Professor Emily Caston

• PhD (2005) Social and Political Sciences, King’s College, Cambridge University (British Academy Scholarship).
• MA – Distinction (2001) Cinema and Television Studies, Birkbeck College, London University.
• BA Hons – Double 1^st (1991) Social & Political Sciences Tripos, King’s College, Cambridge 1988-1991*

*Doncaster Award for Outstanding Scholarship at Cambridge University 1991 and 1989.

Research grants

• Principle Investigator: The Hidden Screen Industries in Britain, Arts and Humanities Research Council networking grant 2021-2022. £29637.88 (£23710.30). AH/V015656/1. University of West London in partnership with the British Film Institute National Archive.
• Principle Investigator: An Archeology of Screen Advertising Production in Britain 1955-2015. British Academy / Leverhulme Small Research Grant 2021-2022. £8,456.80. SRC2021/211360. University of West London, in partnership with the Advertising Producers’ Association (UK).
• Principle Investigator: Music in Technicolor: Fine Art, Fashion, and Film in collaboration with the British Film Institute, the British Council, and the British Embassy in Cuba. Arts and Humanities Research Council follow on funding award 2017-2018 (FEC £100K).
• Principle Investigator: Nothing Compares: British Music Video 1966-2016 . British Council World Tour 2017-2018, University of West London.
• Co-Investigator. Fifty Years of British Music Video: An Analysis of Industry, Impact and Influence 1966-2016. Arts and Humanities Research Council standard route research grant award of £650K (FEC) to the University of Portsmouth and LCC (UAL) in partnership with the British Film Institute, the British Library, Ridley Scott Associates, Soda Pictures, Warp Records, and VPL, 2015-2018.
• Chair of Board, Archaeology of Fashion Film (2017-2019), Arts and Humanities Research Council funded research project led by Dr Marketa Uhlirova at Central St Martins / University of the Arts London in collaboration with Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, British Fashion Council, the British Film Institute, Nowness and Somerset House.
• Advisory Board Member: Colonial Film: Moving Images of the British Empire, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council 2007-2011.  Led by Birkbeck College London University in partnership with University College London, the British Film Institute, the Imperial War Museum, the National Film Theatre and The British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.
• Worts Travelling Fund Award for a three-month field trip to Cuba for undergraduate dissertation on the impact of the redistribution to women as heads of households. Cambridge University, 1990.

Publications

Books

• Caston, Emily, British Screen Advertising: The Cinematography of Commerce 1850-2020 (forthcoming 2025).
• Bloomsbury.
• Caston, Emily. London’s Screen Cluster: a History of Twentieth Century Soho Film Business. Routledge,  (forthcoming
• 2025).
• Caston, Emily. Art, Authenticity and Authorship in British Music Videos 1966 - 2016. Edinburgh University Press,
• 2020.
• Caston, Emily. Celluloid Saviours: Angels and Reform in Hollywood Film. Cambridge Scholars Press, 2010.

Editorial

• Advisory Board, Screen Stories series (British Film Institute / Palgrave / Bloomsbury). 2020-ongoing.
• Co-Editor Special Dossier Hidden Screen Industries, Open Screens, 2024.
• Editor Special Dossier Advertising Alphaville 2023.
• Editor Special Dossier Music Video Alphaville 2020.
• Co-Editor Special Dossier Journal British Film and Television 2019.
• Co-Editor Special Issue Music Sound and Moving Image 2017.

Book chapters

• The Influence of Nordic Culture on British Music Videos in the 1990s, in Nordic Music Videos, edited by John
• Richardson and Mathias Bonde Korsgaard, forthcoming Bloomsbury 2024.
• ‘Government by Music Videos: Music Television in Cuba’, in Oxford Handbook to Music and Television, edited by
• Jessica Getman, Ron Rodman and James Deaville, Oxford University Press,forthcoming, 2025.
• ‘Tainted Love: an AIDs Protest Video of 1984 by Peter Christopherson’, in Travelling Music Videos eds. Matthias
• Bonde Korsgaard and Tomáš Jirsa, part of the New Approaches to Sound, Music, and Media series at
• Bloomsbury, 2023, pp 89-106.
• Caston, Emily. "Gatekeepers of Culture in the Music Video Supply Chain." The Routledge Companion to Media
• Industries, ed. Paul McDonald, Routledge, 2021, 382-391.
• ‘Industry and Academic Collaborations in Externally Funded Research’ in, Industrial Approaches to Media: A Methodological Gateway to Industry Studies ed. Matthew Freeman (Palgrave Macmillan) forthcoming November 2016.

Journal articles

• A History of the Advertising Producers’ Association, Open Screens, Special Dossier, forthcoming 2024.
• The Origins of the UK VFX & Post-Production Sections, Open Screens, Special Dossier, forthcoming 2024
• Chocolate Advertising and Quaker Economics in Mid Century British Television, New Vistas, 2024.
• ‘Taste, Enthusiasm and Hard Work: A Script for Success”. Interview with Lizie Gower, New Vistas, 2024.
• ‘Screen Advertising’, 2023, Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media.
• “The 60 Second Commercial: An Endangered Heritage Art Without A Conservation Strategy?” 2023. Alphaville:
• Journal of Film And Screen Media.
• “Interview: Georgia Hudson” Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media 19, 2023.
• “Interview: Juliette Larthe” Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media 19, 2023.
• “Interview: Daniel Kleinman” Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media 19, 2023.
• "The Screen Advertising Production Industry: SIC Codes and Screen Industries Mapping." Media Industries 9,
• no. 1 (2022).
• "Conservation And Curation: Theoretical And Practical Issues In The Making Of A National Collection Of British
• Music Videos 1966–2016." Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media 19 (2020).
• “Interview: Sophie Muller. Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, (19) (2020), 211-218.
• "Interview: Carrie Sutton." Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media 19 (2020): 203-210.
• "Interview: Kris P. Taylor." Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media 19 (2020): 195-202.
• "The Pioneers Get Shot: Music Video, Independent Production and Cultural Hierarchy In Britain." 
• Journal Of British Cinema And Television 16, No. 4 (2019): 545-570.
• "Hidden Screen Industries–British Music Video and Absent Bodies." Journal Of British Cinema and Television 16, No. 4
• (2019): 484-491.
• ‘Contemporary Dance in British Music Video: From Arlene Phillips to Wayne Mcgregor’, Music, Sound and the Moving Image Special Issue on The AHRC Funded Fifty Years of British Music Video, Autumn 2017.
• "‘The First Cut is the Deepest’ Excerpts from a Focus Group on Editing Music Videos, with Explanatory Historical &
• Theoretical Notes." Music, Sound, and the Moving Image 11, no. 1 (2017): 99-18.
• ‘Not Another Article on the Author! God and Auteurs in Moving Image Analysis: Last Call for a Long Overdue Paradigm Shift’ Music Sound and the Moving Image Special Issue on ‘Musical Innovation and Digital Screens’, volume 9, issue 2, 2016.
• "The Fine Art of Commercial Freedom: The Significance of British Music Videos in British Film Culture". SCOPE: An Online Journal of Film and Television Studies. Issue 26, February 2014.
• ‘Kick, Bollocks and Scramble’: An Examination of Power and Creative Decision-Making in the Production Process During the Golden Era of British Music Videos 1995–2001. Journal of British Cinema and Television, February 2012.
• Caston, Emily, and Justin Smith. "Dancing and Dreaming: “Fifty Years of British Music Video” in
• Havana." Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media 19 (2020): 184-194.
• Chan, Sally, Emily Caston, Maddie Ohl, and Sean Nixon. "Hai Karate and Kung Fuey: Early martial arts tropes in
• British advertising." JOMEC Journal 15 (2020): 1-1.

Trade and public

• Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Ringan Ledwidge 1971-2021. British Film Institute Website.
• A Short History of the British Music Video. December 2020. British Film Institute Website.
• “Charting the History of British Music Videos”, English and Media Magazine December 2018 issue 66:  pp. 6-10,
• circulated to 10,000 Media Studies students and teachers.
• Interview with Emily Caston The Spread, Cinejam, July 6 2015.
• ‘The Impact of European Directives on the Rights of Film Directors in the UK.’  Full-length report distributed with
• Promo Magazine, January 2001.
• ‘Report on Turnover in Video Production in the UK Music Industry 1998 and 1999’.  Full-length report distributed with Promo News and Music Week April 2000.
• ‘Director’s Rights in Music Video: Who Wrote the Script?’ Promo Magazine, October 2000.
• ‘Postmodern Paralysis: the films of Peter Greenaway.’  Catalyst, number 9, Winter 1992.
• ‘A Pee and Two Noughts.’  Casablanca, issue ii, Spring 1992.

Film reviews

• The Harvest (Marconi, USA 1993). Synopsis and Review, Sight and Sound 2:8, 1992.
• Chain of Desire (Lopez, USA 1992). Synopsis and Review. Sight and Sound, 3:9, 1993.
• The Hawk (Hayman, UK1992). Synopsis and Review. Sight and Sound, 3: 12, 1993.
• Malcolm X (Spike Lee, USA 1992). Lead Review. City Limits 592, 1993.
• Paris is Burning (Livingstone, USA 1990). City Limits, 581, 1992.
• Sarafina! (Roodt, South Africa 1992). City Limits 587, 1993.
• Stay Tuned (Hyams USA 1992). City Limits 591, 1993.

Book reviews

• Erica Jong on Henry Miller: The Devil at Large. City Limits 592, 1993.
• Women as Revolutionary Agents of Change by Shere Hite.  City Limits 589, 1993.
• Amazons Blue-stockings and Crones eds. C. Kramarae & P. Treichler.  City Limits 582, 1992.
• Mercy by Andrea Dworkin.   City Limits, 581, 1992.
• Shield of Coolest Air, A by Marion Molteno.  City Limits 579, 1992.
• Eve and the New Jerusalem by Barbara Bradford Taylor. City Limits 590, 1993.
• Sexual Personae by Camile Paglia. City Limits 557, 1992.
• In a Chariot Drawn by Lions: The Search for the Female in Deity by A. Long. City Limits 552, 1992.
• Mediocrity and Delusion by Hans Enzensberger. City Limits 551, 1992.
• Making Fast Food by Ester Reiter. City Limits 536, 1992.
• Taste: The Secret Meaning of Things by Stephen Bayley. City Limits 528, 1991.
• A Dictionary of Mind And Spirits ed. Donald Watson. City Limits 521, 1991.
• Nicaraguan Sketches by J. Cortazer.  City Limits 520, 1991.
• Books for 1991.  City Limits 534, 1992.
• The Revolution in Peril by J Hable. City Limits 518, 1991.
• Books on Class. City Limits 541, 1992.
• Love In The Time of Victoria by Francoise Barret-Ducroq. City Limits 515, 1991.

Media

Film and TV appearances

• Contributor, Bruce Gowers and Bohemian Rhapsody. Front Row, BBC Radio 4, TX 19 January, 2023.
• Contributor, MTV, A British Invention? BBC Radio 2, TX 4^th September, 2021, available BBC Sounds.
• Principle Contributor, Video Killed The Radio Star: Tina Turner. MGMM Studios / Sky Arts, 2023.
• Principle Contributor, Video Killed The Radio Star: Coldplay. MGMM Studios / Sky Arts, Series 11, 2022.
• Principle Contributor, Video Killed The Radio Star: Kate Bush. MGMM Studios / Sky Arts, Series 10, 2021.
• Principle Contributor, Video Killed The Radio Star: Pink. MGMM Studios / Sky Arts, Series 9, 2021.
• Principle Contributor, Video Killed The Radio Star: Kylie Minogue. MGMM Studios / Sky Arts, Series 9, 2021.
• Principle Contributor, Video Killed The Radio Star: Annie Lennox. MGMM  / Sky Arts, Series 7, Ep 4, 2019.
• Principle Contributor, Video Killed The Radio Star: Madonna. MGMM Studios / Sky Arts, Series 7, Ep 7, 2019.
• Interviewee, ‘The Extraordinary Success of Michael Jackson’s Thriller” TRT.  TX Monday 10December 2018.

Curation/judging

• Judge, 7^th Annual Smiley Film Charity Awards, Leicester Square, 2024.
• Curator, British Music Videos 1966-2016: 200 Landmark Music Videos, a Special Edition Blu-ray Collection, Thunderbird, February 2018, with catalogue and introduction written by Emily Caston.
• Curator, 100 Landmark British Music Videos 1966-2016, British Film Institute, Berkhamsted, selected excerpts available online through the BFI Player, 2019.
• Consultant, The Curators & Co.: online curation site hosted by Dilly Gent bringing music video archives to a new global audience, and to stimulate new a new discourse of music video appreciation.

Documentary

• Producer, Director and Presenter, AHRC documentary, The Music Video Industry in Cuba, 2018.
• Producer, In Search of the Mountain Eagle. University of the Arts London / British Film Institute, 2012. Documentary about the ‘making of’ The Projectionist.
• Researcher, Development Department 1993-1995, Television History Workshop.
• Researcher, Rear Window (various directors) Bandung / Channel 4. UK.  TX 1992-1993.

Short films

• Producer, The Projectionist (Jamie Thraves) University of the Arts London / British Film Institute, 2012. Screened at the BFI as part of the 2012 Hitchcock Season, 4 October 2012.
• Producer, Mulatto Song (Topher Campbell) Arts Council / Channel 4. UK 1996.

Feature films

• Second Assistant Director, Beyond Bedlam (Vadim Jean) UK 1993.
• Third Assistant Director, Wittgenstein (Derek Jarman) UK 1993.

Television drama

• Production Manager Tales from a Darkened Room (Peter Wyeth) Channel 4. UK 1994. 60 mins.
• Third Assistant Director Benedictus Spinoza (Christopher Spencer) Channel 4. UK 1992. 60 mins.

TV commercials

• Producer. Sunday Observer ‘Point it’ (Lukas Hammar & Mother 2002) Harry Nash.
• Producer. Coca Cola / Bonaqua ‘Running Woman’ (Lukas Hammar & TBWA London 2002) Harry Nash.
• Producer. Cadbury Buttons ‘Simple’ campaign (Frazer Jelleyman & TBWA London 2002) Harry Nash.
• Producer. Cadbury Fingers ‘Thumb’ campaign (Tom Routson & Saatchi & Saatchi London 2001) Harry Nash.
• Producer. Radiolinja ‘The Office In Your Pocket’ (Simon Green & Taivas Oy, Finland 2001) Harry Nash.
• Producer. Teletext ‘Sunbed’ ‘Escalator’ ‘Arch’ (Simon Green & Delaney Lund Knox Warren 2001) Harry Nash.
• Producer. Sony Playstation Driver 2 (Mat Kirkby & Mercier Grey, 2000 Cuba) Harry Nash.
• Line Producer. Sprite ‘Thirst is Everything, Image is Nothing’ campaign (Spike Jonze & TWBBDA, 1997). Satellite.

Music videos

• Exec Producer - Moby ‘Body Rock’ (Fredrick Bond / Harry Nash, Mute, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - 911 ‘Private Number’ (Jeff Thomas / Harry Nash, Virgin Records, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Beverley Knight ‘Greatest Day’ (Jake Nava / Harry Nash, EMI, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Beverley Knight ‘Make It Back’ (Jake Nava / Harry Nash, EMI, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Urban Species feat. Imogen Heap (Jake Nava / Harry Nash, EMI, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Caprice ‘Oh Yeah’ (Tim Royes / Harry Nash, Virgin Records, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Fun Lovin’ Criminals ‘Korean Bodega’ (Joel Pront /Harry Nash, Chrysalis, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Space ‘Never’ (Alex De Rakoff / Harry Nash, Gut Records, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Top Loader ‘Let The People Know’ (Mat Kirkby / Harry Nash, Sony, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Grooverider ‘Rainbows of Colour’ (Ringan Ledwidge / Harry Nash, Sony, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Lo Fidelity Allstars ‘Battle Flag’ (Jake Nava / Harry Nash, Skint Records, UK, 1999)
• Exec Producer - Celine Dion ‘Immortality’ (Randee St. Nicholas / Ridley Scott Associates, Sony Canada, USA, 1998)
• Exec Producer - Feeder ‘Suffocate’ (Mark Nunnelley / Ridley Scott Associates, Echo Records, UK, 1998)
• Exec Producer - 911 ‘All I Want’ (Jake Nava / Ridley Scott Associates, Virgin Records, UK, 1998)
• Exec Producer - Lo Fidelity Allstars ‘Vision Incision’ (Adrian Moat Ridley Scott Associates, Skint Records, UK, 1998)
• Exec Producer - Asian Dub Foundation ‘Black White’ (Babak / Ridley Scott Associates, London Records, UK, 1998)
• Exec Producer - Aphex Twin ‘Windowlicker’ (Chris Cunningham / Ridley Scott Associates, Warp Records, UK, 1998)
• Exec Producer - Leftfield ‘Afrika/ Shox’ (Chris Cunningham / Ridley Scott Associates, Sony Music, UK, 1998)
• Exec Producer - Squarepusher ‘Come On My Selector’ (Chris Cunningham / Ridley Scott Associates, Warp, UK, 1998)
• Exec Producer - Portishead ‘Only You’ (Chris Cunningham / Ridley Scott Associates, Polydor, UK, 1998)
• Exec Producer - Madonna ‘Frozen’ (Chris Cunningham / Ridley Scott Associates, Warners USA, 1998)
• Producer. Wyclef & Brian Harvey ‘Lovin’ You’ (Andy Morahan / Harry Nash, Edel Records UK, 2001)
• Producer. Blue ‘All Rise’ (Andy Morahan / Harry Nash, Virgin Records, UK, 2001)
• Producer. S Club 7  ‘Don’t Stop Movin’’ (Andy Morahan/ Harry Nash, Polydor, UK, 2001)
• Producer. Shea Seger ‘Clutch’ (Mat Kirkby / Harry Nash, Sony Music, UK, 2000)
• Producer. Shea Seger ‘The Last Time’ (Mat Kirkby / Harry Nash, Sony Music, UK, 2000)
• Producer. Dubstar ‘The Self Same Thing’ (Mat Kirkby / Harry Nash, Parlophone, UK, 2000)
• Producer. Travis ‘Turn’ (Ringan Ledwidge / Harry Nash, Independiente, UK, 1999)
• Producer. Red Snapper ‘Image of You’ (Ringan Ledwidge / Harry Nash, Warp Records, UK, 1999)
• Producer. Gomez ‘RnB Alibi’ (Ringan Ledwidge / Harry Nash, Sony Music, UK, 1999)
• Producer. Whale ‘Crying at Airports’ (Ringan Ledwidge / Harry Nash, Virgin Records, UK, 1998).
• Producer. Lynden David Hall ‘Sexy Cinderella’ (Randee St. Nicholas / Ridley Scott Associates, EMI, UK, 1997)
• Producer. Oasis ‘Morning Glory’ (Jake Scott / Ridley Scott Associates, Creation, UK, 1996)
• Producer. Chemical Brothers ‘Elektrobank’ (Spike Jonze / Propaganda, Virgin Records UK, 1997) (post
• production)
• Producer. Oasis ‘Stand By Me’ (Spike Jonze / Propaganda, Creation, UK 1997)
• Producer. Fun Lovin’ Criminals Live at The Forum 10/4/97 (Joel Pront / Propaganda, Chrysalis, UK, 1997)
• Producer. U2 ‘Discotheque’ (Stephane Sednaoui, Principal Management / Island, Propaganda, UK, 1996)
• Producer. Garbage ‘Milk’ (Stephane Sednaoui / Propaganda, Mushroom Records, UK, 1996)
• Producer. Kula Shaker ‘Hey Dude’ (Stephan Sednaoui / Propaganda, Sony Music, UK, 1996)
• Producer. Soul II Soul ‘Love Enuff’ (Marcus Nispel / Atlas Films, Virgin Records, UK, 1995)
• Producer. Sensor ‘Age of Panic’ (Peter Christopherson, 1994).
• Production Manager. Ace of Base ‘Lucky Love’ (Rocky Schenck / Arista New York, Atlas Films, USA/UK, 1996)
• Production Manager. The Real McCoy ‘Step Down’ (Nigel Dick / Mercury Records, Christopherson & Co, UK, 1995)
• Production Manager. Johnny Halliday ‘My Love For You’ (Nigel Dick / Phonogram, Squeak Pics, USA/UK/Fr, 1995)
• Production Manager. Therapy ‘Stories’ (Peter Christopherson / A&M Records, Christopherson & Co, UK, 1995)
• Production Manager. Curtis Stigers ‘This Time’ (Bruce Meade / Arista NY, Christopherson & Co, USA/UK, 1995)
• Production Manager. Stabbing Westward ‘Lies’ (Peter Christopherson / Sony Music, Christopherson & Co, UK, 1994)
• Production Manager. Galliano ‘Twyford Down’ (Peter Christopherson / Phonogram, Christopherson & Co, UK, 1994)
• Production Manager. Schaft ‘Arbor Vitae’ (Philip Richardson / Victor Entertainment, Christopherson & Co, UK, 1994)
• Production Manager. Nine Inch Nails Live at The Forum 25/6/94 (Peter Christopherson / Nothing Records, USA, 1994)
• Production Manager. Ali Campbell ‘Let Your Yeah Be Yeah’ (Matthew Amos / Virgin Records, Propaganda, UK, 1995)
• Production Manager. Sting featuring Pato Banton (Duncan Smith / A&M Records, Propaganda, UK, 1994)
• Production Manager. Pink Floyd ‘US and Them’ (Peter Christopherson / EMI, PMI, UK, 1994)
• Production Manager. Pink Floyd ‘High Hopes’ (Storm Thorgerson / EMI, PMI, UK, 1994)
• Production Manager. Louis Armstrong ‘We Have All The Time in the World’ re-release (Matthew Amos / EMI, 1994)

Film industry awards

Aphex Twin’s Windowlicker (Executive Producer)

• Silver for Best Direction Design and Art Direction Awards 2000
• Silver for Best Editing Design and Art Direction Awards 2000

Squarepusher’s Come On My Selector (Executive Producer)

• Silver for Best Direction, Design & Art Direction Awards 1999
• Silver for Best Video, Design & Art Direction Awards 1999
• Silver for Best Alternative Video, Design & Art Direction Awards 1999
• Winner Best Editing in a Music Video, Music Video Producers’ Association USA 1999

Madonna’s Frozen (Executive Producer)

• Best Special Effects in a Promo or Music Video, MTV Awards 1998
• Best Special Effects, Music Video Producers’ Association Awards USA, 1999

Portishead’s Only You (Executive Producer)

• Silver for Best Direction, Design and Art Direction Awards, 1998

Travis’s Turn (Producer)

• Silver for Best Direction, Design & Art Direction Awards, 1999
• Silver for Best Editing, Design & Art Direction Awards, 1999

Whale Crying At Airports (Producer)

• Silver for Best Direction, Design and Art Direction Awards 1999

Chemical Brothers’ Elektrobank (Producer)

• Winner, Best Electric Video for the promo for Music Video Producers’ Association USA 1997
• Winner, Best Dance Video, Creative & Art Direction Awards 1997