I am a Senior Lecturer in Animation at Manchester Metropolitan University. My work is predominantly focused on animation as activism, with a particular interest in the relationship between popular imagination, affect and creative practice.
I began my PhD research at MMU in 2021 which investigates how animated practice can disrupt insect representation in media, in response to the insect decline crisis. I have previous teaching experience as a programme leader and senior lecturer on the Animation BA at De Montfort University. In addition, i have 10 years experience as an animator and special effects artist for horror feature films, animation studios and AAA games. This has allowed me to develop a diverse skill set and mixed media approach to my creative work.
Occulta Dama Senior Lecturer, Animation
Within the context of my practice research I explore this through an experimental lens. I am particularly interested in how psychoanalytical film theory applies to the experience of cinema, ideology and creative practice, to reimagine our subjective experiences. I have presented my current PhD research at both the 2022 & 2023 Society of Animation Studies annual conference and I have additionally been a speaker at the Indiana University Annual interdisciplinary conference in 2023, where I presented research on liminal spaces. I am currently contributing to a Baltic Horror collection via the University of Wales, that is focused on the phenomena of undead/partial objects in the horror genre.
You can find out more about my work at www.occultadama.co.uk
