CFP / The Image in Early Cinema: Form and Material

The Image in Early Cinema: Form and Material

Thirteenth International Domitor Conference

Chicago and Evanston, Illinois, USA 21-25 June 2014

Deadline for proposals: 1 December 2013

Possible topics include:

1. Early theories or debates about the nature of the moving image

2. The moving image and the still image: photography, chronophotography, painting, and other imaging practices in early cinema

3. Debates about the value of the image in modern culture; iconoclasm, iconophobia, and early cinema’s contribution to the (perceived) proliferation of images

4. Early visual analysis or interpretation of the moving or projected image

5. Discussion and practices concerning gauges, photographic processes, and image quality

6. The theory and practice of staging an image for the camera

7. Inter-arts articulations of the photographic and painterly in cinema (e.g., pantomime, theater, dance)

8. Technologies of image generation in early animation (e.g., registration techniques)

9. Scientific and informational image-making techniques transposed to moving or projected images

10. Images in early motion picture advertising (e.g., catalogs, posters, post cards)

11. Moving images and the practices of repurposing images across popular media formats (postcards, slides, advertisements, print illustrations)

12. The theory and practice of projection

13. Early preservation theories and practices

14. New approaches to early cinema image identification

15. Early cinema (e.g., the Paper Print Collection) and current practices of digital preservation, access, and reuse

Although we imagine the general time frame for the period covered by papers in the conference to be 1890 through 1915, we realize that cinema developed unevenly across the global stage. For that reason, papers treating cinema after 1915 in countries where early cinema practices postdate the proposed time frame will be given full consideration. Similarly, papers that examine the history and current status of early cinema’s place in the archive and museum are also welcomed.

Proposal Submission Process: Those wishing to submit a proposal should do so no later than 1 December 2013 to: domitor2014@gmail.com. Any questions about the process should also be sent to that address.

→Proposals for individual papers should be no longer than 300 words and be written in either English or French. Only a paper written in one of those two languages can be presented at the conference. Papers prepared for conference delivery should be no longer than 3300 words and must fit within a 25-minute presentation time (including any audiovisual material used to supplement the paper). We request that all papers be submitted by 30 April 2014 to allow for simultaneous translation.

Unfortunately, proposals for presentations that are not in keeping with the theme will not be considered.

→Proposals for pre-constituted panels of three participants will also be considered; such proposals should be submitted by the panel chair and consist of the collected individual paper proposals in addition to a brief rationale for the pre-constituted panel.

While membership in Domitor is not required to submit a proposal, anyone presenting a paper at the conference must be a member. To become a member, please go to our Membership page.

CFP Webpage