Journal of Media Practice and Education, Reno, NV (2026)

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02/11/2026

The Journal of Media Practice and Education invites submissions for a special issue that critically examines educational strategies for preparing cinematographers to navigate the complexities of contemporary and emerging technological landscapes.
Abstract Deadline: 16 March, 2026

Guest Editors
Dr Levi Dean1, Dr Sadia Jamil1, Nick Manley2 and Dr Simon Weaving1
1 The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC)
2 Falmouth University, United Kingdom

Cinematography—the art and craft of "writing with light in motion" (Greenhalgh, 2018)—is an essential pillar of filmmaking. The role of the cinematographer, or director of photography (DoP), is multifaceted, requiring both technical command and artistic vision. As Susan Kerrigan and Phillip McIntyre (2019) highlight, the DoP must coordinate “the camera, grip, and lighting teams in different crew combinations on a film to complement a visual strategy for a project.” This balance of creativity and technical expertise makes cinematography one of the most demanding yet rewarding aspects of film production and a cornerstone of film education.

However, as the filmmaking industry undergoes a global transformation driven by the digital revolution and the democratisation of audio-visual technology, the tools and practices available to cinematographers are evolving rapidly. Consumer tools, such as mobile phones, actions cameras like GoPros and DJI Action series, and mirrorless cameras, have made filmmaking more accessible while simultaneously blurring the boundaries between consumer and professional equipment. Productions such as 28 Years Later (2025), currently screening in cinemas with a $75 million budget (IndieWire, 2025), demonstrate that smartphone and mobile camera technology can achieve professional-level results. Emerging developments in
mobile imaging technology, including Apple’s recent patent for advanced image sensors with dynamic range approaching 20 stops (Y.M. Cinema Technology, 2025), indicate that consumer devices will continue to transform filmmaking practices and education in ways that
further challenge traditional boundaries. Despite these advances, professional productions typically remain reliant on expensive, specialised equipment, creating a contrast between the tools students may be familiar with through amateur media creation (Dooley 2019) and the
high-end equipment they encounter in professional film production contexts, though this distinction is becoming increasingly nuanced.

The financial implications of this equipment divide further complicate the educational landscape. This contrast is particularly significant in the role of the cinematographer, which exemplifies the challenge of bridging the gap between technical knowledge and artistic vision. As Blain Brown (2016, p. 11) notes, cinematographers must “understand the practical side of dealing with the camera, lenses, digital aspects, file types, workflow, and so on, but also have their minds firmly planted in the artistic side of creating a visual world.” This dual responsibility highlights the importance of access to professional tools and practices that enable students to develop these skills in tandem. However, such high-end industry equipment not only adds a layer of technical complexity but also expense, as evidenced by ARRI camera and lighting systems and others such as Sony Venice and RED, which are
widely used in professional productions.

This use of such industry-standard tools–including grip equipment–poses challenges for academic institutions striving to provide students with such authentic, professional-level experiences. For practice-based academics teaching cinematography, the challenge is multifaceted: preparing students to meet the demands of a film industry experiencing significant disruption through virtual production technologies and generative AI, while navigating the financial resource constraints of academia, as well as time constraints required to familiarise themselves with high-end industry equipment. Additionally, the diversity of creative approaches now influencing contemporary cinematography requires educators to balance traditional technical training with emerging methodologies that may reshape the cinematographer’s role entirely. This often sparks debates about whether film education
should prioritise creativity over technical expertise, given the resource-intensive nature of teaching advanced cinematography. At the same time, the need to prepare students for industry expectations while fostering experimentation adds another layer of complexity, particularly as these expectations themselves are rapidly evolving due to technological disruption, raising important questions for academia, as we are not simply ‘serving the industry.’

Call for Contributions
In light of the above, this call for articles invites contributions from scholars and industry practitioners to explore and contribute to meaningful dialogue about the challenges and opportunities involved in teaching cinematography in higher education. Contributions can address a variety of topics, including (but not limited to):

• Pedagogical strategies for teaching cinematography in resource-limited contexts.
• The balance between creative and technical skills in film education.
• Equity and accessibility in cinematography education, especially in the context of
expensive equipment and accreditation programs.
• Case studies of innovative approaches to teaching cinematography.
• Perspectives on industry accreditation programs and their impact on higher education.
• The evolving role of the cinematographer and its implications for curriculum design.
• Integrating emerging technologies (e.g., virtual production and AI) into
cinematography education.
• Preparing cinematographers for generative AI disruption in filmmaking workflows.
• Interdisciplinary approaches to cinematography education.
• Sustainability and environmental considerations in cinematography education.
• The impact of consumer technology (e.g., mobile phones, mirrorless cameras and
drones) on professional cinematography education.
• Teaching strategies for navigating blurred boundaries between consumer and
professional equipment.
• Mobile cinematography integration in traditional curricula and professional contexts.
• Pedagogical approaches to evolving sensor technology and dynamic range
capabilities.
• Strategies for fostering diversity, inclusion, and representation in cinematography
education.
• Balancing technological democratisation with professional training standards.
• Developing assessment frameworks for evaluating creative and technical aspects of
cinematographic work.
• Collaboration skills in cinematography education, focusing on the DoP's role in
working with (but not limited to) directors, editors, and production designers.
• Teaching composition and framing techniques, exploring how students can
understand and apply principles of spatial storytelling.
• The role of colour in cinematography, examining how advances in file formats (e.g.,
RAW, Log) and the emergence of the digital colourist are reshaping the
cinematographer’s creative and technical responsibilities.
• Virtual production workflows and LED volume integration in cinematography
training.

We strongly encourage contributions that balance academic rigour with practice-based insights, offering actionable recommendations for media educators, industry practitioners and academic institutions navigating these challenges.

Please submit abstracts of up to 400-450 words, along with a brief biographical statement of no more than 100 words, by March 16, 2026, to the editors of this special issue: Dr Levi Dean ([email protected]), Dr Sadia Jamil ([email protected]), Nick Manley ([email protected]) and Dr Simon Weaving ([email protected]). Final articles will be between 4000-6000 words and in accordance with the Journal of Media Practice and Education House style: https://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?show=instructions&journalCode=rjmp21 -your-paper

- Abstracts Submission Deadline: March 16, 2026
- Abstracts Acceptance Notifications: May 1, 2026
- Submission of First Drafts for Peer Review: December 4, 2026
- Submission of Final Revised Manuscripts: August 30, 2027
- Publication of the Special Issue: Second half of 2028

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