Media in Full Bloom
A Central Valley Interdisciplinary Conference for Graduate and Undergraduate Students on Film, Television, and Media Studies
Sponsored by the Warrior Bookworms & Wordsmiths
Conference Date: April 23rd, 2027
Deadline for Submissions: February 11th, 2027
Location: Stanislaus State University, Turlock, CA
Contact: Warriorwordsmiths@gmail.com
We are thrilled to have Dr. Courtney Lehmann as the keynote speaker at our second annual meeting! Professor Lehmann teaches English and Film Studies at the University of the Pacific and is an expert in the field of Shakespeare studies.
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Contact UsMedia in Full Bloom, the Central Valley conference, provides a platform for undergraduate and graduate students to engage with professors and colleagues interested in practical, theoretical, historical, cultural, and pedagogical perspectives on the media we love: movies, documentaries, television series, and online media. The beautiful 228-acre campus is situated in the heart of California's great Central Valley, a short distance from the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey, and Sacramento.
Call for Papers
The Bookworms invite proposals for papers and panels on all aspects of film, television, and media, both old and new. The Central Valley Conference provides a platform for undergraduate and graduate students to engage with professors and colleagues interested in practical, theoretical, historical, cultural, and pedagogical perspectives on the media we love: movies, documentaries, television series, and online media. The 2027 conference takes place on Shakespeare's birthday, so we especially welcome submissions relating to Shakespearean-inspired media (though this is by no means required). Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Narrative analysis of a single movie, multiple films in a genre, TV series, or other related media or media creators
- Remakes, reboots, reimaginings, prequels, sequels, and franchises
- Changing faces in films—recasting and audience responses
- Film Auteurs
- Adaptations from page or stage to screen
- Shakespeare on Film and Television
- Documentary, experimental, and independent media
- Actors and Acting in Genre Films
- Critical approaches to streaming platforms and digital content
- Film and Media pedagogy and teaching practices
- Lights! Sound! Camera! CGI! The technologies of filmmaking and the cinematic experience
- Environmental, political, or activist media
- Artificial Intelligence and the future of cinema and television
Submission Guidelines
If you are interested in presenting at this year's conference, please send the following to BW & WS at Warriorwordsmiths@gmail.com:
- A presentation title
- A 250-word abstract
- A brief (one-page) CV
Finished papers should have a presentation time of 15-18 minutes. We encourage submissions from first-time, undergraduate conference participants as well as seasoned graduate students. The atmosphere is collegial and welcoming; we at Stanislaus State welcome a diversity of opinion, adventurous thinking, and a free and open exchange of ideas.
To chair a special session, please submit the session title, a brief description and justification for the session, and 3-4 abstracts (including individual paper titles and CVs) from session participants.
The deadline for submitting an abstract or a panel is February 11th, 2027. Submissions will be acknowledged immediately, and acceptance notices will be out within two weeks of submission.
Select papers presented at the conference will be published in Volume 2 of Motion Sickness, the English Club's journal of film and media.
The conference will be held on the campus of Stanislaus State University on Friday, April 23rd. The beautiful 228-acre space is situated in the heart of California's great Central Valley—a short distance from the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey, and Sacramento. Conference fees will include lunch and a keynote address by Courtney Lehmann, Professor of English and Film Studies and Tully Knoles Professor of the Humanities at the University of the Pacific.
For more information, contact the English Club.
Motion Sickness, Volume 1
Motion Sickness, Volume 1, collects seven essays developed from the inaugural Media in Full Bloom conference at California State University, Stanislaus. Bringing together student scholarship on film, television, adaptation, pedagogy, and popular media, the volume examines how images and narratives shape our understanding of identity, culture, and the world around us. Its title reflects the experience of navigating an increasingly saturated media environment—one marked by acceleration, circulation, uncertainty, and discovery. Together, these essays demonstrate the vitality of emerging scholarship and celebrate the collaborative intellectual community of Stanislaus State.
Motion Sickness, Volume 1
Motion Sickness, Volume 1, collects seven essays developed from the inaugural Media in Full Bloom conference at California State University, Stanislaus. Bringing together student scholarship on film, television, adaptation, pedagogy, and popular media, the volume examines how images and narratives shape our understanding of identity, culture, and the world around us. Its title reflects the experience of navigating an increasingly saturated media environment—one marked by acceleration, circulation, uncertainty, and discovery. Together, these essays demonstrate the vitality of emerging scholarship and celebrate the collaborative intellectual community of Stanislaus State.
Previous Calls for Papers
The Bookworms invite proposals for papers and panels on all aspects of film, television, and media, both old and new. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Narrative analysis of a single movie, multiple films in a genre, TV series, or other related media or media creators
- Remakes, reboots, reimaginings, prequels, sequels, and franchises
- Changing faces in films recasting and audience responses
- Film Auteurs
- Adaptations from page or stage to screen
- Documentary, experimental, and independent media
- Actors and Acting in Genre Films
- Critical approaches to streaming platforms and digital content
- Film and Media pedagogy and teaching practices
- Lights! Sound! Camera! CGI! The technologies of filmmaking and the cinematic experience
- Environmental, political, or activist media
- Artificial Intelligence and the future of cinema and television
Submission Guidelines
If you are interested in presenting at this year's conference, please send:
- A presentation title
- A 250-word abstract
- A brief (one-page) CV
Finished papers should have a presentation time of 15-18 minutes. We encourage submissions from first-time, undergraduate conference participants as well as seasoned graduate students. The atmosphere is collegial and welcoming; we at Stanislaus State welcome a diversity of opinion, adventurous thinking, and a free and open exchange of ideas.
To chair a special session, please submit the session title, a brief description and justification for the session, and 3-4 abstracts (including individual paper titles and CVs) from session participants.
Submissions will be acknowledged immediately, and acceptance notices will be sent within a week of submission.
Warrior Bookworms and Wordsmiths
A Community for Readers, Writers & Creators
Warrior Bookworms and Wordsmiths is a Stanislaus State student organization where readers, writers, and media enthusiasts can study and create literature, share ideas, and enjoy everything from books to films and television.
The club welcomes students from every major and creates a relaxed, creative space to build community, nurture curiosity, and take part in literary events on campus.
Warrior Bookworms and Wordsmiths now has its own WarriorLife website, where you can learn more and get involved.
