PhD in Artistic Resarch in Film and Related Audiovisual Art Forms (FILMART)
The field of study for the PhD programme at The Norwegian Film School is artistic research in film and related audiovisual art forms. Artistic practice forms the core of the artistic doctoral outcome. At the same time, the artistic practice must be accompanied by an explicit reflection, which, when the project is presented, allows others to take part in the methods and insights that the artistic research generates.
During the ph.d. period, the candidates have access to relevant and qualified academic supervision in dialogue with active artistic communities at a high international level. The artistic doctoral results must be at a level that ensures national and international relevance.
Read more about the PhD program here.
Admission to the PhD program
Announcements for PhD positions will be published on our website, our social media channels, and in the film school's newsletter, which you can sign up for here (in Norwegian). There are currently no new positions available in the FILMART program.
For admission to doctoral education, applicants typically need a five-year master's degree in the relevant field, and for admission to artistic PhD programs, the master's degree should be artistic and practice-based. Other equivalent education may be accepted. The university may, upon special consideration, approve equivalent artistic competence as a basis for admission.
PhD candidates at The Norwegian Film School (DNF)
- Transmedia producer Nadja Lipsyc with the project "Lone Wolves Stick Together - Techniques for engaging and meaningful participatory storytelling in VR".
- Filmmaker Dalia Al-Kury with the project “Futuring Documentary".
- Game designer Bendik Stang with the project "Developing the Narrative Potential in Games".
- Film producer Frederick Howard with the project "Creating the Creatives". Howard is a DNF alumnus (BFA, class 5).
- Cinematographer Cecilie Semec, with the project "The modern film image". Semec is a DNF alumna (BFA, class 3).
- Filmmaker Duane Hopkins with the project "Cinematic Storytelling in Virtual Reality".
- Filmmaker Izer Aliu. Aliu is a DNF alumnus (BFA, direction, class 7)
- Production designer Jørgen Stangebye Larsen with the project "WYSIWYG – The Cyclorama of the Future. -A PhD in Production Design and world creation through On-set Virtual Production (In-camera VFX)." Stangebye Larsen is a DNF alumnus (BFA, production design, class 6).
- Photographer Rasmus Eriksson with the project "Virtual Visions: Innovative Cinematography through Artistic Research in Virtual Production". Eriksson is a DNF alumnus (MFA, visual design, class 3).
- Sound designer Therese Næss Diesen med prosjektet "In between imaginary and experienced space". Næss Diesen is a DNF alumna (BFA class 9 og MFA class 2).
- Documentary filmmaker Marie Suul Brobakke with the project "The Carrier Bag Theory of The Documentary Series - collecting fragments of connections between woman and landscape". Suul Brobakke is a DNF alumna (MFA class 2).
Completed PhDs at The Norwegian Film School
Two candidates has so far finished their PhD degree in the FILMART programme:
- Screenwriter Cecilie Levy defended her PhD in Lillehammer on November 24. 2023. The title of her artistic PhD outcome is "Light from aside: A screenwriter's perspective in virtual reality"
- Dokumentarfilmprodusent og spillskaper Elin Festøy defended her PhD in Lillehammer on November 10th 2023. The title of her artistic PhD outcome is "NUMB - Exploring Emotionally Charged Interactions to Motivate Reflection on Non-fiction Topics"
Four candidates completed their projects through the previous Fellowship Programme for Artistic Research:
- Animator and artist Rafal Hanzl with the project "Ways of expression: the impact of VFX technology on modern storytelling in film and interactive media production" (completed 2019).
- Writer and theater director Siri Senje with the project "Å dikte for film - originalmanuskriptet som diktverk" ("Imagining For The Screen - The original screenplay as creative practice") (completed 2013).
- Film and television director Trygve Allister Diesen with the project "Being the Director - Maintaining your Artistic Vision while Swimming with Sharks" (completed 2011).
- Screenwriter Ståle Stein Berg, former student at DNF, with the project "Skildring og forteljing. Ein grenseoppgang mellom filmens antipoder" ("Description and Story. Tracing the limits between the antipodes of cinema") (completed 2009).
