Phil Mathews

Dr. Phil Mathews is a Principal Academic at Bournemouth University’s Faculty of Media and Communication. His research focuses on narrative structures in screenwriting, particularly the character arc model within romance genres. He leads the BA (Hons) Scriptwriting for Film and Television program and has held roles as an external examiner at multiple institutions, including Glasgow Caledonian University and Falmouth University. With a PhD in 'The Limits of Character Arcs in Romance Narratives' (2019), his work bridges theoretical and practical aspects of storytelling.

Education:

• PhD in Screenwriting (Bournemouth University, 2019)
• MA in Screenwriting (London College of Printing, 2000)

Research Interests: Phil explores how character transformation operates in screen narratives, critiques romance genre conventions, and investigates trauma representation in media. His practice-led approach includes original screenplay development and pedagogical frameworks for screenwriting education.

Grants:

• Script Ease (Completed)
• Student Journey Resource (Completed)

Labs/Teams: Associated with the Centre of Excellence in Media Practice, focusing on collaborative media education and script development.