Impact films for researchers

Black and white photo of a person's hands holding a strip of photographic film and a small cup, with a light source illuminating the film, in a dark room.

Common collaborates with researchers in universities, IROs, museums and research centres to produce and distribute impact films for research projects.

We come from academic backgrounds ourselves, and we tend to work with researchers across three distinct types of film:

  • Our background in academia means that we understand the importance of communicating research impact. And, as research-led filmmakers, we do this through a variety of formats, including narrative documentaries, educational films, lecture and event recordings, and interview-based video.

    This ensures that the impact you and your team are creating is made accessible to the most appropriate audiences and expressed in ways that count for assessment exercises such as REF2029.

  • We also make films as project outputs in their own right. This involves developing work alongside or as part of your investigation (sometimes involving us as official project collaborators, other times via commission).

    It may include co-productions with academics, project participants and research collaborators, submitting films for peer-review, or producing films to reach novel audiences through film festivals and other distribution outlets. As with all our work, we frame such film activities in strategically sensible ways in relation to REF and other impact and engagement metrics.

    Filmic research harnesses the capacity of film to ask different kinds of research questions from those possible in written media, and its outputs can be distributed beyond the usual academic channels.

  • We regularly produce smaller-scale, exploratory film shoots, during which we create audio-visual material for your use in a variety of contexts. We might, for example, film research activities in an archive, or engagements with local communities, or fieldwork being done at specific sites of interest. This type of film can be formatted for educational use, for public audiences, or indeed for internal research purposes, and is a great starting point for using film in your research.

Case studies

  • Young woman with long brown hair sitting at a table, concentrating on sewing or crafting with thread and fabric.

    Films for research impact

    EDIFY | KCL x Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience

  • A person carving wood with a hammer and chisel, surrounded by wood shavings on a workbench.

    Filmic research

    Towards a Filmic Humanities | Science Museum Journal

  • A gloved hand pointing to a petri dish with a metallic structure on a black surface, surrounded by scientific equipment and blue folders.

    Films for research impact

    Congruence Engine | Science Museum Group

  • A man sitting on a stone in a lush green forest, looking up at the trees.

    Filmic research

    Bradford Forwards and Backwards | AHRC x Towards a National Collection

  • Close-up of a human eye with brown iris and visible blood vessels.

    Educational film

    Ophthalmic Instruments | Imperial x Royal College of Ophthalmologists

  • Close-up of colorful, swirled paint in shades of purple, orange, and yellow, with a glossy texture.

    Filmic research

    Artists’ Colourmen | Fitzwilliam Museum | Hamilton Kerr Institute

  • Close-up of a man with glasses and a mustache, looking intently at something, with warm lighting and dark surroundings.

    Films for research impact

    Dylan’s Dear Diaries | King’s College Libraries and Collections

  • A close-up photo of a metallic object or device with a dark background, illuminated by a soft, bluish light. The image has a mysterious, abstract quality.

    Filmic research

    Workshopping Mechanics | Imperial College London

  • A woman with medium-length dark hair, smiling, wearing a black turtleneck and a dark vest, standing against a plain light-colored background.

    Films for research impact

    Solitude Lab | ESRC x University of Durham

  • Silhouette of a large arched bridge against a cloudy sunset sky in a city.

    Films for research impact

    Visit the Past | Science Museum x Discovery Museum

  • Close-up of a vintage typewriter's metal keys and black metal frame.

    Films for research impact

    Mapping the Past | Science Museum x Discovery Museum

  • Black and white photo of a man singing or speaking with three other men behind him holding a violin and guitar, inside a room with a window in the background.

    Films for research impact

    Listen to the Past | Science Museum x Discovery Museum

Common is the UK’s only production house run by practising academic researchers. We collaborate extensively with academics, scientists, clinicians, museum professionals, archivists and arts researchers.

Films can enrich your research project at any stage of development. Whether you’re writing up a new bid or concluding the outputs of an advanced project, we’re always very happy to chat.

Contact us via email or using the form below.