The Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image (SCSMI) is an interdisciplinary organization made up of scholars interested in cognitive, philosophical, aesthetic, neurophysiological, and evolutionary-psychological approaches to the analysis of film and other moving-image media. The society is on the forefront of studying how moving-image media shape and are shaped by human psychological activity.

From the Forum

Snapshot from Gerry (2002), by Gus Van SantThe Vestibular Sense in Film

By Luis Rocha Antunes

    February 17, Canterbury, UK – at the University of Kent, we are beginning to understand how the auditory and visual information combine to give access to a multisensory film experience. At the same time, neuroscientists are identifying sensory systems beyond the classic … more . . .

Defending “The Tree of Life”

By Carl Plantinga

Terrence Malick has never made a film I didn’t like, so it is unsurprising that his most recent work, The Tree of Life (2011), struck my fancy.  It has almost become a cliché to call Malick a “visual poet,” but … more . . .

haloEntertaining Violence

By Dirk Eitzen

The century-long scholarly and political debate about the costs and benefits of violent entertainments seems to have run aground, once again, on the shoals of strong gut feelings. Some people (including many humanities scholars) enjoy or appreciate violent entertainments, ranging from fairy tales to video games, and therefore suppose that they are in some respects intrinsically worthwhile. Other people (including many media effects researchers) find the new interactive and extremely graphic forms of virtual violence particularly disturbing and distasteful and therefore suppose that they are intrinsically harmful. The truth is that video games and other violent entertainments have both positive and negative effects. Scholars and scientists need to do a much better job of discerning and explaining the difference if they wish to give good guidance to parents and policy makers. more . . .

phoneMadison calling Budapest!

By David Bordwell

David Bordwell checking in here, with a few memories and reflections, and the paper I would have presented had I been able to attend. more . . .