29 Mar 2024
School Latest News
Wenchao Weng, Director of the Film Department of the Publicity Department of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee, visited Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University School of Film and TV Arts
Wenchao Weng, Director of the Film Department of the Publicity Department of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee, visited Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) School of Film and TV Arts (SoFTA). Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai introduced the the school and Academy, Programmes, and MEGA International Creative Festival.
Representatives of Oxygen Technology and Unilumin Group discussed MEGA collaboration and virtual studio construction with Professor Mai
On 14 March 2024, The Dean of the School, Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai met with the Director of Operations of Oxygen Technology, Xiaoyong Qian, and Virtual Production Supervisor of Unilumin Group, Yichuan Zhang. After introducing the facilities and equipment of AS building, the three parties discussed the cooperation matters of the Technology Equipment Exhibition of the 4th International MEGA Creative Media Festival and virtual studio construction.
School of Film and TV Arts staffs visited the Suzhou New District Cultural Group Co., Ltd (SNDCC) for future potential collaboration
Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai and School of Film and TV Arts staffs visited the Suzhou New District Cultural Group Co., Ltd (SNDCC). This trip mainly inspected the Suzhou New District Cultural and Sports Center, Cultural Center, Library, Happy Blue Ocean Cinema, Hanshan Art Museum, Sports Center, Youth Activity Center, Longshan Commercial Street, etc. During this inspection, Professor Mai also discussed cooperation directions and projects with Qin Cao, Chairman of SNDCC; Xiu Xu, Deputy General Manager of SNDCC; Xiangyu Ma, General Manager of Suzhou New District Cultural Industry Development Co., Ltd., and relevant colleagues.
Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai, Dean of the SoFTA and Dr Yiqing Yang, head of the MSc Cultural and Creative Industries, visited Suzhou Historical and Cultural City Development Group Co., Ltd.
On 8 March 2024, Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai and Dr Yiqing Yang visited Suzhou Gusu District Historical and Cultural City Development Group Co., Ltd., as well as its affiliated cultural and creative parks: M+ Golden Lion Campus and M+ Station here, and cooperated with Suzhou Mingcheng Development Group Co., Ltd. Conduct in-depth discussions with Chairman Wei Wang, Vice President Jian Zhu and other supervisors on relevant cooperation areas, including internships, events planning, competitions, etc.
Representatives from Suzhou New District Cultural Group Co., Ltd (SNDCC) and its subsidiaries visited XJTLU School of Film and TV Arts
On 25 February 2024, Qin Cao, Chairman of Suzhou New District Cultural Group Co., Ltd (SNDCC), and supervisors from the cultural and tourism group visited the AS building and had discussions and exchanges with School Dean Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai and school staffs, delving into future cooperation directions and specific cooperation projects.
SoFTA signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Zewoyoo
On 15 March 2024, SoFTA entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Guangzhou Zewoyoo Network Technology Co., Ltd., China's leading global digital travel service platform that provides technical, operational, supply chain, channel, data, and new media services related to travel. In 2023, the transaction volume of the Zewoyoo platform exceeded the 30 billion marks. As an important international travel service provider, Zewoyoo highly acknowledges SoFTA's cultivation of high-quality international media and cultural and creative talents. Two parties will establish in-depth school-enterprise cooperation in student internships, project incubation, research, and publishing.
SoFTA is building up Foley Studio for sound design
The Foley Studio project broke ground on 25 February, and towards completing the initial phase of construction by May. The studio, once completed, will be around 80 square meters. It will be sound-proofed of both rooms with construction level reaching a national standard for acoustical design of radio and television studios (GY/T5086). The control room will comfortably accommodate up to thirty students equipped with state-of-the-art audio gear. There are six Genelec speakers within the studio. Currently, the control room boasts two stereo speaker systems, while the foley room features another stereo setup. For the foley room, there are six different types of flooring materials, which will mimic various environments and provide endless possibilities for our students to experiment with sound effects, sound design and foley artistry.
XJTLU School of Film and TV Arts has officially become a "DaVinci Resolve International Certified Training Centre"
XJTLU School of Film and TV Arts has officially become a "DaVinci Resolve International Certified Training Centre" after being assessed and approved by Blackmagic Design. This recognition allows the school to provide world-class training in post-production using DaVinci Resolve. Additionally, three faculties, Tianzuo Shi, Yiran Yu and Linzhi He have been certified as official trainers for various aspects of DaVinci Resolve. The college plans to offer a range of courses and workshops for students, who upon successful completion, can become certified and receive official certificates from Blackmagic Deisgn. This development aims to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge for successful careers in the film and television industry.
School of Film and TV Arts established new partnerships
SOFTA has signed a memorandum of understanding and established a partnership with Suzhou Xiangcheng Ecology Culture and Tourism Development (Group) Co., Ltd., Suzhou Industrial Park Dushu Lake Culture and Sports Development Co., Ltd., Suzhou Industrial Park Public Culture Center, Jiangsu Huani Cultural and Creative Co., Ltd., Ltd., Hubei Radio and Television Station (Hubei Media Group), Traffic Radio Department, Shanghai Salt Culture Technology Co., Ltd., Suzhou New District Cultural Group Co., Ltd (SNDCC), and spell out Asia Pacific Designers Foundation.
School of Film and TV Arts invited more industry mentors
Recently, SoFTA has invited 8 new industry mentors, who will be formally appointed at the MEGA International Creative Media Festival Opening Ceremony in May. Currently, there are 15 industry mentors, dedicated to providing advice and answering questions for students' career development planning. Furthermore, invitations are underway with several more industry mentors.
Research Achievements
A new paper published by Dr Takao Terui in the field of cultural studies
Dr Takao Terui published a new journal article from Open Cultural Studies. In this article, Dr Takao Terui discusses how the relationship between children and film was shaped and transformed in Britain by consulting historical policy documents. The article is open-access and available on the journal’s website: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/culture-2022-0205/html
Dr Yiming Chen delivered a research report at the Digital China Construction, Metaverse Development and Governance Forum
Dr Yiming Chen presented a research report titled “A pathway for the practice and enhancement of digital human in Chuan Guan” at the Digital China Construction, Metaverse Development and Governance Forum held in Shenzhen on 26 January. This research won the third prize. The forum was organized by the Collaborative Innovation Center of Communication University of China, the Science and Technology Think-tank magazine of Beijing Academy of Science and Technology, the Institute of Digital Economy Innovation, Shenzhen Radio, Film and Television Group Shenzhen Radio and Television Gude Media Co., LTD., Shenzhen Tianqing Digital Co., LTD., CAESER Universe Web3 Laboratory of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Dane Taylor was nominated for Best Engineered Record of the Year in South Africa
Dane Taylor was honoured with two nominations at the South African Music Awards (SAMA) 2023 for his involvement in Francois van Coke's record called "Kanniedood." He was recognized in both the Best Engineered Record of the Year and Best Rock Album of the Year categories. Furthermore, the album claimed the title of Best Rock Record of the Year.
Academic Activities
External Examiner David Green visited the XJTLU School of Film and TV Arts
From 11 March to 15 March, David Green, the External Examiner of SoFTA visited XJTLU. He attended the module Board of Examiners of SoFTA on 12 March and praised the quality of the course work of students and the moderation work of faculties. During his visit, he also gave a speech and communicated with faculties from BA Filmmaking and BA TV Production, and visited the class of FTA 112 Introduction to Production.
Digital Media Arts staff Tian Leng was invited to attend the 2023 Digitalization Forum – Kangqiao
On 19 December 2023, Tian Leng attended the 2023 Digital Development Forum-Kangqiao, hosted by the Shanghai Digital Content Industry Promotion Center. He also participated in a roundtable discussion on the topic of digital education transformation and industry-education integration at the Digital Talent Alliance seminar.
Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai was appointed as an expert in the Zhuhai Philosophy and Social Sciences Expert Database
Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai was invited by the Zhuhai Federation of Social Sciences to be appointed as an expert in the Zhuhai Philosophy and Social Sciences Expert Database, with a term of five years from 20 July 2023 to 20 July 2028.
Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai was invited to be the Judge of IAI
IAI Design Award, referred to as "IAI", organized by Asia Pacific Designers Federation (APDF), is a prestigious international competition. As one of the most influential design competitions in the world, its juries will determine the awards based on outstanding design works, the winners of which are from around the world. The IAI Design Award has been regarded as a new global design award with high recognition and values around the world. Asia Pacific Designers Federation (APDF) is an international academic organization that promotes the design profession. Members come from different countries and regions and the core members are composed of prestigious design masters, professors, experts and scholars from various countries. The federation secretariat is located in Shanghai, China.
Dr Yiming Chen was invited to attend the Metaverse Academic Workshop for Teachers in January 2024
Dr Yiming Chen was invited to attend the Metaverse Academic Workshop for the Teachers, which was held at Shenzhen Radio, Film and Television Group Xili Training Center in Shenzhen on 27-28 January. The workshop was jointly organized by China Meta Universe and the Digital Talent Training Public Welfare Action Committee, Shenzhen Radio & TV Gude Media Co., LTD., and Shenzhen Tianqing Digital Co., LTD. During the training, the teachers also made special visits to Global Digital Technology Co., LTD. (Shenzhen) and the Shenzhen Radio and Television Financial Center to learn about their cutting-edge digital media practices.
XJTLU Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) - KCL online seminar about public service TV and cultural studies in Taiwan
On 16 February, Dr Takao Terui organised an online seminar titled “The Making of New Middle-Class: Independent, Cosmopolitan Subjects in Taiwan’s Public Service Children’s Travel TV” by Dr Jocelyn Yi-Hsuan Lai (Fu Jen Catholic University). Professor Hye-Kyung Lee (King’s College London) co-hosts this as a part of the XJTLU-KCL research collaboration. In this event, Dr Lai shared her latest research about Taiwan’s TV program and neoliberal subjectivity. The participants include both external academics and students in CCI courses, and the seminar offered a valuable platform for active discussion and learning for cultural studies.
Dane Taylor was invited to attend The NAMM Show 2024 in Los Angeles
Dane Taylor was invited to attend The NAMM Show 2024, held in Anaheim, Los Angeles, in January. He participated in several master classes within the film and music industry, led by renowned Grammy award-winning sound engineers such as Alan Meyerson, Dave Pensado, Shawn Everett, Gavin Lurssen, Reuben Cohen, Andrew Scheps, Chuck Ainlay, Jimmy Douglass, Tom Lord-Alge, and others. In addition to this, Dane Taylor also had the opportunity to explore the latest cutting-edge technologies showcased at the event.
Audeze talks with SoFTA faculty, engineer Dane Taylor
Dane Taylor was recently endorsed by Audeze Headphones and was featured in an interview this past February. Read the interview here:
https://www.audeze.com/blogs/audeze-artists/audeze-speaks-with-dane-taylor
Dr Karolina Pawlik participated in the Social Lighting and Urban Design Workshop in Bangkok
Dr Karolina Pawlik participated in the international workshop organized by the Configuring Light Research Group of the London School of Economics (LSE) and King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi held between 12 and 15 January in Bangkok. It gathered scholars and practitioners of urban lighting design from multiple countries in Asia and generated a great opportunity for exchange and networking. Dr Pawlik was also invited to share her own research. She delivered a lecture at MKUTT From Ancient Poems to Poetic Lighting: A Graceful Night Tour in the Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou. It is hoped that further collaboration can be developed following this fruitful exchange.
Students’ Achievements & News
Tiger Hill Cultural and Tourism Metaverse Project: blending tradition and modernity, pioneering a new era in intelligent cultural tourism
In the 11th National College Students' Digital Media Technology Works and Creative Competition, the student team from SoFTA won the second prize nationwide and the first prize in Jiangsu Province with their project "Tiger Hill Cultural and Tourism Metaverse Project". The project took the famous 5A-rated scenic spot, Tiger Hill Tower in Suzhou, as its pilot, delving deep into Suzhou's rich cultural heritage. By integrating artificial intelligence digital guides with 3D scene modeling technology, the team explored the field of cultural and tourism metaverse. The project initially originated from SURF. The team consisted of 20th class students Liwen Zhang, Yu Tang, and Yingjie Si, with Fang Liu as the supervisor.
The interactive projection project "Kiki's Daydream" has prompted reflection on the importance of ecological conservation
Created by students from SoFTA Digital Media Arts Programme, the project "Kiki's Daydream" comprises physical models, interactive devices, and projected images. Under Fang Liu's guidance, team leader Liwen Zhang and members Yuanlu Lu, Jingxiao Pan, Caiwei Peng, and Jianchi Yin jointly completed it. "Kiki's Daydream" not only secured third place in Jiangsu Province's "11th National Colleague Digital Art & Design Awards (NCDA)" and "11th National College Students' Digital Media Technology Works and Creative Competition" but also garnered attention and praise at the Third Digital Media Arts Exhibition.
SoFTA participated in the University Academic Fair and organized the school session
Dr Stephen Andriano-Moore, Programme Director of BA TV Production, presented to students about the school‘s structure, programmes and features, faculties, facilities and equipment, students’ achievements and industrial partners, etc. BA Filmmaking and BA Digital Media Arts programme directors attended the fair and gave a Q&A. Students toured the building after the presentation.
SoFTA participated in the University Open Day and organized the school session on 24 March afternoon
Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai, dean of Softa, give a specific introduction to hundreds middle school students and parents about the school's structure, programmes and features, faculties, facilities and equipment, students’ achievements and industrial partners, MEGA, etc. Academic staff of BA TV Production, BA Filmmaking and BA Digital Media Arts attended the event and had a Q&A. All attendants toured the building after the presentation.
SoFTA received exchange students
In Semester 2 of Academic Year 2023-2024, SoFTA Received 11 international Exchange Students from Canada, Mexico, France, Malaysia, UK and Australia.
Three doctoral students have completed the enrollment at SoFTA
SoFTA has welcomed three PhD students this season: Danni Tang, Tianyi Chen, and Yimin Lin. Yimin has been awarded a fees-only scholarship for his PhD studies. Their research refers to intercultural communication in museums, female influencers, and social media usage among the elderly. Professor Li-Chuan Evelyn Mai serves as their principal supervisor, along with co-supervisors Dr Yiqing Yang, Dr Takao Terui, and Dr Yiming Chen.
Upcoming Events
MEGA Master Class started registration
MEGA, as a gathering of emerging and diverse media in the post-film era, has been held three times so far. While actively participating in the MEGA Festival, many participants are eager for a professional, open, and efficient teaching platform to emerge. To promote the connectivity of film and television majors in universities across the country and cultivate new creative forces for the Chinese film market, the School of Film and TV Arts (SoFTA) of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University will officially launch the Master Class in the summer of 2024, and recruit students for film and television production and media majors in universities across the country at the beginning of the year. The master class has strong qualifications, including award-winning director Youning Li, nominated screenwriter Bing Li, and senior teachers from the School of Film and TV Arts. Those who complete the course will be awarded the graduation certificate provided by Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.
SoFTA in the Media
扬子晚报：聚焦影视与新媒体艺术，共襄江南文化盛宴
江苏广播电视总台：做教育∣聚焦影视与新媒体艺术，共襄江南文化盛宴
现代快报：聚焦影视与新媒体艺术，第四届 MEGA 国际创意媒体盛典即将举办
苏州广播电视总台：全球邀约 共襄江南文化盛宴
今日头条：MEGA盛典发出全球邀请！聚焦影视与新媒体艺术，共襄江南文化盛宴
苏州日报：在元宇宙中游虎丘 苏州大学生获国赛二等奖
扬子晚报：西浦学生团队元宇宙项目荣获国赛二等奖 探索智慧文旅新平台
江苏广播电视总台：做教育∣大学生团队元宇宙项目获国赛二等奖 探索智慧文旅新平台
今日头条：西浦大学生团队元宇宙项目获国赛二等奖 探索智慧文旅新平台
苏州广播电视总台：国赛二等奖！西浦大学生打造《虎丘文旅元宇宙项目》
苏州综合广播-苏州新闻（广播无链接）
29 Mar 2024