CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT: “Serial Forms”
University of Zurich, June 4–6, 2009 

Organized by the Institute of Cinema Studies

Characterized by repetition and duplication on the one hand, and diversity
and progression on the other, serial forms have always been a key feature of
media practices. One of the most common manifestations of seriality is the
serialised narrative, especially popular in television where it regularly
attracts large audiences. Yet serials, soaps, and sequels are not only
interesting from an economic standpoint; increasingly, they are used as a
framework to experiment with innovative narrative techniques and to address
issues of political and social concern.

Outshining many theatrical films – not only regarding the complexity of
their story lines and characters, but often also with respect to their
formal style – so called quality television series such as LOST, THE WIRE,
or THE SOPRANOS present the latest trend. In a recent interview even the
French cineaste Chris Marker confessed that he hardly ever goes to the
cinema anymore but instead feeds his hunger for fiction with tv serials.
Media scholar Jason Mittell compares the proclaimed golden age of American
television to the New Hollywood cinema of the late sixties and early
seventies. During that period too, social, technological, and economic
changes inspired the production of extraordinarily innovative works, with a
new generation of filmmakers challenging prevailing norms of the
entertainment industry and, in part, transforming it profoundly.

Bringing together scholars from various countries and disciplines, the
conference takes the recent trend of quality television series as a starting
point to explore the phenomenon of serial forms on a broad canvas. While the
main focus will be on serial forms in cinema and television from the past
and present, we would also like to discuss the role of serial forms in other
media and art forms.

Speakers include: Jennifer M. Bean, Glen Creeber, Nicola Dusi, Jens Eder,
Lorenz Engell, Ursula Ganz-Blaettler, Wolfgang Hagen, Britta Hartmann, Jason
Mittell, Greg M. Smith, Jörg Schweinitz, Jörg Türschmann, and Rainer Winter


For more information please visit the conference website at:
http://www.film.uzh.ch/tagung/index.html


Robert Blanchet, Kristina Köhler, Tereza Smid, Julia Zutavern 
Institute of Cinema Studies 
University of Zurich 
Plattenstrasse 54
CH-8032 Zurich
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

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