YCEDE Research Assistant, Enhancing Audio Description II Project, Department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media, University of York
The Enhancing Audio Description II project is a collaboration between the Department of Theatre, Film, Television and Interactive Media, and the Department of Electronic Engineering at York. The project is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and seeks to explore the potential of sound design practices and spatial audio to provide accessible film and television experiences for visually impaired audiences. The project proposes a new paradigm in accessible experiences, in which there is not an overreliance on a narrator's spoken word, as in traditional Audio Description practices. Instead, it utilises new accessibility features that range from the addition of sound effects, the spatialisation of dialogue and sounding objects to first-person narration in order to provide accessible experiences that are seamlessly integrated to the soundtrack of a film or television programme.
Project details:
We are seeking an intern to investigate specific case studies of pre-existing sound design strategies utilised in audio games, headphone theatre productions, radio plays and podcasts, as well as other creative experiences. Specifically your work will involve:
- Selection of a number of case studies, which should include work from artists and creatives from different ethnicities.
- Close text analysis of the case studies, for example through watching theatre productions, listening to podcasts, playing games and recording gameplay etc.
- Creating reports on the case studies, focusing on their use of sound and how said findings might feed into work on accessibility.
- Communication of findings in meetings with the research team.
Eligibility information - Please read before applying
Funding for this internship has been provided by the Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education. YCEDE funded projects are designed to enable students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds in the UK to gain postgraduate level research experience, as part of a wider initiative to remove barriers to doctoral study. By applying for this internship, you confirm that you are a UK National from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic background.
As part of the wider evaluation of the YCEDE initiative, all applications for this internship may be reviewed and used to research the effectiveness of YCEDE. This evaluation may be carried out by staff from any of the HE institutions involved in the YCEDE initiative. By applying for this internship you are also consenting to the information in your application being reviewed as part of this evaluation.
We are looking for someone with:
- Experience in the study of creative work, this could be film and television, games, theatre, radio, or interactive media in general.
- An interest in sound design practices, with knowledge of related terminology or a willingness to familiarise themselves with technical vocabulary in the field
- Experience in writing research summaries, reports, and/or articles (this can be as part of a university project).
- Experience in presenting project outcomes (this can be as part of university work).
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, adapting style to suit the audience.
- An interest in accessibility in the creative sector.
What the intern can gain from this internship:
- Experience in close text analysis of case studies within the creative industries
- Experience writing up reports and sharing findings within a research team.
- Experience of working within a multidisciplinary research team.
- Support and feedback throughout the internship
- Crucial skills for research
- The opportunity to be part of a friendly team and contribute your own experiences and insights to the project.
Application details
This post is brought to you by the Student Internship Bureau and is for a full time internship, starting on July 18th for 6 weeks, working 37 hours per week on an online, in person, or remote working basis.
The closing date is 26th June, with interviews expected to take place on Friday 8th July.
Please note that if you are offered an internship through the Internship Bureau, it is a condition of the agreement that you participate fully in the training elements of your project, which includes maintenance of a learning journal and completion of a short project report or video about your experience.
Employers choose to advertise their roles via the Student Internship Bureau, therefore we ask that you do not contact employers directly with your application. If you have any questions about your application, please email careers-placements@york.ac.uk.
How to apply:
To apply, please click the red ‘apply’ link.
- Please download the Student Internship Bureau application form. You can find this on the Student Internship Bureau company profile as an attachment. Alternatively, the application form is attached to the internship vacancy. Once you have completed this, please re-upload along with your CV.
- Please note that if you do not receive a confirmation email following your application, we have not received it. Therefore please be sure to save a copy of your application in case you need to reapply, and email careers-placements@york.ac.uk if you wish to check your application status.
- Please note that details of this project will not be accessible through Handshake following the closing date; please save a copy of this opportunity for your reference.
- If you have not heard from the internship bureau within two weeks of the application deadline, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.
- You are encouraged to seek support when putting together your application. You can access CV and interview advice at york.ac.uk/careers/applications
INTERNSHIP ELIGIBILITY: YOU MUST READ THIS INFORMATION BEFORE APPLYING. Please send any queries to careers-placements@york.ac.uk.
Funding for this internship has been provided by the Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education. YCEDE funded projects are designed to enable students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds in the UK to gain postgraduate level research experience, as part of a wider initiative to remove barriers to doctoral study.
This internship is open to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students who are UK nationals, and who will be based in the UK, and registered with the University, for the duration of the internship.
As part of the wider evaluation of the YCEDE initiative, all applications for this internship may be reviewed and used to research the effectiveness of YCEDE. This evaluation may be carried out by staff from any of the HE institutions involved in the YCEDE initiative.
As this is a full-time internship it cannot be undertaken alongside courses of study or research that are active over the summer vacation period. If you are registered on such a course and believe that your individual circumstances enable you to complete the internship on a full-time basis you should email careers-placements@york.ac.uk with an email providing specific consent to undertake the internship on a full-time basis from your tutor/supervisor at the time of application. If no such email is received, your application will not be considered.
Any applicant who is offered this internship will be asked to provide evidence of their right to work in the UK before beginning the internship. This will involve providing a copy of your passport to the University’s HR Team. You will be contacted with further instructions on how to complete a Right to Work check either virtually or in-person if you are offered the role.
You must be eligible to work in the UK and have a valid National Insurance (NI) number to complete this internship. If you are in the application process for an NI number at the time your internship is due to start, you can start work, however please note the University of York Casual Worker Team will require you to provide your NI number as soon as possible. Further information on NI numbers can be found on the UK Government website.