Thomas Alcott

I teach on modules across the Film and Televsion, Media and Communications, Filmmaking and Advanced Media Production (MA) schemes.

My main reseach interests lie in Celebrity and Stardom, Wrestling Studies and Audience Studies. My PhD was an audience study that focused on the stars of Professional Wrestling. I supervise on the dissertation module in these areas and more. 

I am also a former CYFLE apprentice where I was trainned as an Assistant Director for film. I have worked on a number of feature films and televsion programmes such as Made in Dagenham (2010), Killer Elite (2011), One Chance (2013) and Doctor Who Confidential. I have also worked for Maddog Casting and been trainned in script reporting and editing in the Script Factory. My Masters Degree is in Scriptwriting and this remians a real passion and something I still teach on. My production experience has led to me co-ordinating the first year filmmaking module called Making Short Films 1 and working on the Advanced Media Production MA. 

Research

My main research interests lie in the fields of celebrity/star and audience studies. My PhD explored the relationship between audiences, stars and industry within the world of Professional Wrestling. This involved an audience study and political economy/labour analysis of working structures and branding practices as well as analysis of the wrestling images. Due to this project, I also have a strong interest in the developing field of wrestling studies which has been growing rapidly over the last ten years. The findings of my work were recently used and quoted in a UK parlimentary inquiry into professional wrestling (All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Professional Wrestling in Britain, London 2021). I have published a paper based on these findings in 'Not Putting Away Childish Things: The importance of childhood in audience reception of professional wrestling stars' (Partcipations, 2019 16(1) pp.3-29) and have another paper forthcoming as part of a co-edited collection with Dr Tom Phillips in Celebrity Studies (due 2023).

My current research is moving away from wrestling to look at the Welsh footballer Gareth Bale and how his celebrity image affects the way in which the Welsh football team is reported on in the press media. 

I am the module co-ordinator of: 

Stardom and Celebrity (FM21320) 2nd Year

Writing for Film and Television (FM21620) 2nd Year

Making Short Films 1 (FM10420 and FM10520) 1st Year

Scriptwriting for Beginners (Lifelong Learning) (XE11710)

I also contribute to:

Independent Research Project (Dissertations) (FM36040) 3rd Year

Creative Fiction: Horror (FM20920) 2nd Year

Script Writing 1 (FM370202) 2nd Year

My main research interests lie in the fields of celebrity/star and audience studies. My PhD explored the relationship between audiences, stars and industry within the world of Professional Wrestling. This involved an audience study and political economy/labour analysis of working structures and branding practices as well as analysis of the wrestling images. Due to this project, I also have a strong interest in the developing field of wrestling studies which has been growing rapidly over the last ten years. The findings of my work were recently used and quoted in a UK parlimentary inquiry into professional wrestling (All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Professional Wrestling in Britain, London 2021). I have published a paper based on these findings in 'Not Putting Away Childish Things: The importance of childhood in audience reception of professional wrestling stars' (Partcipations, 2019 16(1) pp.3-29) and have another paper forthcoming as part of a co-edited collection with Dr Tom Phillips in Celebrity Studies (due 2023).

My current research is moving away from wrestling to look at the Welsh footballer Gareth Bale and how his celebrity image affects the way in which the Welsh football team is reported on in the press media.