Lecturer, BA (Hons) Visual Effects
Matt’s research is concentrated on trends in contemporary American cinema with a particular interest in independent filmmaking; with his talk looking deeper into the authenticity of US indie cinema. A film form traditionally seen as eschewing traits more synonymous with Hollywood, it is commonly argued that indie film retains more of a ‘truthful’ register in contrast to the ‘superficial’ artificiality of Hollywood’s leading blockbusters.
However, in recent years, the form has been bolstered by a growing use of seemingly imperceptible visual effects, being used to offer subtle visual enhancements, tweaks or corrections to improve the final image.
This poses wider questions about the implications of the use of digital visual effects in modern indie filmmaking, despite the predominant use of these effects to consolidate an ‘honest aesthetic’, transgressing and challenging barriers of truth and authenticity.
