People

Nic Blower

Senior Lecturer
Department of Literature Film and Theatre Studies (LiFTS)
 Nic Blower

Profile

Biography

Nic is a filmmaker and senior lecturer, whose practice-as-research spans both documentary and fiction. At the University of Essex Nic lectures and supervises students in fiction and documentary filmmaking from undergraduate to PhD. As an industry specialist Nic has worked extensively for the BBC and Channel 4, producing and directing documentaries and drama documentaries. His critically acclaimed film 'Transplant 'followed both sides of the organ donation story, a first for UK television. His work has taken him around the world, filming in Lebanon, Palestine, Nepal and the US. His subjects have included neurosurgery in 'The Brain Hospital' for BBC 1, social housing in the series 'Neighbourhood Watched' for BBC 1, missing people in the 'The Day They Disappeared' for BBC 1 and forensic science in the film 'No Ordinary Murder' for BBC 2. Nic’s approach focuses on deep access, combining Direct Cinema and Cinéma Vérité. His fiction short film 'Periphery' won awards at Buxton Film Festival and Lakeshorts Film Festival in Canada. Whilst at Essex directed and produced 'LIFTED' (2019), an award winning documentary about military veterans with PTSD. In 2021 he produced 'WE'RE IN THIS TOO' a documentary filmed by four young people (aged 14-15) as they negotiate their wellbeing during the Covid-19 lockdowns. 'WITT' won a LAIRA Research Impact Award, the Best Creative and Cultural Impact Award at the UoE, received an Honourable Mention at the BAFTSS Practice Research Awards, and was selected for the UoE Film Festival of Social Sciences at Firstsite Colchester.

Qualifications

  • M.A. Film Studies University of Essex, (2012)

Appointments

University of Essex

  • Senior Lecturer ASER, Literature, Film & Theatre Studies, University of Essex (1/9/2018 - present)

Research and professional activities

Research interests

Documentary and fiction film practice

As a practice-as-research filmmaker part of my research interests lie in the methodologies that enable overlooked communities and peoples to be recognised. In broad terms I am interested in subjects that explore mental health and wellbeing, health and human rights.

Key words: Documentary filmmaking, observational and cinéma vérité
Open to supervise

Teaching and supervision

Current teaching responsibilities

  • Contemporary Texts and Contexts (LT109)

  • Documentary Filmmaking (LT225)

  • Advanced Documentary Production (LT322)

  • Documentary Filmmaking 1: Foundations (LT886)

  • Documentary Filmmaking 2 (LT887)

Previous supervision

Fuad Abdulaziz Mohamed
Fuad Abdulaziz Mohamed
Thesis title: Visual Musicality and the Moving Image
Degree subject: Film Studies (Creative Practice)
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 3/6/2020
Elena Maria Dirstaru
Elena Maria Dirstaru
Thesis title: Voices, Bodies, and Power in the Documentary Interview
Degree subject: Film Studies (Creative Practice)
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 2/3/2020
Katja Waschneck
Katja Waschneck
Thesis title: Screening Oulipo From Potential Literature to Potential Film
Degree subject: Film Studies (Creative Practice)
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 6/7/2018

Publications

Journal articles (1)

Blower, N., Speak to us: Upcycling the video diary to amplify the voices of young people in the Covid-19 Pandemic. Studies in Documentary Film

Conferences (1)

Hammond, A., Lowry, R., Blower, N., Poerio, GL., O'Gorman, R., Chiu, F. and Warsap, G., Documenting The Hidden: Uncovering The Lived Experience Of Young People In Post-COVID 19 Essex

Media (5)

Blower, N., ‘Documenting Tales of Spring and Winter: Gender, Histories and Intergenerational Exchange in Global Theatre’. Video

Blower, N., Stories from the Stead Part 2 'This Moment and the Next'. Video

Blower, N., Stories from the Stead Part 1 'Residents Films (working title)'. Video

Blower, N., Poerio, GL., O'Gorman, R., Lowry, R., Hammond, A. and Chiu, F., WE'RE IN THIS TOO (Documenting The Hidden) documentary film. Video

Blower, N., LIFTED. Video

Grants and funding

2023

Stories from the Stead Impact Extension Workshops

University of Essex (QR Impact Fund)

2022

Donor Conception and Identity Disclosure: what happens when people trace their donor through social media or genetic testing?

British Academy

Stories from the Stead

North East Essex Clinical Commissioning Group

Contact

nblower@essex.ac.uk
+44 (0) 1206 874456

Location:

5NW.5.3, Colchester Campus

More about me
Professional work: http://www.nicblower.com/