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News: for details of Shawn's recent collaborative project supported by CMIR, 'Hidden Presence in Bath: researching Black presence in Bath', see HERE
Shawn is a senior lecturer in photography and media and a filmmaker, writer, photographer and facilitator of community media and arts. His PhD explored the motivations, impacts and cultural sustainability of stakeholders’ involvement in community media education. He co-founded Firstborn Creatives production company with Rob Mitchell in 2000 (now Firstborn Studios), and founder of CMSW publishing. He was the former Media Education Officer at At-Bristol science centre and founder of the Production Workshop at ITV West. Previous roles have also included producer, director and writer for BBC Bristol, ITV West, Channel 4 and Black Pyramid Films; workshop leader at Arnolfini gallery and Watershed Media Centre; and researcher/writer for The Voice newspaper.
Shawn studied Film & Photography BA (Hons) at Newport gaining a 1st, and an MA in Anthropology of Media at SOAS, University of London.
His writing and research interests include:
‘Plan C - time in Guangzhou’, (2009), 20 min documentary (Director), ‘China Now’ exhibition, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and Arnolofini gallery, Firstborn Creatives for Real Ideas Organisation
‘Re:Interpretation’, (2008), interactive exhibition - Firstborn Creatives for The National Trust
‘From Barbados to Bath: The story of Rainbow Steel Band’ (2008), 30 mins (Director), documentary, co-director/co-producer, Firstborn Creatives for B&NES
‘Unfinished Business (Inside Out special)’, (2007), BBC 1, 30 mins, (Director) Following the debates surrounding Bristol’s recognition of Abolition 2007 , the acknowledgment of the 200th anniversary of “abolition” of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Presented by Marvin Rees. Firstborn Creatives production for BBC Bristol
‘
Under the Bridge’, (2000), ITV West, 30 mins, (Director) Exploring the feelings surrounding Bristol and its history of the slave trade. Presented by Rob Mitchell. Firstborn Creatives production for HTV West
‘Footsteps of the Emperor’, 1999, 60 mins, ITV West (Producer/Director) Documentary about Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I and the time He spent living in the city of Bath, England. Presented by Benjamin Zephaniah
‘No Change’, (1997), 30 mins, ITV West (Director) Documentary about youth homelessness. Presented by Eleni Kyriacou.
‘Eazy Riderz’, (1997), Channel 4 (Assistant producer) Documentary about a group of young men and their transition from bicycle thieves to enthusiasts as they got older. Black Pyramid Films production for Channel 4
Selected conference papers / Research Outputs
Shawn has spoken at various conferences and increasingly writes papers for journals and publications. These include;
May 2010 ‘Beyond Project: an ethnographic study in community media’ PhD research project completed. Research question: “According to facilitators, participators and trainees of community media educational activity, what are the prime motivations of involvement, and what impacts and areas of sustainability result from the sector’s instances of pedagogy?”
November 2009 ‘The representation of perspectives on slave trade history using creative digital platforms’ paper with Rob Mitchell at the ‘British Country House and Slavery’ conference at LSE, London.
Autumn 2009 ‘Positioning Education within Community Media’ Chapter published in ‘Understanding Community Media’. Edited by Kevin Howley. Sage Publications
August 2008 ‘Positioning Education within Community Media’ Gave paper at OurMedia7 Conference in Accra, Ghana.
April 2008 ‘Re:Interpretation’ - media research project on attitudes towards legacy of the slavery in British heritage culture, Firstborn Creatives for The National Trust
January 2008 Co-published and co-wrote: ‘Blueboard: Story of a creative media residency project: 4 companies / 11 schools’. Publication offers an introduction to some ways in which partnership work, between creative media practitioners and schools, can enhance the learning opportunities of children and young people.
January 2008 ‘Consequences and Coincidences: A Case Study of Experimental Play in Media Literacy’ Paper published in Journal of Media Practice, Intellect Books. Vol. 9.1.
January 2007 ‘Making it Work: An Enquiry into how companies in the Community Media Sector recruit and retain skilled freelancers’ Co-editor with Steve Gear. Research by Ella Bissett Johnson. Funded by University of the West of England, ABI Associates and South West Screen. Supported by Calling the Shots and Firstborn Creatives.
November 2006 ‘Consequences and Coincidences: A Case Study of Experimental Play in Media Literacy’ Paper given at the Narrative/Non-Narrative conference, Arnolfini, Bristol.
July 2006 ‘Community Media in Bristol: Learning from history and joining up the future’ Key Note Speaker at the Diverse 2006 conference in Glasgow. Co-presenters; Hugh Thomas Bristol LEA, Sandra Mason KWMC, Junior Saunders Firstborn/Channel Zer0, Marla Reid Firstborn/Channel Zer0, Kerry Frome and Davina Frome KWMC.
July 2006 ‘Re-Representing rural racism through the use of Community Media’ Paper given at the Diverse 2006 conference in Glasgow.
April 2006 Paper given at the “What is a university for?” conference run by UWE, on the subject of citizenship in education.
January 2006 ‘Re-Representing rural racism through the use of Community Media’ paper given at the Politics, Race & Ethnicity Conference, Bristol.
December 2005 Response published in, Implementing Media Literacy: Empowerment, Participation and Responsibility, Westminster Media Forum Seminar Series.
September 2005 ‘Cultural Sustainability of the Community Media sector’ paper at the Euricom Colloquium in Slovenia, on , for the MacBride Report 25th anniversary.
July 2005 ‘Using Digital Media to enhance Creative Writing’ paper given at the ICT Education West of England Conference in Bristol.
Other Writing, Publishing and Blogs
‘Myths, Facts, Feelings: Bristol & Transatlantic Slavery’. Published by Firstborn Studios and Bristol Race Forum - A CMSW Imprint - August 2010
‘Outside Class: a collaboration in Vulnerable Anthropology’ - experimental online manuscript written with my Gaia Charis, writer/research and Shawn’s former English teacher at Culverhay Boy School. Their mutual (but very different) experiences of being in an all boys schools had impacts that remain with them to this day and continue to influence their outlook. Before collaborating on this project they had not been in any contact for 25 years.
www.outsideclass.wordpress.com
‘Beyond Project: Media/Education/Society’ Blog where Shawn explores ideas on those related themes.
www.beyondproject.wordpress.com
‘Bristol 2007’ co-authored blog exploring Bristol’s connection with transatlantic slavery.
www.bristol2007.wordpress.com
I see blogging as a useful space in which to write and test ideas. I feel even though the blogesphere contains many untruths and myths, it can also be a valuable and accessible place for academics to test ideas. I believe peer reviewed journals are just one part of scholarly activity, and more democratic spaces such as blogs are also as valuable to building bodies of knowledge.
Shawn is a senior lecturer in photography and media and a filmmaker, writer, photographer and facilitator of community media and arts. His PhD explored the motivations, impacts and cultural sustainability of stakeholders’ involvement in community media education. He co-founded Firstborn Creatives production company with Rob Mitchell in 2000 (now Firstborn Studios), and founder of CMSW publishing. He was the former Media Education Officer at At-Bristol science centre and founder of the Production Workshop at ITV West. Previous roles have also included producer, director and writer for BBC Bristol, ITV West, Channel 4 and Black Pyramid Films; workshop leader at Arnolfini gallery and Watershed Media Centre; and researcher/writer for The Voice newspaper.
Shawn studied Film & Photography BA (Hons) at Newport gaining a 1st, and an MA in Anthropology of Media at SOAS, University of London.
His writing and research interests include:
- Community media / alternative media / media democracy / socially engaged practice
- Media literacy / media education / formal and informal pedagogy
- Anthropology / post-colonial ethnography / autoethnography / vulnerable anthropology
- Ethnicity / representation / identity
- Allegory, semiotics, meaning and praxis in art and photography
- Rastafari culture / comparative religion
- Bristol and the Transatlantic slave trade
‘Plan C - time in Guangzhou’, (2009), 20 min documentary (Director), ‘China Now’ exhibition, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and Arnolofini gallery, Firstborn Creatives for Real Ideas Organisation
‘Re:Interpretation’, (2008), interactive exhibition - Firstborn Creatives for The National Trust
‘From Barbados to Bath: The story of Rainbow Steel Band’ (2008), 30 mins (Director), documentary, co-director/co-producer, Firstborn Creatives for B&NES
‘Unfinished Business (Inside Out special)’, (2007), BBC 1, 30 mins, (Director) Following the debates surrounding Bristol’s recognition of Abolition 2007 , the acknowledgment of the 200th anniversary of “abolition” of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Presented by Marvin Rees. Firstborn Creatives production for BBC Bristol
‘
Under the Bridge’, (2000), ITV West, 30 mins, (Director) Exploring the feelings surrounding Bristol and its history of the slave trade. Presented by Rob Mitchell. Firstborn Creatives production for HTV West
‘Footsteps of the Emperor’, 1999, 60 mins, ITV West (Producer/Director) Documentary about Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I and the time He spent living in the city of Bath, England. Presented by Benjamin Zephaniah
‘No Change’, (1997), 30 mins, ITV West (Director) Documentary about youth homelessness. Presented by Eleni Kyriacou.
‘Eazy Riderz’, (1997), Channel 4 (Assistant producer) Documentary about a group of young men and their transition from bicycle thieves to enthusiasts as they got older. Black Pyramid Films production for Channel 4
Selected conference papers / Research Outputs
Shawn has spoken at various conferences and increasingly writes papers for journals and publications. These include;
May 2010 ‘Beyond Project: an ethnographic study in community media’ PhD research project completed. Research question: “According to facilitators, participators and trainees of community media educational activity, what are the prime motivations of involvement, and what impacts and areas of sustainability result from the sector’s instances of pedagogy?”
November 2009 ‘The representation of perspectives on slave trade history using creative digital platforms’ paper with Rob Mitchell at the ‘British Country House and Slavery’ conference at LSE, London.
Autumn 2009 ‘Positioning Education within Community Media’ Chapter published in ‘Understanding Community Media’. Edited by Kevin Howley. Sage Publications
August 2008 ‘Positioning Education within Community Media’ Gave paper at OurMedia7 Conference in Accra, Ghana.
April 2008 ‘Re:Interpretation’ - media research project on attitudes towards legacy of the slavery in British heritage culture, Firstborn Creatives for The National Trust
January 2008 Co-published and co-wrote: ‘Blueboard: Story of a creative media residency project: 4 companies / 11 schools’. Publication offers an introduction to some ways in which partnership work, between creative media practitioners and schools, can enhance the learning opportunities of children and young people.
January 2008 ‘Consequences and Coincidences: A Case Study of Experimental Play in Media Literacy’ Paper published in Journal of Media Practice, Intellect Books. Vol. 9.1.
January 2007 ‘Making it Work: An Enquiry into how companies in the Community Media Sector recruit and retain skilled freelancers’ Co-editor with Steve Gear. Research by Ella Bissett Johnson. Funded by University of the West of England, ABI Associates and South West Screen. Supported by Calling the Shots and Firstborn Creatives.
November 2006 ‘Consequences and Coincidences: A Case Study of Experimental Play in Media Literacy’ Paper given at the Narrative/Non-Narrative conference, Arnolfini, Bristol.
July 2006 ‘Community Media in Bristol: Learning from history and joining up the future’ Key Note Speaker at the Diverse 2006 conference in Glasgow. Co-presenters; Hugh Thomas Bristol LEA, Sandra Mason KWMC, Junior Saunders Firstborn/Channel Zer0, Marla Reid Firstborn/Channel Zer0, Kerry Frome and Davina Frome KWMC.
July 2006 ‘Re-Representing rural racism through the use of Community Media’ Paper given at the Diverse 2006 conference in Glasgow.
April 2006 Paper given at the “What is a university for?” conference run by UWE, on the subject of citizenship in education.
January 2006 ‘Re-Representing rural racism through the use of Community Media’ paper given at the Politics, Race & Ethnicity Conference, Bristol.
December 2005 Response published in, Implementing Media Literacy: Empowerment, Participation and Responsibility, Westminster Media Forum Seminar Series.
September 2005 ‘Cultural Sustainability of the Community Media sector’ paper at the Euricom Colloquium in Slovenia, on , for the MacBride Report 25th anniversary.
July 2005 ‘Using Digital Media to enhance Creative Writing’ paper given at the ICT Education West of England Conference in Bristol.
Other Writing, Publishing and Blogs
‘Myths, Facts, Feelings: Bristol & Transatlantic Slavery’. Published by Firstborn Studios and Bristol Race Forum - A CMSW Imprint - August 2010
‘Outside Class: a collaboration in Vulnerable Anthropology’ - experimental online manuscript written with my Gaia Charis, writer/research and Shawn’s former English teacher at Culverhay Boy School. Their mutual (but very different) experiences of being in an all boys schools had impacts that remain with them to this day and continue to influence their outlook. Before collaborating on this project they had not been in any contact for 25 years.
www.outsideclass.wordpress.com
‘Beyond Project: Media/Education/Society’ Blog where Shawn explores ideas on those related themes.
www.beyondproject.wordpress.com
‘Bristol 2007’ co-authored blog exploring Bristol’s connection with transatlantic slavery.
www.bristol2007.wordpress.com
I see blogging as a useful space in which to write and test ideas. I feel even though the blogesphere contains many untruths and myths, it can also be a valuable and accessible place for academics to test ideas. I believe peer reviewed journals are just one part of scholarly activity, and more democratic spaces such as blogs are also as valuable to building bodies of knowledge.