Collaborative Creativity in Film and Television 

Edited by Lucy Brown, Rosamund Davies and Funke Oyebanjo

Abstract submission deadline: Friday 7th October 2022

Film and television are highly collaborative sectors of creative production. They rely not only on the talent and skills of individuals, but on the particular forms of collaborative creativity that emerge from individuals working together. Taking a range of approaches, such as theoretical, ethnographic, case studies and practitioner interviews, the chapters in this book will investigate the different ways that collaborative creativity develops and is managed at all stages of production, from development and pre-production through to post-production and distribution. Readers will gain an in depth understanding of theories and practices of collaborative creativity in film and television; including as they pertain to new forms of creative labour, such as intimacy coordination; and new technologies, such as virtual production. The book will also examine how discourses of individual and collaborative creativity intersect and impact on the processes and structures of production; it will analyse the way that the organisation and management of collaborative creativity establish and perpetuate norms of thought and behaviour, and operate structures of both inclusion and exclusion. It will also consider how collaborative creativity should be fostered within education and training settings.

Although research into the screen industries has investigated and analysed the collective nature of film and television work and its implications, there has been comparatively little detailed study and analysis of conceptions and practices of collaborative creativity within this context. While its focus is on creative labour and cultural production, this book will draw on the growing body of research into collaborative creativity within the fields of psychology, sociology, education, business and organisational studies to inform the study of collaborative creativity within film and television production.

We have been approached by a major publisher regarding this edited collection and will submit a formal proposal once the content has been finalised.

To contribute to this significant new volume, we are seeking chapters of around 6000-8000 words across all aspects of the production process from development through to post-production and distribution and from a range of national and international perspectives.

We are particularly interested in the following areas: 

  • Gender, race, class, disability, neurodiversity, sexuality etc. as they pertain to collaborative creativity in film and television
  • Particular case studies of collaborative creativity within the general field of production (e.g. intimacy coordination, production design, assistant directors, camera crew etc)
  • Creative collaboration processes in virtual production
  • Collaborative creativity in post-production
  • Management of collaborative creativity in film and television
  • Job sharing in film and television
  • Care as part of collaborative creativity in film and television
  • Ethics of collaboration in film and television
  • Training and education in collaborative creativity (e.g within film schools, media production courses, as well as industry delivered training)
  • Creative collaboration with non-professionals in film and television
  • Long and/or short-term creative collaborations in film and television
  • Collaborative creativity within particular institutions, e.g mainstream/alternative/large corporation/small production company etc.
  • Collaborative creativity in the context of transnational collaboration in film and television
  • The extent to which film and television institutions elaborate or apply explicit models of collaborative creativity.
  • Collaboration vs cooperation in film and television

This is far from an exhaustive list, however, and if you are interested in contributing another topic or approach to collaborative creativity in film and television that is not mentioned above, please do submit it. 

Submission details: 

Please submit proposals via email (with either a Word or PDF attachment) to  Lucybrown@lsbu.ac.uk, r.davies@greenwich.ac.uk and a.oyebanjo@greenwich.ac.uk
Email Header text: Collaborative Creativity Chapter Proposal

Please include in your email:

  • Chapter title
  • Your name
  • Your affiliation
  • Abstract (300 words)
  • Bio (100 words)

Editors: Lucy Brown (Lucybrown@lsbu.ac.uk) , Rosamund Davies