Opening up a Space to Talk
A One-day Training Symposium on the Interview as a Research and Documentary Method
-
Fri 8 May 26
10:30 - 18:00
-
Colchester Campus
LTB 10
-
Event type
Workshops, training and support
-
Event organiser
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies, Department of
-
Contact details
Shohini Chaudhuri openingupaspace@essex.ac.uk
Conducting effective interviews is a vital, interdisciplinary skill in Arts and Humanities research. However, without proper direction, interviews can produce unmanageable material. Skilled interviewing entails careful preparation, crafting open questions, creating a trusting environment, and practising empathetic listening. It’s a delicate balance of gently guiding a conversation – facilitating a ‘performance’ – to capture rich material while maintaining clear ethical boundaries and responsibility for all involved.
Hosted by the Centre for Film and Screen Media at the University of Essex in collaboration with the University of East Anglia, this symposium draws on the expertise of professional documentary filmmakers to help researchers develop these essential skills. It is supported by the CHASE Doctoral Training Partnership.
Schedule
8 May 2026, 10:30-13:00: Panel discussion in-person at LTB10 or online
This morning panel discussion will combine short presentations, practical insights, and audience interaction. Speakers will reflect on their own experiences of conducting interviews across research and documentary contexts, addressing questions such as:
How do you prepare for an interview beyond simply writing questions?
- What does it mean to listen empathetically?
- How can interviews build trust while navigating sensitive or emotional topics?
- When should an interviewer guide a conversation – and when should they step back?
- What ethical responsibilities do researchers and filmmakers carry during and after the interview?
The session will also include an interactive segment, where audience members will be invited to propose ethical “provocations” around interviewing challenging or emotionally charged subjects, with responses from the panel.
8 May 2026, 14:00-18:00: Workshop held in-person only at LTB10
Led by professional documentary filmmakers Ellen Evans and Rosie Morris, and supported by academic practitioners, the workshop focuses on interviewing as both a method and a relational encounter, exploring how to work with participants in ways that are attentive, responsible, and creatively productive.
This is a small-group, practice-based session (maximum 16 participants), combining discussion, preparation, and hands-on filming exercises.
Participants will work in pairs and small groups to:
- Prepare and structure interview questions
- Practise creating a space of trust and openness
- Develop empathetic listening skills
- Explore how to guide an interview while remaining responsive
- Reflect on ethical boundaries and responsibilities in research contexts
The session will include practical interview exercises and structured reflection, with guidance from Ellen Evans and Rosie Morris drawing on their documentary and research-informed practice.
Participants may have the opportunity to record short interview exercises. The emphasis of the workshop is not on technical production, but on the methodological, ethical, and relational dimensions of interviewing.
How to register
- Morning panel - Book free in-person or online tickets on Eventbrite.
- Afternoon workshop - Register your interest for the afternoon workshop on Eventbrite (please note this does not guarantee a place, as an application is also required; see below)
Applying for the afternoon
To apply for a free place at the afternoon workshop, please send a 200-word Expression of Interest, outlining your motivation and relevance to your research, along with the method(s) you intend to use for recording interviews in your research (e.g. audio, video, mobile phone), to openingupaspace@essex.ac.uk by 10 April 2026.
