Film is under-utilised as a research tool in formative evaluations. Performing arts companies tend to see it as an illustration or records of what happened rather than a tool for inquiry.
There is considerable scope to investigate how film might be used to show how community theatre has 'impact' on both participants and performers alike.
Education
Communities and Social Services/Policy
Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections
Key Findings
We found several key concepts in the arts and humanities literatures which could inform formative evaluation processes used by community theatre companies. A key practical outcome from our consultation with companies was the notion of using film as 'data' that could be analysed to better understand process. That film could then be edited in order to show the results of the analysis, in other words what happened during the planning, rehearsing and production of a theatre performance.