Dr Paul Taberham

Dr. Paul Taberham is Senior Lecturer of Animation Studies in the School of Media at the Arts University Bournemouth. He studied Music and Live Arts (Joint Hons) at Manchester Metropolitan University (1998-2001), and then went on to do an MA in Documentary Production at Salford University (2002-2004), and a PhD in Film Theory at Kent University (2007-2013). From 2004-2006 he was an associate lecturer at Salford University, teaching courses on 20th Century Visual Culture and European Cinema. During his time at Kent University, he taught units on Animation, Film Sound and American Cinema. In 2014, he joined the Arts University Bournemouth and began working full-time as a senior lecturer.

He currently teaches theory and history on the BA (Hons) Animation Production course to 1st, 2nd and 3rd years, and co-supervises two PhD students. His main research interests are in the fields of animation, avant-garde film, cognitive media theory, analytic aesthetics, humour and film sound. Published work includes articles for the journals ‘Projections: The Journal for Movies and Mind, ‘animation: an interdisciplinary journal’ and ‘Animation Journal’. In addition, he has published in several anthology essays. He is the author of ‘The Avant-Garde Filmmaker as Practical Psychologist’ (2018), and the co-editor of ‘Cognitive Media Theory’ (2014) and ‘The New Experimental Animation: From Analogue to Digital’ (2018).

Paul has appeared on radio, and he has spoken nationally and internationally at conferences in London, Edinburgh, Berlin, Budapest, Copenhagen, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia, amongst others.

Paul’s main areas of teaching expertise are in animation theory and history, avant-garde film, cognitive film theory, world cinema, storytelling and film sound. He serves as a fellow for the Society for the Cognitive Study of the Moving Image (SCSMI) and as a peer reviewer for Projections: The Journal for Movies and Mind.

• Society of Animation Studies (2010–Present)
• Society for the Cognitive Study of the Moving Image (2009–Present)

Since Paul’s prior research relates to experimental film and animation in relation to cognition and audio-visual perception, he would welcome prospective students who are interested in a similar area. In addition, those interested aesthetics more broadly within the tradition of analytic philosophy, evolutionary psychology and film form should also get in touch.

Paul gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) from Kent University. In addition, he is certified to supervise research degrees via CLTAD qualification taken at University of the Arts, London (UAL).