AFDA, the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance, in association with CARA, is calling for papers for its two-day mini conference to be held 4-5 October 2010 at AFDA in Johannesburg. The call closes on 4 August 2010 and successful proposals will be identified by 1 September 2010.
The organisers see this conference as a support structure to meet each other and share ideas, in order to participate in January in a fully fledged international conference on African film schools and film training.

The invitation is for researchers interested and working in the interdisciplinary research fields of film studies and the education of film and television in Africa to submit proposals. The aim of the conference is to stimulate research development in areas of interest for African film schools, television and media and to share ideas across the continent.

The mini conference provides a platform for work in progress and research proposals, as well as presentations on completed research. Researchers and lecturers at film schools can present their ideas for feedback and develop it in the following months with a view to a follow-up conference in January 2011, also in Johannesburg.

Support for new researchers

Support and feedback for new researchers will be provided with the help of Professor Keyan Tomaselli, researcher in film at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and editor of Journal of African Cinema as well as Doctor Gerda Dullaart, PhD (Literary Theory) on transformation of narrative teaching for post-apartheid universities.

CARA is the African chapter of CILECT, the international body of accredited film schools. AFDA is a fully accredited member of CILECT and Garth Holmes, chairman of the AFDA board, is also the chairperson of the executive committee of CARA.

Electronic participation

The expenses of attending the conference (including travel expenses and accommodation) will be the responsibility of the presenters of accepted papers.

In the spirit of research support, the mini conference also provides opportunity for electronic participation: If a researcher cannot travel to Johannesburg, but can submit his or her presentation by email, it will be presented on his or her behalf. Feedback will be garnered from the panel and audience and returned to the researcher by email.

Interested parties can either:
Attend and present in person
Or by proxy (via internet/DVD)
Propose a topic (10 minutes presentation / 5 minutes feedback)
Present a paper (20 minutes presentation / 10 minutes feedback)

Send a detailed abstract (1 page maximum 300 words) of the proposed paper and relevant biographical information on author(s) / presenter(s) by email to Anton Basson at anton@afda.co.za.