Phil Wagner

Phil Wagner is a part-time Lecturer in the Department of Cinematic Arts at California State University, Long Beach. He earned his PhD in Film, Television, and Digital Media from UCLA, specializing in the History of Cinema and Film Aesthetics.

Research Interests:

• Exploring the aesthetics and functions of historical representation in cinema
• Investigating the use of archives in cinematic production
• Analyzing the poetics of directorial style across genres and national cinemas

His forthcoming book, The Volume of the World: Archival Rhetoric and the Cinematic History of Cecil B. DeMille, examines how DeMille's work shaped Hollywood's historiographic practices. Wagner has also contributed to journals like Film History and Afterimage, as well as edited volumes such as Epic Film in World Culture and A Companion to Fritz Lang.

Professional Experience:

• Archivist at UCLA’s Chicano Studies Research Center (CSRC), processing collections and training student assistants
• Virtual office hours available via Zoom link