"Films That Make You Feel Good" DMLL Lead Researcher: Katherine Wimpenny | OTL Project Officer: Esmé Spurling Workshop 1: Ethical Considerations

Project Aims:

  • To offer high quality curated cinema experiences
  • To capture what impact this arts project has on peoples’ wellbeing
  • To connect people with other members of the local community, as well as offering signposting to community services that people may find helpful to access
  • To develop a best practice framework

Key Dates:

  • Thursday 26th November, 1pm-5pm Rutland: Afternoon screening starting at 3pm, pilot of data capture methods.
  • Thursday 3rd December, 11.30am - 5pm, Phoenix Cinemas, Leicester City: Training & Induction day at Phoenix Cinemas, including: tour; meeting the Project Team and PM. Attend the 2pm screening of the musical, "Oliver" & chance to try out data capture methods.
Oliver! 

Whats your role in #FTMYFG ?

Your role within this project is to creatively capture members of the public's experience of going to the cinema, and discover what emotions are felt...

Ask yourself - "How can I measure this 'data' of feelings?" There are a range of tools you can use in order to gain information from individuals in a qualitative manner, such as:

  • Focus Groups
  • Questionnaires and Surveys
  • Visual Ethnography (capturing images/ videos of thoughts and feelings)

The question is - how can we conduct this in an ethical manner?

Methods:

You will be conducting qualitative research in order to find out how people feel when they participate in the social experience of visiting the cinema and watching a film.

"[T]o understand human affairs it is insufficient to reply on quantitative surveys and statistics [...] indeed, delve deep into the subject qualities and govern behaviour” (Holliday 2002:07)

As Holiday (2002) suggests, in order to understand emotions and feelings of human nature, quantitative data is not always the most useful. On the other hand, we aim to be able to quantify our data, so using methods that will enable us to measure happiness and how films in particular have affected ones "mood". Think of creative ways that we can attract people to share their feedback on what emotion they felt during their cinema experience.

How do people feel?

Firstly, we need to consider what we want to ask members of the public - and to consider their feelings throughout, as opinions can be quite personal!

Questions to be asked need to be related to the rationale of the project, therefore as a researcher you need to be aware that at times your participant may stray from the subject area you wish to investigate. In this case, you will need to remind your participant in a friendly manner of the film they have just watched or ask them a relevant question to the brief.

Disney's "Inside Out" Pixar Film Explores Emotion

Note: a mark of a good researcher is one who can read their participant, if you feel that your participant is becoming uncomfortable or disinterested then do not pursue the topic further or have a break.

Micciche’s (2007) idea of "doing" emotions is relevant here: the concept that views emotion as a verb, it can be enacted and something that we can do to each other, in particular emotion can become embodied by a visual culture (Attwood 2008).

who is our audience?

Our target audience includes individuals who may be "hard to reach" and/or vulnerable, have little contact with friends or family and may suffer from loneliness. The films selected have been designed for their particular uplifting quality, to "feel good"... it is therefore necessary for you to give your participant a truthful account of why you feel their opinions and thoughts can impact on the research being conducted: so that they have no misconceptions and are fully aware to consenting.

Disney's "UP" Screening at Coleman Neighbourhood Centre, Nov 14th

How will you ask/explain the questions?

Your positionality as the researcher is important to consider when speaking to individuals in order to gather qualitative data. Have you felt an emotion that has been changed or stimulated by watching a film? Perhaps you could share this in order to built the trust of your participant and to give them an example of your own experience.

When asking questions such as, "What did you think of the film?", some people may not want to reply straight away, especially to someone they do not know. It may be necessary for you to complete the survey on behalf of your participant - make sure you have full consent prior to completing the survey!

By using Hochschild (2003) method of Emotional Labour we can gain a more personal insight by being prepared to share our own thoughts first with someone. To build trust between participant and researcher it is essential to be clear, concise and truthful at all times of what you will be doing with the data you collect.

"[T]he worker is required to produce an emotional state to the other [...] share their personal experiences in order to gain their trust and re-assurance" (Hochschild 2003)
@disrupt_learn
@OTLCovUni

Group Task:

  • As a group, and using the questionnaire as a template, update and add in your creative ideas of how you can make it easier for members of the public to navigate their way through, or with guidance.
  • Those who attended 12/11/12's session will have a copy of the document you begun this task on, with ideas such as icons to replace words/ ages/ gender/ ethnicities. (For those who did not attend, please meet with your group in order to take part in the task and keep up to date with the project so far.)
  • By the agreed date, Monday 16th November, please send Katherine 1 copy from one person within the group of the new questionnaire you have come up with, (hsx260@coventry.ac.uk)
  • The Circles Room in the DMLL is booked for you on Monday 16th November, 10-3pm (any issues please email Esmé Spurling (esme.spurling@coventry.ac.uk)
"The Kind and I" screening on 21st Dec, Fosse Neighbourhood Centre 4pm.
Created By
Esme Spurling
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