Research
SIGN works collaboratively with higher education institutions and industry partners to generate new and valuable insights. Our research strengthens understanding of digital creativity and screen storytelling across interactive media, AI, film, TV, games and other digital screen-based technologies. We want to enhance our region’s competitiveness, and secure the future of our screen-related industries.
We are committed to undertaking research that will make a significant positive impact on culture and society. By identifying and analysing challenges, future requirements and best practice, we aim to provide evidence-based solutions.
SIGN also identifies new opportunities across skills, training, talent development, business support, diversity and inclusion. Striving to be at the forefront of industry knowledge and academic understanding, our research involves horizon scanning for new technologies, production models, modes of storytelling and routes to market, in order to facilitate new ideas for growth and innovation.
Research themes include:
- Understanding the scale of equality, diversity and inclusion in education, the screen industries and content creation
- Identifying opportunities for widening equality, diversity and inclusion
- Understanding digital creativity and storytelling, across interactive and immersive media, artificial intelligence (AI), film, TV, games
- Horizon-scanning for new technologies, production models, workflows and markets
- Developing strategies for business innovation, routes to market, growth, job creation, and future finance models
- Investigating the effectiveness of Creative Industries policy
- Understanding how the audiences of the future will engage with screen content.
The research workstream is led by the University of York and includes a £400k research development fund.
To view the outputs of our research, visit our publications page.
Projects
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Addressing Sexual Harassment in the UK Film and Television Industries
Please note: this study is no longer open to participants. Many thanks to all those who have come forward. A...
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Inclusive Growth
The Inclusive Growth research programme is a partnership between SIGN and the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre. The project...
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Early Career Researchers (ECR) Network
The SIGN Early Career Researchers (ECR) Network aims to bring together early career researchers to establish a community of scholars of the screen industries.
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Collaborative Research Grants
Academics are invited to apply for the Collaborative Grants Scheme to undertake research on screen industry priorities.
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A3i – Accessible audio for autistic individuals
Audio visual media is a part of daily life, from staying up to date with live news, enjoying a big-screen...
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Bridging the expectation gap: Career pathways for entrants to the film and TV industries
Laura Mayne and James Zborowski (University of Hull) A frequent complaint of film and TV industry employers is that new...
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Secret Story Network
Anna Zaluczkowska (Leeds Beckett University) and Krishna Stott (Bellyfeel) Since 2016, Leeds Beckett University and Bellyfeel Productions have been experimenting...
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Bradford Communities’ Youth and Careers in the Creative Industries
Jacqui Griffin (University of Bradford) and Carlton Reeve (Staffordshire University) This project aims to collect and collate data on the...
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Polyphonic Documentary: Research, Production and Development
Dr Stefano Odorico (Leeds Trinity University) and Dr Judith Aston (University of the West of England) This research project aims...
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Private: Enhancing the Effectiveness of Entry Level Training in the Screen Industries through Evaluation
Professor Kate Nash, Dr David Lee and Professor Irena Grugulis (University of Leeds) This focused study is part of broader...
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Live Room: Hybrid Spaces of Inclusion
Carolyn Butterworth and Renata Tyszczuk (University of Sheffield) The Live Room project builds on the Live Room Pilot project in...
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Cinema and Social Justice Filmmaking Project
Dr Martin Hall, Dr Lauren Stephenson and Dr Steve Rawle (York St John University) This project addresses the findings of...
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Video Games as Educational Tools
Jack Denham (York St John University), Matthew Spokes (York St John University), Jo Bell (University of Hull), Matt Coward-Gibbs (University...
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iFeatures: A Case Study of Low-budget Independent Filmmaking
Nathan Townsend (University of York) This research project will examine the history and current operation of iFeatures, an annual filmmaking...
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Yorkshire’s Film Festival Programmers: Working Conditions, Skills and the Relationship to the Region’s Screen Industries
James Fenwick (Sheffield Hallam University) Yorkshire’s biggest film festivals – Sheffield DocFest, Aesthetica Short Film Festival and Leeds International Film...
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First Grants Scheme
The First Grants Scheme supports academic researchers to develop projects which contribute to knowledge and understanding of the screen industries...
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Creative Futures
The Creative Futures funding call has now closed. The Creative Futures call supports XR Stories and SIGN’s aim to produce...