Elan Gamaker

Elan Gamaker is an Honorary Reader at the Centre for Research in Arts and Creative Exchange, part of the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Roehampton. He holds a PhD in Film from the University of Amsterdam and has extensive experience as a professional screenwriter, director, and story consultant. His work spans film production, academic research, and editorial roles, including as Associate Editor of Screenworks.

Elan Gamaker’s academic qualifications include a PhD in Film from the University of Amsterdam (2015), an MA in Film and Photographic Studies from Leiden University, and a BA in Film, English, and Linguistics from the University of the Witwatersrand.

His research interests focus on Genre Studies, Visual Cultures, Cinema of Urbanity, Ethnography, and British Cinema/Social Realism. He explores how cinematic forms engage with societal themes, particularly through genre conventions and urban narratives.

Elan’s recent research outputs include films like The Bang Straws (2021) and The Silver Wave (2020), alongside scholarly contributions like Opening the Paratext: the Hitchcock trailer as assertion of authorship (2018). His work has been recognized with awards such as the EU Literary Award Shortlist (2009) and the AMA Nominated Best Screenplay (2011).

• EU Literary Award Shortlist (2009)
• Beeld Best New Play (2007)
• AMA Nominated, Best Screenplay (2011)
• Fellow, Higher Education Academy

Elan has advised on projects like the Attagirl Global Incubator Lab (2021) and served as a jury member and consultant for initiatives such as NIDA Doctoral School (2019). His involvement in workshops, including those for Channel 4 and Arts Council England, reflects his commitment to nurturing emerging filmmakers.

His affiliation with the Centre for Research in Arts and Creative Exchange and collaborations on films like Icehorse and Headland highlight his engagement with interdisciplinary creative projects and academic-practice research.