Dr Jane Barnwell, Reader in Moving Image at the University of Westminster, delivered a keynote at the Zurich Feature Film Conference (ZFiction) hosted by Zurich University of the Arts. Now in its fourth year, the conference explored production design as an independent artistic and academic field.
Held from 18–19 March, this year’s event, titled Building the Mundane – The Ordinary Glamour of Production Design in Film, placed everyday spaces at the heart of cinematic world-building and included a range of lectures, case studies and discussions. The programme brought together filmmakers, researchers and students from production design, film studies, architectural theory and cultural geography to explore how familiar environments, such as street corners, offices and living rooms, help shape storytelling on screen.
The conference focused on the creative challenge of constructing the ordinary in film. It asked how production designers transform everyday spaces into believable cinematic environments while preserving their authenticity. Through interdisciplinary dialogue, ZFiction highlighted this often-overlooked area, positioning the built ordinary as an essential field of practice and research within filmmaking.
In her keynote, Dr Barnwell presented a paper exploring the cinematic home as a designed, narratively active and emotionally expressive space in film and television. Drawing on her research from her book titled Production Design and The Cinematic Home, she argued that domestic interiors are not simply backdrops but key storytelling devices that communicate character, memory, class, gender and psychology.
ZFiction was organised by the Institute for the Performing Arts and Film and ZHdK Film, with support from the Foundation for Professional Training in Film and Audiovisual Media FOCAL and the Swiss National Science Foundation.
About the conference Dr Barnwell said: “It was wonderful to hear designers, academics and students in dialogue on this subject. Congratulations to the conference organising team - Michael Schaerer, Miriam Loertscher, Silke Fischer, Georg Bringolf, Jonas Gillman, Stephania Burla, Jelena Pavlovic and Kim Gabbi for creating such a thought provoking event.”
Dr Barnwell’s contribution to the conference directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about Film and Television courses at the University of Westminster.
