Exploring inequality and the historical neglect of creative industry roles
Dr Lucy Donaldson, from the Department of Film Studies, is working to bring greater visibility to marginalised workers in Scotland’s film industry, particularly those in lesser-recognized roles such as costume designers, production designers, and sound designers. Her research focuses on issues of gender and inequality in the creative industries, advocating for the historical contributions of women and other minority groups in mainstream film.
Through her work, Dr Donaldson has published numerous articles, book chapters, and video essays that highlight design labour and queer creativity in television and film. In the spring of 2024, she co-hosted a public talk at the Sands International Film Festival in St Andrews with Debra Zane, discussing women’s roles in the industry and the often-overlooked importance of casting, a role traditionally held by women.
In October 2023, Dr Donaldson’s audiovisual work titled “Isn’t that going to be awfully dull and drab?”: George Hoyningen-Huene’s use of neutrals was published in [in]Transition: Journal of Videographic and Moving Image Studies, a leading peer-reviewed journal for video essays.
The piece has garnered significant recognition, including being named a runner-up for Sight & Sound’s ‘Best Video Essays of 2023,’ as well as winning the first prize at the Adelio Ferrero Award international video essay contest in Alessandria, Italy. It was also a finalist in the ‘Best Videographic Criticism’ category at the BAFTSS Practice Research Awards.
