Empirical Art: Filmmaking for Fieldwork in Practice

Empirical art: Filmmaking for fieldwork in practice is an insightful exploration of what the craft of filmmaking brings to social science research. Providing creative avenues on how to narrate encounters, relationships, and experiences during fieldwork, this comprehensive volume offers a rich tapestry of theoretical explorations and explorative methodologies. Skilfully connecting the worlds of ethnography, art and cinema, the contributors in this book act as a compass for filmmakers and researchers venturing to use a camera and microphone to relate and narrate their research collaborations and fieldsites.

Drawing from the authors’ extensive experience in disciplines like social anthropology, environmental humanities, and political science, ＂Empirical Art＂ breaks down the intricate process of crafting ethnographic films that departs from the researcher’s subjectivity. Covering aspects of filmmaking from conceptualisation to production and distribution, readers are equipped with a treasure trove of collaborative techniques, innovative approaches, and ethical considerations necessary to generate and examine storytelling practices in contemporary fields of study.

The authors discuss the significance of the multiple roles that technologies of filmmaking play in reflecting on cultural practices, social dynamics, and (beyond) human storytelling and their transformative potentials. Whether a seasoned filmmaker, an aspiring ethnographer, or an academic seeking new dimensions for their research, Empirical Art serves as a guide to integrating visual storytelling, cinema craft and empirical research.

Andy Lawrence is a filmmaker and Senior Lecturer in Visual Anthropology at the University of Manchester. He is the founding director of Filmmaking for Fieldwork.
Martha-Cecilia Dietrich is a filmmaker and Assistant Professor in Anthropology at the University of Amsterdam. She is a co-director of Filmmaking for Fieldwork.