The Film and Moving Image Studies Doctoral Students' Association (FDSA) in partnership with the Concordia Graduate Film Studies Student Association (CGFSSA) jubilantly announces the re-launching of Synoptique as Synoptique: An Online Journal of Film and Moving Image Studies, an editorially peer-review, bilingual journal housed at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema, at Concordia University in Montréal

Synoptique has been a popular destination for graduate student writing on a variety of topics and in a variety of formats and we shall keep this spirit alive with our new, editorially peer-reviewed "Thought Pieces" section, managed by doctoral student Brandon Arroyo (please see the call for Thought Pieces below). The journal's re-launching as an blind, editorially-reviewed publication is in response to the continual need for peer-reviewed works and hopes to build a stronger, more cohesively networked intellectual community with our Canadian and international colleagues.

Synoptique: An Online Journal of Film and Moving Image Studies is interested in publishing cutting-edge research on film, media and a variety of visual cultural artifacts. This is an open call for papers but we encourage submissions on the following topics:

1) Why do we study film?
2) Where does "film theory" go from here?
3) What does national cinema mean in the digital age?

Synoptique is looking for papers between 15-30 pages, double-spaced, with 12 point Times New Roman font, and 1inch margins, formatted according to MLA guidelines (but please do not put your name on each individual page). Include your name, institutional affiliation, position (Master's/Doctoral student, post-doctoral fellow, etc.), and necessary contact information on a separate page. In addition, please include 4 key words to describe your paper's focus and an abstract of no more than 250 words. Submissions are welcomed in both French and English.

Papers must be submitted via email to editor.synoptique@gmail.com by July 15th 2012.
Those chosen for publication will be notified by the beginning of September. Authors will be given time to integrate feedback and revise papers for publication throughout early fall.

The journal will officially launch with a brand new website in early 2013.

We look forward to your submissions!

Sincerely,

Lindsey Campbell and Andrée Lafontaine, Managing Editors

Synoptique consists of two Managing Editors, Lindsey Campbell and Andrée Lafontaine as well as an Editorial Board consisting of, Brandon Arroyo, Kaia Scott, Kester Dyer, Evangelos Tzallias, Zach Meltzer, Andrew Kannegiesser, Samuel Burd, Kelsey Haas, Eric Whedbee, Rachel Webb Jekanowski, and Georgia Cowan.

CALL FOR SHORT ESSAYS:
Thought Pieces for Synoptique: An On-line Journal of Film and Moving Image Studies.

In anticipation of Synoptique's re-launching as the blind, editorially peer-reviewed Synoptique: An Online Journal of Film and Moving Image Studies, we are opening an on-going call for short academic thought pieces. In keeping with Synoptique's tradition of publishing a variety of works, the journal's editorial board is looking for pieces that are approximately 1500 words, in either English or French, addressing any type of moving image media. The idea behind these pieces is to spark thought, controversy or renewed consideration around moving image formations that are not given enough recognition within conventional film studies discourse. Are you dying to write something about your new favorite television show? Are you obsessed with a particular YouTube channel? Are there socially relevant videos being produced that no one knows about? Well Synoptique wants its thought piece section to be a place where you are able to write about topics that do not quite fit within the realm of your coursework and where you can develop ideas in a sophisticated manner for future projects. We also encourage people to submit book reviews, film reviews and conference reviews.

These thought pieces should be thought of as extended abstracts rather than a short section from a larger work. In order to operate within these restrictions it is recommended that you stick to analyzing the particular textual aspects of your object of study in relation to its theoretical, cultural or historical implications. You are also encouraged to use this opportunity to develop your own ideas, showcase your own writing and not feel like you need to scour the library for countless references. No references are required and any more than five references means that the journal's audience is probably reading too many ideas from other people, and not enough from you! You are required to provide video links and/or pictures of your source object or provide clips or images that highlight the greater concepts that you are writing about. We want pieces about moving image objects that are accessible to anyone with an internet connection. Want to write about commercials from the 1950s and their influence on contemporary advertizing? Great! As long as there is a link to those commercials on a video-sharing site (YouTube, Vimeo, DailyMotion, etc.). What to write about an obscure Hungarian film from the 1930s? Terrific! As long as there is a link where someone can see the movie on a video-sharing site. Ultimately, we want this section to be a hub of creative thought addressing the contemporary ways in which we all understand, use and manipulate media today.

All entries are required to follow MLA formatting regulations. You should include a cover page with all of your contact information. Functional links to videos and pictures are required. The thought pieces are an equal part of the greater journal and will go through a review process. Submissions are accepted on an on-going basis.

Email submissions to: thoughtpiece.synoptique@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Brandon Arroyo, Managing Editor