FRAMEWORKS FOR PARTICIPATION

Although this page will eventually contain detailed information about projects PARIP has been involved with, the information presented here details potential frameworks for PARIP participation.

PARIP’s core remit is to participate in practice-as-research projects undertaken by the University of Bristol's Department of Drama and by one affiliated institution in the disciplinary fields of film, television, video, dance, theatre and drama.

PARIP’s participation may consist of:

• observation of both practice-as-research process and outcome, for the purpose of further developing appreciations of UK practice as research and associated critical activities;
  
• advice and consultation on issues specific to the dissemination of heterogeneous practice-as-research activities;
  
• advice and consultation on the devising and implementation of effective digital documentation frameworks for live performance (dance, theatre, drama);
  
• where appropriate, to work with the documentation arising from that close consultation with a view to creating multi-viewpoint DVDs;
  
• from which may be generated associated critical documentation analyzing these processes with a view to devising guidelines for best practice.
  

PROJECT OUTLINES

In its original AHRB application PARIP committed to working with Bristol colleagues' mixed-mode research projects and with one outside partner, ResCen, University of Middlesex.

To facilitate planning PARIP requested that single-page outlines of planned or in-process practice-as-research activities from potential projects. Such outlines included:

• a short description of the project;
  
• a brief statement on how the practitioner-researcher sees the work in the context of practice as research (in the form of research questions, problems, contexts, ‘hunches’ etc);
  
• a draft schedule of activities.
  

Following receipt of outlines, PARIP set up initial consultative meetings with the practitioner-researcher(s) to discuss potential ways forward and devise a schedule of work.

MULTI-VIEWPOINT DOCUMENTATION PROJECTS

PARIP has investigated the following points with respect to projects and their multi-viewpoint DVD potential prior to allocating resources:

• Does the practice-as-research project represent an opportunity to develop the critical activities surrounding practice as research, per se?
  
• Does it widen the range of types of practice as research in which PARIP is involved?
  
• Is it a unique opportunity to develop questions specific to the documentation and dissemination of practice as research?
  
• Is it a unique opportunity to further develop documentation frameworks?
  
• Is it in keeping with the technical aims of PARIP?

• Is it compatible with PARIP schedules?
  
  

THE ROLE OF THE PARIP RESEARCHERS

The role of the PARIP researchers (1.5 posts) is to manage and develop the research activities of PARIP. While the researchers may be involved in some broadly technical undertakings, their responsibilities are to advise on and develop thinking around practice as research, per se and on technical approaches to documentation. A significant factor in the formalization of relationships between PARIP and any practice-as-research project would be the demonstrable financial and staffing capabilities of project leaders to produce documentation arising from PARIP’s advice. Where this will entail additional technical assistance project leaders should identify the resource(s) that will support this.

Practically, this might mean consultation/support in the technical aspects of the documentation process — throughout the practice-as-research process — but it cannot imply PARIP researchers taking on responsibility for performing technical services. For example:

• researchers might set up and/or coordinate camera operators but would not operate a camera for an entire project;

• researchers might liaise/consult with film or VT editor but would not take full responsibility for producing a finished edit;
  
• researchers will be involved in the technical development of new approaches to documentation, specifically, the authoring of multi-viewpoint DVDs.
  

DEPARTMENTAL RESOURCES

For department projects it will be reasonable for the project leader/s to invite the department to resource/contribute to the resourcing of the project. However there can be no guarantee that this will or can be forthcoming. The department may choose to divert revenue funding into resourcing projects, but will of course be obliged, firstly, to meet curricular commitments at all levels.

Any applications for such resourcing must go through the usual departmental channels.

COPYRIGHT

A) Where PARIP has been involved in advising on the documentation frameworks for projects, access to and use of the resulting documentation materials should be granted. Although copyright remains with the original project and/or image maker(s) — however those individual copyright agreements are negotiated — PARIP requests copyright clearance for these materials without incurring cost.

B) Where PARIP creates multi-viewpoint DVDs from documented projects, copyright ownership in the resulting documentation should be negotiated between the project leader/s and PARIP in advance of any work being carried out. This would also apply to all associated subsequent locations of material: short, streamed video clips held on a UoB server and accessible via the PARIP website, etc.

Any copyright agreement arising from point B must be formalized in writing prior to project implementation.

More information on copyright.