What is your background, and what is your main field of research?

I am a media economics researcher at imec-SMIT- Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where I am doing PhD research on shifting forms of policy support, and their effectiveness and impact on European film and television markets. As a researcher, I am interested in analysing the ongoing changes in film and television markets driven by the rise of global OTT players and platforms. My recent work focuses on the obligations for streamers such as Netflix and Disney+ to contribute financially to the production of European works. I am also involved in contract research for various stakeholders. I hold a master’s degree in media management from the University of Westminster, London.

What is your role in the ScreenME project?

The SMIT-VUB team has been involved in different activities as part of the ScreenME project. I participated in the first SreenME webinar, with a spotlight on early-stage researchers, and I took part in activities in the first work package focused on research and stakeholder collaboration. As part of the activities in the communication and dissemination work package, our team will be responsible for organising a workshop on enabling progress in the publication of practical research and the transferable skills of early-stage researchers.

What do you like about the ScreenME project?

The driving elements of this project are particularly important for further development of early-stage researchers who are focused on screen industries. Through my own work, I often see that the new dynamics in screen industries highlight the importance of collaboration and building best practices in screen media research. I believe that emphasising university–industry collaboration in the screen industries is key to identifying the most critical challenges. Within this context, the ScreenME network has the potential to strengthen the connections between screen industries and researchers.