Publishing screen media practice research: evolving processes of contextualisation, peer review and future proofing in 'Screenworks'

This article outlines current publishing practices in the field of academic filmmaking through a detailed discussion of the development of Screenworks, a peer-reviewed online publication of practice research in screen media. The imperative for academics working in creative disciplines to publish and articulate their practice as research has increased in recent years, driven by research evaluation exercises such as the UK REF and Australian ERA. Screenworks has been at the forefront of defining the field of peer-reviewed publication of practice research. As editors of the journal, the authors draw upon their experience, alongside personal correspondence with contributors and academics working on other practice-based publications. The article examines how and why current editorial processes have developed and outlines the opportunities and challenges facing online publication of screen media practice research. The article offers several case studies which demonstrate the unique value of dialogic peer review for evolving practice researchers, helping them not only to contextualise their practice as research in the written statement, but also amending and editing the practice itself. The issue of sustainability is also explored, namely the distinct problem of indexing and archiving audiovisual practice research outputs that is essential to ensuring both their longevity and visibility.