Welcome

Welcome to the website of the National Academy of Screen and Sound (NASS) Research Centre.

We are a multi-campus research centre specializing in the production of creative works based on research in media, communication and culture.

NASS is committed to local, global, interdisciplinary and collaborative approaches to screen production research and in order to meet its research objectives NASS undertakes the following activities:

  • National and international research collaboration
  • Research-based productions
  • Project incubation
  • Postgraduate supervision
  • Consultancies
  • Specialized training
  • Industry partnership
  • Advocacy
  • Seminars and conferences
  • Exhibitions and festivals
  • Coursework postgraduate programmes
  • Non-award and undergraduate feeder programmes

Partner Institutions

NASS Research Centre partner institutions are:

NASS Structure

The present administrative centre is at Murdoch University, Western Australia where NASS researchers serve a range of postgraduate and undergraduate programs in the Media Arts Centre (MAC), School of Arts.

NASS researchers, alumni and research associates are also located at many other Australian and international universities.

Current Research Themes

NASS has a number of ongoing and interconnected research themes, including:

  • Screen Production and Research Collaboration (SPARC)
  • Transnational and Interdisciplinary Visualization
  • Spatial Narrativity and Spatial Affects
  • Embodied Visualization
  • Representation and Retranslation of Trauma
  • Cultural Legacy of the Nuclear Era
  • Auto-ethnography and subjectivity
  • Cyber Trails, Knowledge Trails and Cyber Archives
  • Phenomenology of Dreaming
  • Diegetic Life Forms and Diegetic Logic
  • Cutting, Continuity and Consciousness
  • Performance, Trance, Disassociation and Misrecognition
  • Audience and MRI
  • Liminal and sublime audience engagement

Research-In-Action

To facilitate national and international research collaboration NASS has established a number of interconnected research-in-action digital hubs:

  • Indian Ocean SPARC Research Network
  • Creative Arts as Cultural Diplomacy

Refereed e-Journal

NASS is home to IM: Interactive Media an refereed, interdisciplinary e-journal conceived as a collaborative forum for researchers in screen and screen production.

NASS Press

NASS is home to NASS Press a refereed, interdisciplinary monograph publishing program for researchers in creative arts and screen production.

Current Grant Projects by NASS Researchers

  • Nuclear Futures: Using community arts and digital media for a range community arts initiatives across Australia and overseas focusing on the traumatic impact of nuclear testing and building resilience. $620,000 Australia Council Creative Communities Partnership Initiative and Arts South Australia. 2014-2017.

Recent Completed Grant Projects by NASS Researchers

  • Developing a Collaborative National Postgraduate Research Program for 22 Australian Film Schools,
    OLT funded Innovation and Development Project [ID11-2099], $220,000.
    Completed January 2014
  • The Global Hibakusha Project.
    Japanese funded, three-year Kaken-hi research project exploring digital media and the social and cultural connection between radiation exposed communities around the world. (¥11,000,00 A$150,000).
    Completed March 2014.
  • Barque Stefano Yinikurtira Trail
    Planning Grant with Lottery West Trail and Murdoch Foundation, $30,000.
    Completed February 2013.
  • East Africa Touring program of West Australian Indigenous Film
    Australian International Cultural Council grant: $20,000. For translation/subtitling into Kinyarwandan and Swahili to tour a program of WA indigenous films to East Africa.
    Completed August 2011.
  • Assessing Graduate Outputs in Nineteen Australian Film Schools
    ALTC funded Priority Assessment project [PP8-926], $219,000.
    Completed November 2010

Recent Research Degree Completions

Current Higher Degree (PhD) Research Candidates

  • Ivanka Sokol (APA scholarship, full time).
  • Owen Beck (APA scholarship, full time).
  • Briohny Doyle (APA scholarship, full time).
  • Gwenael Velge. (international scholarship, full time).
  • Antonia Cavcic (APA scholarship, full time).
  • Brendon Briggs (APA scholarship, full time).
  • Olivia Efthimiou (APA scholarship, full time).
  • Helen Thomas (APA scholarship, full time).
  • Allison Oliver Bell (part time).
  • Glen Stasiuk (part time).
  • Minaxi May (part time).
  • Christopher Rowett (part time).
  • Tim Burnes (part time).
  • Andrew Ewing (part time)

Recent Creative Arts Outputs

  • Ground Zeroes – Maralinga. (2013) Curated photographic exhibition. ‘Pakala Parnaku’. Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery, Fremantle, 2-18 August.
  • Excursion. (2013). 20 minute narrative drama.
  • Hiroshima Traces. (2012). 15 minute documentary. Screened at Hiroshima/Nagasaki Film Festival,  Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge, 5 August.
  • Hope for the Future. (2010). Screened on Rwanda National Television, 7 April. Screened 20,000+ audience, Rwanda National Stadium during 16th anniversary ceremony.
  • Nuke York, New York. (2012).Multimedia installation/exhibition. City University of New York.