hitherto underinterrogated nature of the subject. We are particularly interested in proposals relating to the following areas, as well as further angles appropriate to current research: * new perspectives on the role of the set in established film styles (expressionism, poetic realism) * the impact of film design in the light of particular artistic movements (art deco, constructivism, modernism) * the work of particular production designers and art directors * the collaborative nature of the studio design process * the particular artistic and cultural influences brought to bear on the representation of space in specific national contexts * how priorities in design practice might be compared across national industries * questions of authenticity and realism in the representation of place * the complex interrelationship between the set and the star * the stages involved in set construction or location shooting * the representation of major urban centres * case studies of individual films in which the set underpins a particular visual style The ideas here are by no means exhaustive, but suggest avenues that may be fruitful in addressing the core issues of the conference. The conference organisers welcome proposals from specialists in film studies, cultural studies, geography, history, art history, architecture, design practice and other appropriate disciplines. We especially welcome proposals for pre-constituted panels (three speakers maximum). There is no restriction with regard to period, national context, genre or theoretical approach. Please send proposals in the form of 250 word abstracts to Laura Wykes ([log in to unmask]) (Designs for Living conference assistant) by 10 January 2005. A preliminary programme will be available online from February 2005. Conference organisers: Dr Sue Harris Centre for Film Studies Queen Mary, University of London Professor Sarah Street Department of Film, Theatre, Drama and Television University of Bristol -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by the NorMAN MailScanner Service and is believed to be clean. The NorMAN MailScanner Service is operated by Information, Systems and Services, University of Newcastle upon Tyne. ---- Online resources for film/TV studies may be found at ScreenSite http://www.ScreenSite.org