Philip Cowan

Dr Philip Cowan is a Senior Lecturer in Film - Cinematography at the University of South Wales, Faculty of Business and Creative Industries. He holds a PhD in Film Authorship and has extensive industry experience, having worked on over 80 film and television productions across drama, documentary, dance/performance, and animation. His research focuses on cinematography's role in film authorship, aesthetics, and visual narrative.

Education: PhD by Thesis (2016, MIRIAD), MA Scriptwriting (2003), PGCE/Cert Ed (2001).

Research Interests: Cinematography's authorial role, aesthetics of moving images, collaborative filmmaking dynamics, and the technical and theoretical contributions of cinematographers like Gregg Toland and Vittorio Storaro. His work explores how visual style and technical choices shape narrative meaning.

Awards: BAFTA Cymru awards, 20 international 'Best Short Film' accolades, and recognition for The Sleeping Mat Ballad (2016). His publications include a 2022 monograph on Gregg Toland and peer-reviewed articles on film theory.

Professional Roles: Editorial Board member of Cinematography in Progress, Society for Cinema and Media Studies (SCMS) member, adviser to the Ethiopian Film Initiative, and contributor to global academic and industry events.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Creative Industries Research and Innovation Group at the University of South Wales, focusing on interdisciplinary creative projects.