MINUTES SRN Executive Meeting – MAY 2022

 

Monday 16 May 2022 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 17 May 2022 7.00 am AEST (via Teams)

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

Meeting begun :02 after the hour

 

Apologies

All present.

 

Minutes of April meeting

RF proposed/MM seconded. Accepted.

 

SRN Conversations (Rose)

RF – Here are some notes on the SRN Conversations for discussion at our meeting tomorrow. They are made after considering ideas put forward by others, and rewatching the youtube clips “SRN Conversations #1 – Memories from SRN Conferences (2008 – 2011). In summary, after looking at the recording of the first Conversation I think it has a robust framework. We should continue with the same.

The theme of the Conversations as ‘Memories from SRN Conferences’ is a strong identifying factor. I think we should continue to honour that endeavour – make it historical, to build a picture of the developing SRN

Points which were repeated by different speakers: 

• the sense of being alone as a scholar of screenwriting in the early 2000s (which led Kirsi, Ian and then Eva to reach out to others);
• the way that the colleagues who came from other parts of the world to join in a conference became strong friends; it was a welcoming place to be;
• historical moments – the first JoS coming out; Adam Ganz dealing with a Mac Computer no one could work; technology not up to online meetings until Covid etc.
• putting names to faces –  Steven Maras’ book led to theme of Copenhagen conference/Steven as Keynote; Ian’s welcome to Eva at his 2008 conference led her to organise the 2010 conference; Eva was encouraged by Ian and thus wrote her book – now English language best seller;
• Online is better than nothing
• POINT OF INTEREST – that the Conversation itself was created in the midst of Covid. Occurred prior to the first SRN Online Seminar Series (ie annual conference online).

 

Issues we still grapple with:

language – doing everything in English (its practical!) – Ronald Geerts conference was bilingual (Fr, Eng). Didn’t work for everyone!

DIVERSITY in all things – Encourage greater diversity of all sorts!! Esp’ly nations whose filmmaking tradition / history is non-European..

Things to follow up on: the ongoing development of the field;

its relationship to new technologies;

its breakthrough moments – important scholarly arguments, works, introduction of new streams of inquiry

To consider: – a slideshow of photos to follow on from the world map animation.

NB – we should publicise the animation (link in newsletter; post on facebook)

 

PROPOSE Next Conversation: 

TO DISCUSS – 2,3  or 4 conferences per session? Ask coordinators whether they have synergy with other coordinators / speakers eg. to put Davinia NZ and Carmen Santiago together? Set questions / topics, issues to discuss.

 

Chair – Rosanne / Rose

Coordinator – Rose

Tech support – Rafael

 

2012 – (Sydney) Alex Munt; Kathryn Millard;

2013 – (Madison) Kellie Conway, J.J. Murphy

2014 – (Germany) Kerstin Stutterheim 

 

2015 – (Santiago) Carmen Sofia Brenes

2015 – (London) Steven Price; Rosamund Davies; ??

2016 – (Leeds) Ian McDonald; ??

 

2017 – (Dunedin) Davinia Thornley; Amie Taua

2018 – (Milano) Armando Fumagalli, Paolo Brassa

2019 – (Porto) Maria-Guillhermina 

 

2021 – ONLINE Paolo Russo

 

RW – I could see doing 2 organizers at a time – Sydney/Dunedin from one part of the world and Madison/Santiago from the Americas.

RF – Would like them to continue showing the way the previous conversations highlighted the friendships and memories noted.

MM – 3 is a good number to get the conversation going/4 is too much and 2 is too little.

Chronological is more important than geographical because we are all writing and teaching the writing of universal stories so why recognize borders.

RF – I prefer chronological but recognize scheduling might require other mixes. It would still highlight the friendships.  

 

SRN Collective Sites/Archive (Rose)

RF – Wondering if we could have links to the photographs from various conferences with the YouTube Conversations so people could see them when they are interested.

RL – I sent the link to the GoogleDrive but others need be editors to post photos.

Can we share such a link to all members to post photos during and after confernces…?

We can discuss this next meeting after some technical research.

ACTION ITEM:  ADD to next month’s AGENDA 

MM – Wonderful to have all this on the web as a history of the Network.  Connecting them could be a full project for someone to take on in the future.

 

SRN Elections & Pitches (Rosanne & Rose)

RW – What’s the process since I’m Secretary?

MM – Rose, Rosanne and Rafael are up for election this year.  SC is an invited emerging scholar for one year.

RW – Is the process for Re-election the same as election in that you need a letter of nomination and a second – and then a statement.

MM – Yes. And it is a real election from the floor.  We’ll run this in Vienna at the AGM.  

As we will be in person this time voting will be open to those present.

RF – If you run uncontested you still need those letters.

MM – In person we vote on paper handed to the Secretary and a Scrutineer.

RW – We’ll need to choose the Scrutineer and have them in place since I’m the Secretary.  

MM – Will the 3 not up for election be in Vienna?

SC – I won’t be able to attend due to Covid restrictions.  

RF – We should send letters 

RW – Put the call for nominations in the newsletter and on FB – deadline July 15. 

Then we’d send out via email by top of August.  Voting during Vienna conference.

MM – Requirements proposer/2nd-er and word count for statement.  Members need to be in place over one year in the Network.  

RW – I’ll put out the Call for Elections – email to Council to put in newsletter/on FB, post to Jiscmail.

RF – We can add a sentence about “if you’re new to the org and want to understand the process” they can contact Membership Rep.  

ACTiON ITEM – Gathering data for Chair’s annual report next meeting.

 

RF – Should we describe each role?  In video for YouTube or in writing in the Call for Nominations?

MM – Another point is that in the Chairman’s report I’d rather not be just the Chair since we are a collaborative industry – screenwriters and academics alike – so I would like you each to tell your own accomplishments in that report.

RW – Great idea!

MM – We can discuss practicalities of that next meeting.

 

SRN Asia Pacific Story Patterns ASPERA Panel link (Margaret)

MM – Been interested in this idea for a while – started this conversation with RL and Nadia in Milan.  Part of my platform – and now it is going to happen.  As part of ASPERA we will have Asia Pacific Story Patterns. Tue July 12 – 4:30-6pm Australian Eastern Standard Time — a good time for people in Asia Pacific to engage online.  Panel of AP cinema experts including CAPA (International Assoc of Film School – CILECT), rep from NePac – (Promotion of AP), Anthony Mullens wrote book about patterns from AP films.  In process of inviting filmmakers from AP to add to panel.  My head of school and member of CAPA will moderate.  

Looking to open a call for papers on AP story patterns.  One panel won’t answer the question but will start the conversation.  Panel will be open to members of SRN, CAPA, etc.  Not all panelists will be academics.  Part of our work is to educate practical filmmakers from areas where there are not schools of cinema.  Will be live but might record (based on permissions).   

We can do an alert in all our social media/newsletter.

 

SRN Exec Meeting prior to conference (Isadora)

MM – Preliminary program shows registration at 8:30 on first day.  

JC – Should we meet on Wednesday the day before?

IG – Cocktail hour is 9pm – we could meet 5:30-6:30/17:30-18:30. 

MM – We could meet close to the Town Hall so we could walk over afterwards.

Can I ask IG to organize with Stephanie of a place to meet?

SRN Newsletter – ideas for June? (Isadora)

IG – Will send out beginning of June.  We are looking for next newsletter – can we ask Claus as the organizer of the next conference?

JC – Others could be members of awards committee first in June – then Claus in September to welcome members to the conference.

MM – Call for nominations next – then notice of Asia Pacific Story Patterns Panel, then interviews.

JC – Note that conference reg is open.  

RF – We could add the cute gif of where all the conferences have been.  

 

Other business 

RF – Anything new with the FB page?  Can we help in any way?

RW – Sept. 20-24, 2023 – Columbia, Missouri

 

Adjourned – On the hour 3:00pm PDT

June 20/21 next meeting 

MINUTES SRN Executive Meeting

Monday 25 April  2022 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 26 April 2022 7.00 am AEST (via Teams)

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

 

1. Apologies

• JC
• SC

 

2. Minutes of February 2022 meeting

• Approved – unanimous

 

3. SRN Conference 2022 

• Carmen Sofia new member of SRN Awards committee – confirmed; Eva attending Conference; Tom Stempel & CSB may not be in attendance.
• Claus says registrations are opening soon.
• Lifetime achievements  award (a surprise) organized by Claus Tieber;
• Information about flights on website; SRN EC meeting at conference, time will be Thurs am coffee/breakfast 9am before the conference at University.

 

4. SRN Conversations

• RF – Confirming that we’re happy with list of next interviewees.  RL will be tech person.  Need Coordinator role, Chair to do interviews/coordinator of discussions.  Looking to make the session run faster/reconsider format.
• IG – We can use quick prompts – to get quick responses.  

 

5. Other business

• RF – Still discussing ways to change banner on website – RL recommended using animated GIF for ‘Welcoming’ banner.
• IG – Newsletter running smoothly over email with Jan. We have to decide who will be our interviewee for the next one. We want to include quick questions for others in the network. Editors find it easy to work together on line and on drive. 
• MM – Need to send reminder that awards close.  Will do on 3rd of May. 
• INCLUSION – RF to send out new reminder on asking members to invite colleagues;
• SRN EC Elections – Submit EOI by date? End of July; Next agenda item pls 
• IG – Won’t be another newsletter until June.  
• MM – In Vienna – 9am Exec meeting Thursday of that week – conference starts at 10am.  Next meeting is May 16/17th – relatively soon to this date but due to members not being free the 23/24th.
• RW – Elections for three of us – 
• MM – Expression of interest needs to be sent by end of July? Will double check.
• RF – Do we have a provision for voting online? Have we done that in the past pre-Covid?

 

Meeting adjourned 2:33pm PDT

May 17th – next meeting

 

MINUTES – SRN Executive Meeting February 2022

 

Monday 21 February 2022 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 22 February 2022 7.04 am AEST (via Teams)

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

• Apologies

• Minutes of previous meeting

IG – nominates acceptance

JC – seconded

Minutes approved

• SRN Action Plan 2022 Review

 

MM – JC sent CV for possible judge of SRN book/article award 2022. Dina Iordanova.  Now she is one of the keynote speakers for the Vienna conference.

JC – I did not know that would happen when I sent in her CV.  We had talked about choosing someone from a non-Western country and she is from Eastern Europe but teaches in Scotland.

IG – my PhD professor had worked with her and she was impressive. I second the nomination.

MM – Thank JC for that nomination.  She is quite suitable.  Let us all offer up names by next meeting and discuss them.  Focus on people with closer focus on screenwriting studies (as creative practice) more than film studies.  We have many esteemed elders who were instrumental in our SRN who drove the network and maybe we should approach some of them.  The prize is meant for best practices in screenwriting as an art form.  

RW – I’m all for asking those folks for their interest – some near retirement might not want more work or others might find this just the right kind of retired contribution to make.

JC – What are our conceptions of the requirements for judges?  

IG – Last meeting notes mention an attempt to replace the female who is leaving with another female. 

 

Action Item – Add choosing to next month’s agenda.

 

JC – We can put the new call in the next newsletter – it is coming out after one more interview is completed.

IG – Newsletter will go out first week of March so we can include this reminder for submissions for the prize.  Deadlines are May 31 each year.

IG – I remember receiving a call for the submissions – did it include the awards?

MM – Let’s put out our reminder in the newsletter.  

RL – One person on the Executive Council can receive the submissions…?

MM – So next month we will decide who to approach and do it one at a time.

IG – Suggestion:  Let’s ask Carmen Sofia Brenes now. 

RF – We had 3 judges – Eva is who we are replacing.  Kristin is staying and Tom Stempel.

MM – I will also confirm the returning judges.  

• Membership and Diversity

 

RF – Steven Maras has asked for suggestions for some new editors and reviewers for the JOS.  We agreed to pool a number of names for him to peruse. We sent some and agreed to add more when they come to us. Ian MacDonald and Claus Tieber suggested some names as well.  We could use a central point to gather those names – I can do that so if you have names send them on to me and I’ll send them on to Steven.

IG – Do they all have to be in Screenwriting Studies?

RW – Just checked Steven’s email and he wants:  “As Co-editor of Palgrave Studies in Screenwriting we have been seeking ways to make our editorial advisory board more diverse and inclusive. The pool of people we draw on is very similar so it makes sense to collaborate and continuing to build bridges into South America, Asia and Africa, especially.” 

MM- Let’s move to the Action Plan.

RF – Now that we have the YouTube Channel I’m motivated to record another conversation with former conference organizers. It was motivated to help future organizers but also as an oral history of the founding of the SRN and the casual friendships that have come from joining.  We’ve been following chronology using the first 4 conferences so now we’re ready to do the next 4: Sydney, Wisconsin, Chile, Potsdam.  We need a coordinator to figure out times to suggest, then a technical back up (Rafael in the first one), someone to do the introduction – an anchor who then also formulates a set of questions to keep the conversation going and moderating between speakers.  I coordinated the last one and will happily repeat that.  I would like some feedback on the last one as we prepare for the next one.

RL – I’m happy to be tech on that again.  I think one-to-one interviews or smaller round tables might be smoother.  To record the memories of our organization we can do smaller ones every other month.

MM – Good idea.  Putting a time limit on each speaker can be good.  If you had fewer people we could go for shorter times as well.  A tight set of questions can help. 

RF – Speakers were primed with questions ahead of time. 

We can do just two right now.  Sydney and Wisconsin. 

MM – I can moderate Wisconsin and whichever other one.  I didn’t attend Sydney. I had not Heard of the network yet.

RF – Also I wonder if there’s a difference betwwen recording how to organize a conference and what the cultural aspects of the SRN is – the fact that we don’t charge a fee so we can be as welcoming as posible.  So we could do 2 kinds of interviews  – one with organizers and another on memories of specific conferences.  

Action Item – RF will send out synopsis of ideas.

 

RF – Then by next meeting we will have something scheduled.  And I don’t have to be the coordinator of all of these – I’m more than happy to open up the opportunity to whoever is interested.

MM – JC and IG will have the newsletter ready next week.

SC – I have been posting to social media and am working on being as regular as possible with them.

RF – I wanted to repost another message about diversity in newsletter and on FB if there’s space.

• Other business 

 

MM – I have been planning an event to bring together Asian-Pacific screenwriter academics.  I have meetings next week with my Herman Van Eyken is Head of Griffith Film School – he is president of CILECT – The International Association of Film and TV School so we hope to be able to make these connections.  Many emerging countries want to study screenwriting and we want to expand this to those academics and filmmakers.  Our film school has a focus on Asia and one of our key mission statements is to connect with Asia.  We have other colleagues who are specialists in Asia-Pacific film who will help me with this. Perhaps we can organize a master class online.  

RW – When will your conference happen?

MM – ASPERA (Australian Screen Education production and research association) conference is in July (11-13th) and this might be connected to that so we can open a bit of it to SRN in some way.

Meeting Adjourned 12 past the hour.

 

SRN Executive Meeting

Monday 22 November October 2021 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 23 November 2021 7.00 am AEST (via Teams)

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM),

• Apologies

RL, SC

• Minutes of previous meeting

RF – proposes accepting.

IG – Seconded. 

• SRN Conference Vienna 2022 (Guests: Conference Hosts: Claus Tieber & Stephanie Schwarz Uni of Vienna)

 

CT gives information on planning stages. Funding in process. One has come through. Fee for conference will be similar to past (in vicinity 100 Euro). Special rates for ECRs.  Keynote speakers invited. Discussion of narrative new perspectives, one on Cinema in Diaspora and practical keynote – masterclass at film academy by (female director nominated for Oscar 2 years ago).

• Elefteria Thanouli, University of Thessaloniki, Greece

https://www.film.auth.gr/en/eleftheria-thanouli/

• Jigna Desai, University of Minnesota (not yet confirmed)

https://cla.umn.edu/about/directory/profile/desai003

• Götz Spielmann, writer-director 

https://www.filmakademie.wien/de/author/goetz-spielmann/

https://www.prismafilm.at/en/film/revanche

 

CFP reminder will go out in early December on old website. Plus FB site. Awaiting new graphic logo.

Reception at City Hall on night before – Wed 21st.  Outdoor event in the works. 

3 day conference, a few rooms available, will affect how many can present.  Round Tables in the works.

AGM on middle day – Friday – to collect more members will start with Round Table as happened online for Oxford conference to bring in Austrian screenwriters with members of Network.

Presentation for next conference will be near the end.  Close with award ceremony.  

EC organizes members of jury for awards. Which jury member will be in person in Vienna? 

EC will make graphic design certificates for the book and article award winners. 

Sponsored by Tom Stempel at first. 

Last EC I was part of we decided to give away a lifetime achievement from time to time – to someone who had done a lot for screenwriting studies and to the SRN.  We had intended to give it in Oxford.  We should prepare a video of colleagues congratulating him. 

Framing the AGM with all these events should bring in more attendees.

Planning room for work groups to meet in person.

Asks for suggestions of anything else needed for the program.

Print program or only online?  

 

MM – I’ve attended conferences with apps that held programs and other info.  Those who want can print their own copy. Might use a billboard display for everyone to check. 

CT – Room events will be posted on the doors. Registration will have a full list.  Internet access from the university.  

MM – Final meeting of this EC before conference. Chance to let the chairperson explain what will be in the AGM meeting.  

CT – Will find a room on Wednesday for that. Perhaps during lunch. 

MM – So we need to find a new judge for the awards. Possible sponsorship for monetary award.

CT – Due to Covid we should set a date for deciding if this conference should go online.  Much depends on if members can find funding from their universities.  

RW – For travelers across the ocean we should settle the date by May/June. Revisit this question in April.

MM – In Otago they had to pay to rent the rooms at their uni – do you have to do that?

CT – One room only.  But if we cancel we don’t have to pay.  

JC – Are you considering limitations such as requiring vaccinations?

CT – You have to be currently.  Some colleagues in the UK aren’t given funds to travel to the EU right now.

RF – Is there a minimum number you need to attend?

CT – We can have a small number but what happens to those who can’t come?

RW – How many attended the South American regional conference?

RF – 20 or so – wonderful for meeting and getting to know each other but not planned as the full, annual conference.  

CT – When we have questions for EC to organize a conference do we email the whole EC or is there a contact person?

MM – I will do that but then CC all others if they need to know.  Thanks to Claus and Stephanie for their report today.  We are looking forward to meeting you both in person in Vienna in September.

• SRN Digital Marketing updates (Newsletter, Facebook etc)

MM – Congratulations to Jan and Isadora on a wonderful first newsletter.

JC – It will come out quarterly.

MM – Constitution doesn’t say the ECR has to do FB posts so we should look for a new plan.

RF – Perhaps ECR assembles material – sends to other member to do posting.  Or ask newsletter person to do FB.  

MM – Table this for next month agenda. 

JC – We could have call with ECR to think about sharing communication duties.

MM – Excellent.

• SRN Executive proposed dates for meetings 2022

 

All good – just moved Aug. 22 to 29 for Spanish holidays.

• SRN Action Plan 2022

MM – Going over Action Plan.  What should we prioriticize. Covering topics in Action Plan – we can look into any website business next meeting.

–Approach Jill Nelmes or Jule Selbo?  

RF – We should research all the top academics in the field now. We could all have a list at the next meeting. Might find someone who isn’t an English-first speaker.

MM – Action item – we will all come with a list of a few people to approach. Bring a short bio.  

JC – Warren Buckland?

RW – He works with Paolo so he could be asked.  But we are replacing a female academic so we should keep that in mind.

IG – I can look at non-English speakers and bring a list. 

RF – Great way to keep it international.

MM – Need to check the publication dates required for entrants.

MM – Point #7 – how to attract international membership beyond current members.

RF – Ongoing – I’m about to put out a new post about asking colleagues to join the network. It’s always worth adding a sentence to communications with non-members to see if they know about the Network. I just met on the ECR Symposium a dual-language screenwriter and asked him about other colleagues.

MM – Points 10 and 11 have to do with posting short videos and continuing the online oral history.  Ongoing.   #12 is to support working groups.  Has that become so normalized that we can’t add much to that?

RF – Our role is to encourage them but not necessarily to motivate them.  They may be stumbling a bit but they have to live in their own worlds and manage themselves. The script reading from the online conference worked well as a way to show how the practice-based working group works.  Such groups have their own lives but not sure the EC has a place in pushing them on.

MM – I wonder how many new members we have who might not know about the working groups – we could post about them in the newsletter with contacts.

IG – If we coordinate the marketing strategy and do something like ‘The Month of the Working Group” – we can discuss that at the next meeting to establish.

RF – We should check in with the coordinators to see if they are still in existence and want the support.

IG – We can do that closer to the time we plan the next newsletter. 

• SRN Academic Papers Database

 

RF – A new member said she joined in order to Access our database. She wasn’t yet a student and needed articles for study. As I understand it we only have the bibliography list – we need to find who set that up to see what state it is in. If it’s a going concern we can post more about it. Meant to offer everyone a growing list of new materials worth using.

MM – There are certain key pieces that have advanced our discipline so it’s worth collecting them for new members to learn.  

• Other business 

 

RF – We need to add coordinating the next oral history interview to get that done this year.

           –  Screen Industries Growth Network email plus other business 

MM – Meeting adjourned 2:18pm PST.

 

SRN EC Meeting – October Minutes

Monday 18 October 2021 10 pm GMT/UTC 

Tuesday 19 October 2021 7.00 am AEST (via Teams)

 

Circulation list: Rosanne Welch (RW), Rose Ferrell (RF), Rafael Leal (RL), Jan Cernik (JC), Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA), Shaopeng Chen (SC), Margaret McVeigh (MM), 

 

Agenda

 

1. Apologies for absence

Isadora Garcia Avis (IGA

 

2. Minutes of previous EC Meeting for approval

RF – Proposes approval.

RW – Seconds

 

2021 SRN Conference Follow up (All)

MM – General response?  And request to send a thank you to Paolo Russo.

RW – Very much appreciated the way online let many more members take part.

RF – Agree – need to thank Paolo for meeting the challenge.  Also, we should find a way to incorporate some of the advantages of these online events.

MM – Claus Tieber would like to meet with us next month to address upcoming conference plans.  As to online being part of in person events – we did try this for ASPERA in Australia but they wanted in person people to confirm to pay for keynote speakers and their lodging/travel.

 

RF – upcoming conference in Australia is offering one day online and 2 days in person. Also, online doesn’t have to be free.  It can attract more people to take part.

 

MM – Recent online event I attended was 350 Euros in person / 150 Euros online.  In regards to thanking Paolo shall I write thank you letter from me as Executive or mention in the newsletter?  

RW – Yes in the newsletter as some newer members might not know his complete involvement.

RF – And he had planned 2 conferences actually, with the first being cancelled due to the pandemic.

 

2021 Early Career Researchers Online Symposium  

MM – Anne has been away on school holidays but sent message – things moving along well.  RF will be morning co-chair host/Rosamund co-chair host afternoon.  Anne will send more info and would like it posted to FB as well.

RF – Will be hosted on the 2021 conference site so it should go as smoothly as the SRN conference.

JC- It’s already up on the conference site.

 

2022 SRN Conference (All)

MM – Claus will speak with us next November.  Call for Papers went out yesterday – time to plan your abstract/paper.  We expect to all be present in person.  

 

EC roles and planning (All)

1. Inductions
2. Status update
3. Collaborations

MM – Time to plan for new roles in the new year and advise new members about roles and responsibilities.

RF – We could have each older member explain their role…

MM – Elections are 2 year periods. I’m starting again a second term. We agreed that I would be Chair this year through the Vienna conference – then Rosanne will take the 2nd year leading up to her conference in the U.S. in 2023.  As an Australian member I want to build on our membership from this part of the world.  Happy to have Shaopeng here to represent that part of the world and thanks to RF for all of her work as Membership member to build that.  I plan to set up a small regional conference during ASPERA this year to engage the Asian world.

RW – As Secretary I type the Minutes and sometimes ask for clarification for some of what has been said.

RF – As Membership and Inclusion Officer I help people who want to join who find us online and click the link that leads to JISCMAIL, hosted by Leeds for a few more years thanks to RL’s work on all things tech.  Then I’m listed as an administrator of JISCMAIL so I can accept the membership and then send a personal letter of welcome to new members that explains the SRN.  Then I send the form that asks for further data to get more data on who are our members. I’m the first person in contact with them.  I read all the forms and learn who the person is so I can understand what level they are at their university and what interests them in the SRN.  I want to be able to use the forms to create stronger connections between members.  I like to be in contact with academics around the world to encourage us to join – just like when MM and RL and I met in Chile and here we are involved deeply with the organization.

RW – It was RF who made sure that our JOS Special Issue on Women in Screenwriting was as international as possible so that there are now 4 people on this EC that had articles in that issue.

MM – And you were instrumental to the online interview series with past conference organizers to begin our oral history of the SRN.

RF – Which reminds me to tell SP and JC that the EC is a chance to bring any of your own new ideas to the table.

RL –  Extending SRN into underrepresented areas such as Latin America where the challenge is to make people go to in person conferences which can be very expensive considering universities don’t cover such expenses.  I have to do it on my own funds, which I have because I am also a screenwriter.  So we should look to ways to help there.  Then we need better membership in Asia and Africa.  We are woefully underrepresented there.  

Also I think we should continue the oral histories because history matters so that our information won’t disappear into a data hole.  We need to interview them while the have photos and fresh memories. Those are my 2 most important goals.  We talked last term about revamping the website but the more I use it, the more I think it’s fine.  It suits us now.

RW – I agree. Why revamp what looks fine? Better to build up the YouTube Channel and other social media areas (TikTok) to keep us connected to newer and younger members.  

RF – Can we share the Google password for us all to access?  

RL – The security alerts make that difficult because it requests the SCMS confirmation which makes it difficult.

JC – Does the Google Drive allow us to share files anyway?  

RL – You don’t have to log in to upload to the GoogleDrive.

MM – And you upload the Minutes after each meeting…

RL – Yes.

MM- From last meeting Jan and Isadora will do the newsletter together.  I forwarded them the templates which came to me form Carmen, using Pages.  Then SC as ECR will look after the social media.  Also, you both have new ideas to share – but first I wanted to put on the table that we have a bunch of communications channels but they don’t always talk to each other.  A marketing master I know offered some advice on what she thought – she saw a newsletter as a permanent consolidation of information and social media as updates.  Would you both like to address that going forward?

JC – We discussed newsletter with Isadora and proposal to update it.  We don’t use Pages and aren’t graphic designers so we want to create a new version. We are thinking of using MailChimp.

RW – Yes I use that in my MFA.

RL – Yes it is good.  But I also suggest Canva. I use it for my presentations.

JC – We will try Canva.  I prepared a draft newsletter for this meeting. I will share now.  We want to include more images/less text and have it branded so it matches our social media as well.  This edition is about the past conference – highlights, winners of SRN awards, news from the Council, etc.  Then there can be permanent sections on Call for Papers and such.  We wanted to keep those older sections and maybe a new permanent section – a short interview or a Q&A we found from older newsletters.

ALL MEMBERS – Much approval of new design/new ideas.

JC – As non-native speakers we’d need proofreaders so if MM, RF or RW will help that will be great.

RW – That’s another reason that more photos/less text is a great idea.

RF – More than happy to proofread.

MM- It should appear 4 times a year.  All it needs is Issue # to separate them out.  One issue with images – in Australia we are very big on trademarks – we’d need official permission for use of images in emails. 

JC – So everyone will receive this in an email – we can make it a pdf for posting. More people will click on links in their inbox.

RL – Pdf can also have clickable links but it’s friendlier in email.  To post to the website HTML is easier and more friendly.

MM – So it will be permanently on the site for new members to see. 

JC/RL – Yes it can be done.

RF – Question – Where will the original document live?  I’m wondering about the long term if Leeds stops being our host?

RL – Then we will move the entire website to another server and copy all the media that is stored.  But it would also be wise to save sensitive stuff in the GoogleDrive. I’ll investigate that.

MM – All approve new newsletter set up.

JC- As to sharing info for the newsletter I can share it and you all can propose what should be in the newsletter.  We can have it ready in beginning November.  

SC – First, apologies for missing the last meeting due to technical difficulties. I worked with RF during my article in the JOS and read the one written by MM and it was indeed wonderful.  So it’s a great honor to serve as a member of the EC.  

As to social media Anne sent an email handover guide on what to do about ECR – very comprehensive, detailed document.  I read it all. The biggest work of posting on FB and Twitter I have the question about the fact that those are banned in China. I can access them but software can be unstable. 

Second question, same as Jan, I’m not a native speaker of English so if I need some copyediting. 

MM – I want you to be comfortable in this role.

SC – Yes, I believe it is possible.

RF – We don’t use Twitter very much at all.  FB is more important.

RL – I just posted to Twitter because when I post Minutes it automatically posts to Twitter so it’s not dormant.

1. Admin matters

I plan to send out a call for new Agenda items the Monday the week before our Monday/Tuesday meetings and would hope for added items by Friday so I can send out the full Agenda.

 

Other business

MM – We are asked to have 9 meetings across the year – we need to think about the Christmas and summer holidays – and have the last meeting pre-conference (which will be in Vienna). I will send out a list of proposed dates for the year before our next meeting.

 

Date of next meeting: TBD 

November 22, 2021 

SRN EC Meeting

Monday 6.9.2021 at 10 pm GMT/UTC (via Zoom)

 

Circulation list: Carmen Sofia Brenes (CSB), Rose Ferrell (RF), Ann Igelström (AI), Rafael Leal (RL), Margaret McVeigh (MM), Paolo Russo (PR), Rosanne Welch (RW)

 

Minutes

 

Apologies for absence

RL

Minutes of previous EC Meeting for approval

All pending Action Points have been either discharged or itemized below in the agenda.

Approved by All. Sent to RL for website posting by PR.

 

Approval of Annual Report and Action Plan (All)

To be approved by AGM on 13 September 2021

PR – Available on SRN2021 website for all members to read/approve during AGM. Grown more detailed each year. Report complete – Action Plan can be addended over next 2 weeks. Usually full report read at AGM, with it online we can summarize main points.

RW – Love the pie chart of membership by countries so please include that in short summary.

PR – Noted.  

Any last-minute updates/info still pending

EC members attending/presenting at AGM

Strategic priorities (from Action Plan) for new academic year

PR – Time to prioritize the Action Plan during first meeting of new EC after AGM/conference.  Suggestions:  

2.b. Generate/share guidelines for running conference. 

6.a. Replace Janet as judge next year, then Tom Stempel year after, then Eva year after that.

7 i. ii. Iii. – Website updates with banner, new forms, DEI statement

RF – Would like a mail out to all members requesting new form for new data.  Need access to GoogleDrive from RL to create form.  Will also clear out lists based on responses by certain time. 

PR – Almost 700 members to date.  Worth cleaning the list for clarity.

RF – Would like to blend JISCmail and our list together for clarity.  New points to discuss at ongoing EC in the new year.a. record round table with earlier conference organizers

PR – Intends to do some one off Zoom talks – one could be another of these oral histories

14 – Yearbook of international organizations – done 4 years ago and contacted us again to check our info for updated edition

CSB – Find a way to offer an email for later connection since EC Chair changes every 2 years

Update on SRN2021 (PR, All)

Status update, attendance, issues

PR – Conference going well. Factoring in live panel attendance (50-60) and online views (1,700 or so).  Only issues were last minute presenters withdrawing, causing schedule updates.  When we went online we had 118 papers for in person conference, retained 60% of them in recorded/online presence.  Feedback after first Keynote overwhelmingly positive.  This week Prof. Murray Smith.

 

Presentation of Vienna 2022 (dates, venues)

Claus Tieber will do this at second AGM.  Video will also be posted. Dates now change – set on Sept. 22, 23, 24, 2022.  U of Vienna has buildings scattered across city. Venue will be at building in northwestern section of time.  10 minute underground ride to city center.  

SRN Award: Prof. Janet Staiger standing down from Jury (ask Jule Selbo?)

EC election and roles (All)

Rota for current members who will remain in post

To assess nominations and whether Elections will take place (if so, closing at end of AGM on 13 September 2021). If not:

1. 1. 1. Extension of mandate of current members ad interim
      2. New Call for Nominations with October deadline
      3. Online voting system

PR – 3 nominations for ECR. One for EC. Isadora Garcia-Avis nominated from ECR to EC by PR and RW.  New EC is now RW, RF, RL, MM, IG.  Need to fill proper roles.  I suggest that CSB role has less involvement – should blend with other roles as interim until next election. 

Two that can subsume Treasure/Resources Officer – can go along with Newsletter Editor OR Membership Coordinator.  

CSB – OR leave Treasurer vacant for a while since we don’t take in funds.

PR – Need to choose new Chair as I am stepping down.  Others returning need to decide if they will change or stay the same.

RW – We could use a Happy Hour.

PR – No we’re attending separate Sessions

MM – We could keep this time as it works for all of us here now and the new member is from Spain.

PR – Rose will you continue as Membership officer?

RF – Yes.

PR – MM how about you for Newsletter?

MM – I’m hosting a conference here next year so interested in being the Chair for one year and splitting it with someone else next year.

RW – I’d be up for splitting it in the 2nd year as I prepare the SRN 2023. So this year you’ll be Chair and I’ll stay on as Secretary.  Next year’ I’ll serve as Chair and you’ll step in as Secretary.

MM – I decided on this conference a week ago so can we discuss it?  It is in June each year.  We’d like to include SRN members.  We’d like to invite CSB to visit meetings to explain her Chilean regional conference.

CSB – Originally, the Chilean conference was to expand members into Latin America and for those who could not go to London that year.  

MM – Appreciated that you had translators and that will be useful for Asian presenters.

PR – The fruits of the Chilean conference can be seen in that Brazil has the most presenters attending.  And RL came to us from attending that one.

PR – Time to thank Anne Inglestrom for her service as the ECR.

 

Induction of new Early Career Representative (All, minus AI)

AI exits meeting.

PR – We have 2 ECR nominations.  Jan Chernick/ Czech Republic and Shaopeng from China.

 

Date of first “informal” meeting of new EC (if any)

1. 1. Soon after AGM, if new EC in post

   2. October, if new EC not in post yet

RW – Tuesday Oct. 21st for first.  Will be on Microsoft Teams via MM. 

CSB – WE all thank PR for his excellent job as a Chair in the midst of all the chaos that was created by the pandemic.  Then his exceptional work creating the online version of SRN2020/2021 which will lead to other ways to use the online technology to keep SRN members connected between conferences. 

RW/RF – Likewise many thanks to CSB for all her work for the EC and the SRN over the years. She is the reason so many of us are involved in the EC and we are so happy for the opportunities she made possible.

 

Any other business

PR – Online offers us a chance to stay in touch between conferences.  

MM – Might need a 3 year business plan for use of technology/social media.

Date of next meeting: TBD (see item 7)

MINUTES of SRN EC Meeting

Monday 17.5.2021 at 10 pm BST/GMT/UTC+1 (via Zoom)

Circulation list: Carmen Sofia Brenes (CSB), Rose Ferrell (RF), Ann Igelström (AI), Rafael Leal (RL), Margaret McVeigh (MM), Paolo Russo (PR), Rosanne Welch (RW)

Agenda

1. Apologies for absence

RL

2. Minutes of previous EC Meeting for approval

Approved as accurate. PR to send final version to RL for upload to website, as usual.

All pending Action Points have been either discharged or itemized below in the agenda.

3. Proposed amendments to SRN Constitution (PR, All)

PR circulated a memo (see attached) with the proposed amendments to the SRN Constitution: specifically, these would apply to articles 7.1 and 5.9 so as to formally allow holding AGMs and EC Elections by virtual means in cases of force majeure. External advice was also sought from other members of the SRN in good standing – i.e. Ian W. Macdonald, Eva Novrup Redvall and Claus Tieber – all of whom gave positive feedback. 

CSB suggests seeking advice from a few more members as well: e.g. Kirsi Rinne and Ronald Geerts. 

ACTION: PR to consult a few more members before finalising the draft with the proposed amendments.

It was noted that the proposed amendments are in line with the SRN Constitution anyway, especially with the existing provision of article 7.6 which allows the use of “technology” to consult the Membership on relevant issues. A key aspect to take into due account is to make sure that whatever the chosen technology it will give easy access to the Membership worldwide.

CSB asks whether there will still be a “confirmation vote” on the amendments (assuming the motion is carried) at the next AGM held in presentia. PR confirms this is the plan.

Regarding the clause requiring two thirds of the currently active Membership to pass the motion for the proposed amendments, CSB and MM raise concerns about the likelihood that as many members will reply via email or respond to the Call at all. PR clarifies that the Call to Membership will make it very clear that those who don’t cast their vote will be treated as giving “silent consent”. This is also the case at any AGM held in presentia, which is usually ever attended by a fraction of the membership. 

PR stresses the importance of giving enough notice and time to the Membership to cast their vote: this could be 30 days (or 4 weeks) from the CTM, with a view to collect all votes and ratify the result by the June EC meeting.

The EC approves the draft of the proposed amendments as is, as well as the suggested action protocol to issue the Call to Membership and appoint an external scrutineer. 

ACTION: PR, RW, RF and RL as per attached memo.

4. Update on SRN2021 Seminar Series Online (PR, All)

On the back of having attended about 20 online conferences/seminars in the past few months, PR will suggest that all paper presentations be pre-recorded to avoid technical issues. This will also allow for better use of the chosen video-conferencing tool. Once a schedule/format is finalized in the next few weeks, PR will send out guidelines to the delegates. Following the pre-recorded presentations, there will be live sessions for related discussion fora, for a maximum of 5-6 hours per day. 

PR will redesign the SRN2021 website over the Summer to make it work as the main content navigation hub for the Seminar Series.

After surveying all shortlisted delegates intention to participate, at the moment PR reports expecting 93 papers. Live sessions will have to be planned by geographic areas due to the 20 different time zones involved. Within each geographic area, panels can then be formed according to themes/topics. PR suggests one-hour slots per panels of 3-4 speakers each who will each give 5-minute summaries of their paper, followed by up to 30 minutes questions/discussion. Questions can also be collected via asynchronous means in the hope to allow many points of access for fullest sharing of ideas.

“Plenary” sessions will still include two keynote speakers (Murray Smith and Elizabeth Kilgarriff have confirmed availability but PR will follow up with them anyway in the next few weeks); the AGM, including the EC elections (this session will be run twice so as to allow as many members as possible from different time zones to attend); and the SRN Awards, including the winners’ lectures.

Moreover, round tables and networking meetings with the Working Group are possible. PR is also planning to invite a few professionals from the industry as special guests (pending availability). 

All live sessions will be recorded and will remain online via the SRN2021 website (until subscription expires). 

MM congratulates PR on the planning work and observes it can be challenging to stay attentive to papers for longer than 20 minutes. RF agrees with MM on ‘short and sharp’ presentations. 

MM suggests taking advantage of the switch to the online format and invite shorter presentations to allow for a more interactive conference, with abstracts on the website to contextualize the presentation. It also means that the overall time and, hopefully the organizational efforts, will be reduced, thus making for a leaner event in terms of scheduling.

PR welcomes the suggestions and will make sure that there is a degree of flexibility in the format of the presentations. The overall event format is still work in progress and any suggestions are welcome. For instance, PR suggests that the comments section of the video-presentations on YouTube could be enabled to allow speakers and members to comment asynchronously, regardless of when any live session is scheduled.

MM asks whether there will be a registration fee. PR confirms that, as things stand, the plan is for the whole event to be free: the School of Arts at Oxford Brookes University has agreed to fund the few expenses to cover keynote speakers’ fee and the prize money for the SRN Awards. However, delegates will still be asked to register in order to receive the Zoom links/passwords etc.

MM asks whether there might be any copyright issues to consider regarding speakers’ papers being posted online. PR underlines that rights to whatever materials/content will be posted will be retained by the delegates in accordance with the laws of their respective countries. PR and RL will figure out a way to make sure that only registered delegates have access to those materials. 

PR also confirms that, based on current laws (e.g. the Copyright License Agreement), it is possible to make fair use of clips or other copyrighted materials within the paper presentation as it is for education/research purposes, as long as sources are quoted.

PR outlines alternative scheduling options: e.g. two days weekly with no parallel sessions or one day weekly with two parallel sessions, for a total of four weeks; also possible, every other week or two consecutive weeks, a one-week break, then two more weeks.

RW would prefer a programme with parallel sessions so as to stick with one particular day a week, also in light of the fact the many colleagues will have started teaching at their respective universities; whereas, too many days might cause more timetabling clashes. RF also agrees that parallel sessions will keep the members more interested and focused.

The EC agrees tentatively on the following format: one day weekly with parallel live sessions whenever necessary/viable, beginning the week commencing on Monday 30 August 2021 for two weeks, then two more weeks after a one-week break.

ACTION: PR to work out format based on the above.

AI is also planning an ECR Symposium (see minutes from previous meetings). Assuming the SRN2021 Seminar Series Online will follow the format suggested above, this means that it will be over by the end of September. The ECR Symposium can therefore follow up in November as a separate, distinct but, at the same time, related event.

PR notes that at least one fourth of the shortlisted delegates for SRN2021 are ECRs anyway and therefore having the Symposium later in November will allow them to take part in both should they wish so.

MM hopes that PR will have people to help on this planning. PR confirms that a couple of colleagues from his department will be helping out as well as several other SRN members from other geographic areas who have offered to assist once the format is settled.

5. Other updates:

• Newsletter

MM reports about the latest issue published in April, which attracted less submissions than usual. The next issue should come out in June/July and could be a special issue focused around the SRN2021 Seminar Series. PR will pass on relevant information as the organization progresses in the forthcoming weeks.

• Social media

AI notes that posting has slowed down slightly in the last few weeks, perhaps due to everyone’s awaiting info on the conference.

ACTION: AI to post info on CTM re: the amendments to the SRN Constitution as soon as ready; then to focus on the Seminar Series and, finally, on the ECR Symposium (including a CfP) in the forthcoming weeks.

• Items for June meeting agenda to include: Results of CTM (see above), EC Elections Call for Nominations, Membership update, planning of EC Annual report and Activities Plan for 2021-22

The EC approves the suggested agenda for the June meeting.

6. Any other business

There was no other business to discuss.

 

Date of next meeting: Monday 21 June 2021, 10 pm BST/GMT/UTC+1 (consider DST; refer to shared DOC for each country’s time zone)

Minutes of SRN EC Meeting

Monday 19.4.2021 at 10 pm BST/GMT/UTC+1 (via Zoom)

Circulation list: Carmen Sofia Brenes (CSB), Rose Ferrell (RF), Ann Igelström (AI), Rafael Leal (RL), Margaret McVeigh (MM), Paolo Russo (PR), Rosanne Welch (RW)

Agenda

• Apologies for absence

MM

• Minutes of previous EC Meeting for approval

All pending Action Points have been itemized below in the agenda.  

The minutes are approved by the EC as accurate. RL will upload on the website to make them available to the Membership as per usual.

• Update on SRN2021 conference (PR, All)

PR submits a memo to the EC for approval, outlining pros and cons considering all information available at present. The main unresolved issues are: in-person events will still require safety measures in place (face covering, social distancing etc.) and restrictions (even extreme ones such as total travel bans) will be in place for incoming visitors to the UK. In short, IF all goes well the UK should lift restrictions and allow public events by the end of June 2021, but with quarantine and testing protocols in place. However, the above still does not take into account situations in all the delegates’ countries. Finally, academic travel and insurance will likely not allow members to participate.

The EC agrees unanimously that the conditions to run the SRN2021 Conference safely in presentia in Oxford are not met and therefore it will be cancelled and replaced by an alternative online event.

Re: the suggested online alternative event, PR confirms that: 1) The School of Arts at Oxford Brookes University will fund the keynote speakers, the SRN Awards money prizes, and the event’s website subscription for two more years; 2) The two keynote speakers (i.e. Murray Smith and Elizabeth Kilgarriff) have confirmed their availability, regardless of the event format. 

PR and AI have met to discuss the inclusion of a proposed Early Career Researchers event as part of the SRN2021 online event as well.

PR suggests splitting up the planning of the event sessions based on geographic regions/time zones, scheduling one or two days every few weeks in September/October/November. There could be an opening day for plenaries (e.g. keynotes) and a closing day at the end for the Awards and the AGM.  PR is also in talks with more special guests from the industry (TBC).  

All presentations can/should be pre-recorded and circulated via the SRN YouTube Channel before the event in preparation for the relevant Q&A sessions to be run live via Zoom. Both the pre-recorded presentations and the recordings of all live sessions will remain accessible after the event for further access and research.

RF notes that it would be exciting to bring in practitioners to enhance the online experience. 

PR points out that the EC will have to discuss an amendment to the SRN Constitution to allow the running of the AGM online as well as an alternative protocol for the EC elections. Such amendment will have to get Membership approval and formally confirmed/voted/seconded at the next in-person AGM in Vienna in 2022.

ACTION: EC to discuss amendment to SRN Constitution in May 2021 meeting.

ACTION: PR will email Membership tomorrow re: SRN2021 cancellation. RL to post announcement on the website and AI to post on Facebook page. 

ACTION:  PR to draft memo for alternative online event in forthcoming weeks.

PR also reports back from a meeting he had with the SRN Award Jury members recently. The Jurors agreed to hold the Awards this year even in case SRN2021 will have to switch to an online alternative event, also to avoid having 3 years’ worth of nominations in 2021. Janet Staiger also suggested (seconded by the other Jurors as well) that the Jury should inform the EC and the winners in advance (likely by August 2021), so that the Awards can be turned into mini event with the two winners giving short lectures about the underpinning research of their publications. The EC approves and commends the suggestion.

PR also met online with Claus Tieber re: SRN2022 Vienna to be announced during the online alternative event this coming autumn. The SRN2022 Conference will take place at the University of Vienna, Austria, on 29th-30th September and 1st of October, 2022.

The option of pushing/rescuing Oxford as a conference host city in 2025 will be discussed next academic year.

• Other updates:

• Social media

AI sums up upcoming scheduled Facebook posts: Cancellation of SRN2021, ECR event once planned, a reminder of the SRN Awards deadline at end of May, a scholarships as per email received from Craig Batty. 

• Website

RL confirms that the formal renewal process of the website hosting by the University of Leeds is underway although not complete yet. 

RL also reports stats re: users’ access to the website. UK, US, China and Australia top the stat, with  Sunday mornings being the busiest. 

PR proposed to hold off updating/revamping of the website once renewal of host is finalized and once the more urgent matters re: the AGM, the EC elections and the SRN2021 online event are dealt with.

• Newsletter

MM informed PR that she has sent out a final reminder and that a few pieces are for the upcoming issue. The next issue will include updated info on SRN2021.  

• Any other business

 

RF suggests implementing the use of a new membership online form. RL is available to create it.

RF updates the EC on the “We Welcome All” banner. RL confirm we will have to wait completion of the website host renewal from University of Leeds first as we need to find out which application they prefer us to use for it.

 

Date of next meeting: Monday 17 May 2021, 10 pm BST/GMT/UTC+1 (consider DST; refer to shared DOC for each country’s time zone)