Call For Papers: ‘Bringing Legacy to Life’ Stop Motion Conference 

Hosted by Animation Research Network Scotland at Edinburgh College of Art, week commencing 26th of April 2021.

*This is intended to be an in-person event. However, if current Covid-19 restrictions remain in place, the event will be held online.

**Dates later confirmed as 29th & 30th of April 2021. 

2020 was a legacy year for animation in Edinburgh. The National Galleries of Modern Art began to celebrate the 100th anniversary of animation legend Ray Harryhausen, and at Edinburgh College of Art, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the animation programme. Though different in scope and scale, they are connected by a passion for filmmaking, innovation, storytelling, and stop motion animation. As we move in to 2021, we reflect on these legacies, and how they contribute to our cultural heritage. Through a two-day conference, we will take all things stop motion as an overarching theme, to consider, celebrate, and critique this particular form of making. Possible topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • Stop motion auteurs (such as Harryhausen, Quay Brothers, and Jan Svankmajer).
  • Histories and origins.
  • Technology and innovation.
  • Behind the scenes and audience interest.
  • Craft aesthetics and the hand-made.
  • National traditions and trends.
  • Pixilation and puppeting people.
  • Restoration and archiving artefacts.

The event will invite papers and provocations with a mixture of academic researchers, curators, and practitioners, to enrich this often under-studied aspect of animation practice, with particular consideration on how new circumstances may affect the future of this very hand-made process. We will invite the most prominent stop motion animators in the country (including ECA alumni) to present as our keynote speakers and panel of experts in the history and development of this key but often understudied form.

 

SINGLE PAPER PROPOSALS

Interested individuals should submit an abstract of no more than 250 words for 20 minute presentations, along with the following information:

  • Title and 100-word version of abstract for publication.
  • Biographical statement of up to 100 words suitable for publication, indicating how the proposed paper fits into your overall research agenda and experience.
  • Complete contact information, including name, institutional affiliation (if any), postal address, email address(es), and telephone number(s).
  • A headshot of yourself suitable for publication in high resolution. Please name image files accordingly.

PANEL PRESENTATION PROPOSALS

Alternatively, panel proposals of 3-4 speakers each are also encouraged. One individual should act as the Chair of the panel, and collate abstracts and contact information for all panel members before submission. The following information should be included:

  • Overall panel title and/or theme.
  • Name and contact information for the panel Chair (clearly identified).
  • Titles and abstracts (100-word suitable for publication) of each paper.
  • Contact information for each presenter, including name, institutional affiliation (if any), postal address, email address(es), and telephone number(s).
  • Biographical statement of up to 100 words for each presenter suitable for publication.
  • Photo of each presenter suitable for publication.
  • A headshot of each presenter suitable for publication in high resolution. Please name image files accordingly.

DEADLINES

All abstracts will be selected via a blind peer-reviewed panel, and successful speakers will be notified by February 2021. Please be aware that spaces for paper presentations are limited. We welcome paper submissions by Postgraduate and early career researchers. Late proposals will not be considered until all other proposals have been read.

Proposals must be submitted as an email attachment (in MS Word or PDF formats) to Dr Nichola Dobson at n.dobson@ed.ac.uk by Friday  4th December 2020.