James MacDowell

James MacDowell is an Associate Professor in Film & Television Studies at the University of Warwick, serving as Departmental Examinations Secretary within the Faculty of Arts. His academic work bridges traditional film criticism with contemporary digital media forms, particularly examining aesthetic strategies across mainstream Hollywood cinema, independent American film, and YouTube culture.

His research interests encompass film aesthetics, irony in cinema, Hollywood narrative conventions, audiovisual essays, and the philosophical dimensions of film interpretation. MacDowell approaches these topics through the lens of philosophical aesthetics, emphasizing the interdependence of style and meaning in visual storytelling.

His scholarly output reveals a significant trend toward analyzing digital media forms, particularly YouTube, while maintaining deep engagement with Hollywood traditions. Recent work demonstrates growing interest in autofiction, queer theory applications to film interpretation, and the aesthetics of 'so bad it's good' cinema, showing how his research has evolved from traditional film analysis to incorporate contemporary digital culture.

As co-director of Warwick's Centre for Research in Philosophy, Literature and the Arts (CRPLA), MacDowell contributes to interdisciplinary scholarship while maintaining active membership in professional organizations including BAFTSS and SCMS. His supervisory work with PhD candidates Danielle Childs and Henrique Bolzan Quaioti reflects his ongoing commitment to mentoring emerging scholars in film studies.