In this talk, Professor Erik Knudsen will delve into the evolving landscape of practice-led film research, outlining both the challenges and the possibilities it presents. Focusing particularly on the policy frameworks that shape research impact in the UK, he will discuss why filmmakers must actively engage with impact agendas to achieve meaningful recognition within the wider research environment.
Drawing on his Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project, StoryLab Research Network (storylabnetwork.com) and its spin-off platform storylabconversations.org, he will offer a concrete case study demonstrating how impact-driven engagement can emerge organically from creative practice. His talk will show how personal artistic intentions can translate into research rigour, significance, and broader societal influence—ultimately making a compelling case for why such engagement is essential for securing substantial research funding.
About the Speaker
Professor Erik Knudsen is a filmmaker and Emeritus Professor at the University of Lancashire, UK. He previously served as Faculty Director of Research for the Faculty of Culture and Creative Industries and currently holds an appointment as Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Languages and Communications, Universiti Pendidican Sultan Idris in Malaysia.
His academic career includes professorial roles at Bournemouth University’s Media School and the University of Salford, where he also served as Head of the School of Media, Music and Performance and Director of Graduate Studies. He has led several postgraduate programmes, including the MA in Fiction Film Production, Television Documentary Production, and Wildlife Documentary Production. Prior to this, he was Head of Production at the Northern Film School, Leeds Beckett University.
His writings on filmmaking include the influential book Finding The Personal Voice in Filmmaking (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018). As an award-winning filmmaker, his recent features include Goodwin Island (2024), True Calling (2021), Cleft Lip (2018), and The Raven on the Jetty (2015).
Beyond film, he works extensively with photography, with projects such as Cuba in Waiting and Doubt. For the Chester Photo Festival 2025, he completed two photography-inspired narrative short films, Medal of Honour and Letting Go. A third short film, Sacred Covenant—to be released in October 2025—completes his Parables Trilogy.
Date & Time: 19 November 2025, 17:00–19:00
Location: Online Platform
Hosted within: Project Sustainability
Coordination: Dr. Iakovos Panagopoulos [panagopoulos@ionio.gr]
