Film and Television Production; Internet TV strategy, production & distribution
Education
2013 – 2016 Doctorate in Professional Studies by Public Works, Middlesex University
1995 – 1996 MA in Scriptwriting, Middlesex University
1986 – 1987 Postgraduate Diploma in Video Production, Middlesex University
1982 – 1985 BA (Hons) in Communication Studies, University of Ulster
Awards & Nominations
2022 MDX Media Department Merit Award for Co-Leading BA Film Validation
2022 MDX Media Department Merit Award for Collaboration
2022 Shortlisted for University Alliance’s ‘Professionalism’ Award
2021 National Teaching Fellowship from Advance HE
2020 SFHEA from Advance HE
2019 Middlesex University Staff Award for ‘Collaboration & Innovation’
2018 FHEA from Advance HE
2017 The MDX Ken Goulding Award for Professional Excellence
2000 International Visual Communications Association ‘Public Relations’ Award for ‘Omagh: Where Hope and History Rhyme’, a film about the Omagh bombing, N. Ireland, in August 1998
2000 The International Visual Communications Association ‘Charity & Public Welfare’ Award for ‘The Right Stuff: Facts and First Aid for Epilepsy’
Edward is Senior Lecturer in Film Production at Middlesex University. He has significant experience in Film/Television education, having taught for over thirty years at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Edward is also a practising Producer/Director and, as manager of his own production company for many years, an employer.
Edward’s teaching in film is motivated by a desire to support a diverse range of students into the screen industries profession, which is still underrepresented by people from low socio-economic backgrounds. In response, he has developed approaches to learning and teaching film production which promote the concept of personal agency, encourage critical engagement with interpersonal skills and cultivate more supportive and inclusive approaches to film production education, underpinned by practice/problem-based pedagogy and industry knowledge.
Over his career, Edward has significantly affected the teaching of undergraduate, postgraduate students, often well beyond the expectations of his position. If he is not employing graduates full-time, he is offering them placements opportunities. He has engaged with students and academics outside of his university, encouraging the sharing of resources and best practice. And he has pioneered the creation of co-designed, co-created and co-delivered curriculum content, with many different industry practitioners, including psychologists, business advisors, policy strategists and sustainable filming consultants. In 2020, Edward was the driving force behind the ‘Covid-19 Guidelines for Student Productions’. Distributed free to all HEIs and FE colleges, the guidelines were co-written with several academics from universities across the UK and key industry stakeholders.
Having completed a Doctorate in 2016, Edward undertook a ‘Listening Tour’ of animation/vfx studios, production companies and post-production houses, to gauge their thoughts on graduate employability and HEI curriculum provision. His report was to lead directly to several unique high-level meetings of c. 70 industry/academic representatives, who regularly come together to discuss shared issues and shared solutions. In 2020, Edward launched a UK-wide ‘Connected Campus for Creative Industries’ initiative. Entitled the 'Creative Campus network' it is designed to include HEIs, FE Colleges, Law and Business Schools, the initiative will work in partnership with industry practitioners to address skills gaps, curriculum development, innovation and enterprise.
During the lockdown of 2020, Edward was instrumental is the writing of the Covid-19 Guidelines for student productions at FE/HE levels.
www.creativecampusnetwork.com
https://www.screenskills.com/information-and-resources/information/covid-19-guidelines-for-student-productions/
I am interested in 2 key areas: Producing and Graduate Employability.
Pedagogic interests:
I am a practice-based researcher, using my extensive industry experience to inform my teaching, pedagogy and knowledge exchange.
McCaffrey, Edward and Weiss, Tim (2023) Work Ready Skills & Experience (WYRSE) guidelines for UK educators and screen industries employers. Documentation. ScreenSkills, ScreenSkills Website. (Published online first)
McCaffrey, Edward (2021) Covid-19 Guidelines for student productions at FE/HE levels. Other. ScreenSkills, ScreenSkills website.
McCaffrey, Edward (2020) Connected Campus for Creative Industries Slide Deck. In: Connected Campus for Creative Industries, 8th December 2020, Zoom.
McCaffrey, Edward (2020) Film/TV Industries-Academia Discussion Forum: Discussion highlights and proposed next steps. Discussion Paper. Middlesex University. (Accepted/In press)
McCaffrey, Edward (2019) Film/TV Industries - Academia discussion Forum: Non-Creative Roles in the Screen Industries. In: Film/TV Industries-Academia Discussion Forum: Non-Creative Roles in the Screen Industries, 12 Dec 2019, The Royal Society, London.
The Creative Campus Network
- A screen industries/academia network across the UK
The GLA Creative Academy Hub
- A consortium to help young Londoners into the screen industries
Currently, Edward is an Excutive Board Member of the GLA Creative Academy Hub, an initiative to help young people in London, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, into the screen industries. Edward represents Middlesex University in the hub and other partners include Film London, London Higher and the Capital City College Group.
