News

  • Professor Emeritus Barry Grant Releases New Book About Director Peter Jackson

    Wednesday, April 08, 2026 | By

    A photo of a man next to the cover image of his book that features a photo of director Peter Jackson

    Dr. Barry Grant, Professor Emeritus from the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film, has released a new book – Peter Jackson: Film Authorship in a Global Hollywood.  Tracing Jackson’s trajectory through detailed textual analysis, Dr. Grant examines how he mobilizes the conventions of Hollywood film genres to speak to audiences in his home country of New Zealand, as well as engage audiences around the world. Dr. Grant is an internationally known film critic and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His book delivers thoughtful close readings of every Jackson film.

    Tags: , , , ,
    Categories: News

  • Associate Professor Duncan Koerber Releases New Book on Social Media Crisis

    Wednesday, April 08, 2026 | By

    A photo of a man in a suit jacket, sitting in a backyard setting.

    Dr. Duncan Koerber, Associate Professor of Business Communication in the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film, has released a new book – Crisis in a Tweet: The Rise of the Social Media Crisis.  “Unlike traditional emergencies caused by natural disasters or product failures, social media upheaval originates in the digital realm but leads to real world consequences – job losses, reputational harm, and public shame – disproportionate to the original act.”  Dr. Koerber’s research and teaching focuses on crisis communication theory, writing pedagogy, and media and journalism history.

     

     

    Tags: , , , ,
    Categories: News

  • The 2026 CPCF Campaign Challenge

    Tuesday, March 03, 2026 | By

    Three students pose for a photo while holding a oversized check and a trophy. Behind them is a red wall with the Brock University logo.

    The 2026 CPCF Campaign Challenge was held on Friday, February 27th at Brock University.  It brought together industry experts and three amazing teams of students who pitched their marketing ideas for how to attract young people to take the GO Train’s Toronto-Niagara route.  The Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film would like to thank everyone who contributed to this year’s successful challenge.

    The panel of judges – Elizabeth Beale, Chris Giles, Dharmi Gohil and Claire Terrio, all of whom are CPCF grads who have gone on to prove themselves in the world of communication, marketing and media, were very impressed by the interesting pitches made and the professionalism of the three finalist teams.

    At the end of the day, the event’s fantastic MCs Harmon Kaur and Solomon Mike, who were last year’s winning team, handed off the O’Malley Cup to this year’s victors.  Congratulations to Mercedes Agahzadeh, Arianne D’Arcy, and Sydney Miller who impressed with their professional ad mockups tied directly into a focus on specific seasonal marketing.

    Finally, a special thanks to the cup’s original owner, and the constant patron of the competition, Terry O’Malley who joined us for the day’s festivities.

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: Events, News

  • 2026 CPCF Spring Courses

    Friday, February 27, 2026 | By

    Four people sit at a picnic table talking to each other.

    Whether you want to jump on the fast track to graduation, reduce next year’s course load, satisfy a program requirement or pick up an elective, Brock’s Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film is offering Spring courses to help you advance your area of study and explore topics of interest.

    Course Spotlight: Nonverbal Communication (COMM 2P96)

    ONM – ONLINE MIXED

    How much of what we’re thinking and feeling is communicated without saying a word? In this course, you’ll decode the hidden language of nonverbal cues and gain greater insight into how people manage conversations and relationships across the channels of communication that escape our everyday attention.

    • Examine how body language, facial gestures, clothing, tone of voice, proximity and other nonverbal cues convey emotions and intentions.
    • Develop a deeper understanding of how you can tap into the power of nonverbal communication to support your personal and professional pursuits.
    • Explore how nonverbal communication influences significant moments such as job interviews, first dates, boardroom negotiations, courtroom trials and police interrogations.

    Recommended for Business Communication and Media Communication students looking to fulfill a third year COMM 290+ requirement.

    Restrictions: Open to Business Communication, Communication, Media Communication, and Popular Culture majors until date specified in Registration guide.

    This course may also be of interest to students in Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, LawPlus and Business.

    Other Spring CPCF Courses

    • FILM 1F94: Introduction to Film Studies
    • CPCF 1F25: Media and Culture: Texts and Practices

    Learn more about our Spring COMM courses, FILM courses and CPCF courses.

    Registration opens March 5!

    For more information or to register for Brock’s Spring/Summer courses, visit brocku.ca/springsummer

    Categories: News

  • The CPCF Campaign Challenge is Back for 2026

    Thursday, December 18, 2025 | By

    A group of people pose for a photo in front of the Brock University wall in the Rankin Family Pavilion with CPCF Campaign Challenge winners Solomon Mike, who holds up a giant cheque, and Harman Kaur, who holds up the O’Malley Cup trophy.

    The CPCF Campaign Challenge is back for 2026! The Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film will once again host the event on Friday, February 27.

    Teams of students will attempt to solve a contemporary communication issue by developing and presenting a creative pitch that offers a compelling solution. Finalist teams will pitch their ideas to a panel of industry expert judges. The winning team will take home $1,500, with additional cash prizes for the second and third place teams.

    This year’s challenge asks: How do you get 18–24 year-olds to switch from cars to the new Toronto–Niagara GO Train route? How would you make the train more attractive than the alternative?

    For more information and official contest rules, be sure to check out the Campaign Challenge site. Also, follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for updates.

    Tags: , , , , ,
    Categories: Events, News

  • Karen Louise Smith Introduces High School Students to Communication Studies

    Thursday, December 11, 2025 | By

    A professors stands amongst a group of seated high school students

    Do we need a ‘nutrition label’ for our internet plans?

    This was one of the exercises given to prospective students on Dec. 5 at Brock University.  The Faculty of Social Sciences hosted high school students from all over the Niagara Region, giving them the opportunity to experience University learning, explore potential career paths and participate in interactive activities led by current students and faculty.

    In the session facilitated by the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film, Professor Karen Louise-Smith and attendees explored some of the common complaints Canadians have made about their home internet service. They then worked in groups to prototype a nutrition style label for internet plans to provide clearer information to Canadian consumers in the future.

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: Events, News

  • A Feature Course for Winter D3: Film Music, MUSI 3P50

    Tuesday, November 25, 2025 | By

    close up on hands playing a violin. Behind is some sheet music.

    The Department of Music is offering a course on Film Music next term & has waived the prerequisites for all students who have completed first year studies.

    Feature Course: Film Music, MUSI 3P50 – Winter D3

    Do you love watching movies and listening to music? Consider taking Film Music (MUSI 3P50) with Dr. Nina Penner, running Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00-10:20 a.m. this Winter term at MIWSFPA. You’ll study one film a week, analyzing how the music contributes to the storytelling. The focus will be on the science fiction genre, but final projects can explore any genre of film. Films included on the syllabus are Metropolis, The Day the Earth Stood Still, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, Alien, Battlestar Gallactica, Interstellar, Arrival, and Black Panther.

    Assessment includes in-class participation, reading annotations, a presentation, and a final project, which could be a creative project such as rescoring a scene from a film. This course is open to all students in second year and above, no musical experience required. If you are interested, please email Dr. Penner ([email protected]) to request an override.

    Tags: , ,
    Categories: News

  • The Film Production Class Starts Rolling

    Wednesday, November 19, 2025 | By

    A close-up of hands holding a film slate with info on it referring to the current scene, shot and take. In the background a group of students can be seen handling production equipment, and setting up the camera.

    After spending the last few weeks familiarizing themselves with the department’s camera, lighting and sound equipment, Andrew Martiniuk and his class of young filmmakers started shooting a scene as a crew.

    Every take required the students to work as a team.  Everyone had their part to play: gear to check, lines to learn and directions to follow.  As they moved through each setup, students found themselves drawing on the theory and history they have studied in their coursework. Film concepts were no longer abstract ideas. Instead, they became practical tools that guided the students’ creative decisions.

    With Martiniuk’s guidance, the class navigated everything from blocking actors to adjusting light levels, and they discovered how collaborative and dynamic a working set can be.

    Check out the Gallery to see the crew at work.

    Tags: , , ,
    Categories: News

  • CPCF Welcomes Prospective Students on Fall Preview Day

    Wednesday, November 05, 2025 | By

    four people, some in Brock University clothing, stand behind a table and pose for a photo. The sign behind them identifies their department programs as Buisnes Communication, Media and Communication and Film Studies

    The department was well represented at Fall Preview Day on Sunday Nov 2, as staff, faculty and student ambassadors welcomed prospective students to Brock.  The university estimates there were more than 4,700 guests — the largest draw since the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Visitors were able to speak with their future professors and peers and learn about our multi-disciplinary program and how it can set them up for future careers.  Whether they had questions about emerging AI, an ever-changing media landscape, or how a strong understanding of communication can shape success in the business world, students left with a clear understanding of how CPCF can offer the tools needed in an increasingly unpredictable world.

    Tags: , , , ,
    Categories: Events, News

  • CPCF Meets Prospective Students at the Ontario Universities Fair

    Wednesday, October 01, 2025 | By

    A man in a Red Brock University shirt gestures as he speaks to a gathering of students, professors and parents.

    This past weekend, the Ontario Universities Fair was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. OUF is the main recruiting event for Brock University, as the two-day event draws over 80,000 prospective students and their families annually, and CPCF was well represented.

    Staff, faculty, and student representatives promoted our Communication and Film programs. It is always a great opportunity for CPCF to meet prospective students and share how our programs offer fresh, relevant ways to understand the world we live in. Department Chair Dr. Derek Foster was there to share his enthusiasm and “looks forward to seeing many more potential CPCF students at Brock’s Fall Preview Day on Sunday, November 2nd.”

    If you are interested in the programs offered by the Department of Communication, Popular Culture and Film, have a look at the courses offered here.

    Tags: , , , ,
    Categories: News

1 2 3 … 5