Academic Profile : Faculty
Assoc Prof Ian Dixon
Associate Professor (Practice), Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information
Email
External Links
Controlled Keywords
Ian Dixon completed his PhD at The University of Melbourne, Victorian College of the Arts in 2011. He delivers academic addresses internationally including a plenary speech for CEA in USA (2013) and keynote address in India (2016). Recently, Ian presented two keynotes in The Philippines: for Eduk Circle and LSPU. He won best paper at CMCS conference, University of Southern California. Ian has published internationally and his book I’m Not a Film Star: David Bowie as Actor is currently available - book launch in New York in August 2022: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/search/?q=not%20a%20film%20star
Ian has worked as writer, director, actor and script editor including: film; commercial television; literature and; international theatre. He studied drama, cinema studies and English literature at the University of Adelaide and Flinders University as well as filmmaking at the University of Melbourne, VCA School of Film and Television (where he also completed his PhD). Funded to write feature films through Screen Australia and Film Victoria, Ian’s films have won awards internationally. He has directed television for Neighbours, Blue Heelers and SBS TV and his debut feature film Crushed (writer/director/producer) screened at the world’s largest arthouse chain, Cinema Nova in 2009. Having currently signed a contract to write two new feature films in Australia and Asia, Ian’s directing credits also include Wee Jimmy (half hour drama for SBS TV—which won director commendation at San Francisco International Film Festival, 2000), Interference, The Perimeter, The Raptor Detail and Cut (which won Gold at Australian Cinematographers Society Awards). Ian also has had extensive training as a director including Film Victoria/Australian Film Commission assisted traineeships on Neighbours, Blue Heelers and Horace and Tina.
He has written three novels and has worked as a lecturer in cultural studies, celebrity studies, film theory, television and filmmaking at Deakin University, The University of Melbourne, Victorian College of the Arts, RMIT University, SAE Institute and Open Channel Film School. He works as an independent producer of film and video and has been assistant to the artistic director of the Australia Korea Foundation for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
On stage, Ian took over from Hollywood A-lister Guy Pearce to play the lead in Grease and has performed in many Australian television productions including: Underbelly, Rush, City Homicide, Guinevere Jones, Martial Law, Blue Heelers, Stingers, Heartbreak High, Shadows of the Heart etc.
Ian has worked as writer, director, actor and script editor including: film; commercial television; literature and; international theatre. He studied drama, cinema studies and English literature at the University of Adelaide and Flinders University as well as filmmaking at the University of Melbourne, VCA School of Film and Television (where he also completed his PhD). Funded to write feature films through Screen Australia and Film Victoria, Ian’s films have won awards internationally. He has directed television for Neighbours, Blue Heelers and SBS TV and his debut feature film Crushed (writer/director/producer) screened at the world’s largest arthouse chain, Cinema Nova in 2009. Having currently signed a contract to write two new feature films in Australia and Asia, Ian’s directing credits also include Wee Jimmy (half hour drama for SBS TV—which won director commendation at San Francisco International Film Festival, 2000), Interference, The Perimeter, The Raptor Detail and Cut (which won Gold at Australian Cinematographers Society Awards). Ian also has had extensive training as a director including Film Victoria/Australian Film Commission assisted traineeships on Neighbours, Blue Heelers and Horace and Tina.
He has written three novels and has worked as a lecturer in cultural studies, celebrity studies, film theory, television and filmmaking at Deakin University, The University of Melbourne, Victorian College of the Arts, RMIT University, SAE Institute and Open Channel Film School. He works as an independent producer of film and video and has been assistant to the artistic director of the Australia Korea Foundation for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
On stage, Ian took over from Hollywood A-lister Guy Pearce to play the lead in Grease and has performed in many Australian television productions including: Underbelly, Rush, City Homicide, Guinevere Jones, Martial Law, Blue Heelers, Stingers, Heartbreak High, Shadows of the Heart etc.
Asian Film Storytelling, Cinema Studies, Celebrity Studies, Fan Studies, Film Theory, Filmmaking, Literature, Screenwriting & Television Studies
- Interdisciplinary Story as End-of-Life Healing: Palliative Care Film/Literature
- Exploring the extremophiles of Sembawang Hot Spring Park: from molecular characterization to public outreach through docudrama
- Transnational Networks of Singapore Cinema and Digital Media: Shifting Geographies, Multiplying Media, and Industry Transformations
- Facilitating Disability in Cinema: Workshops, Film and Industry Employment
- Addressing Visual Plagiarism in Art & Design: A Multi-stakeholder Investigation
Awards
2019 Best Academic Video Presentation: CMCS, USA.
2017 Best Academic Paper: CMCS at University of Southern California
2015 Teamwork Award: SAE Institute Staff Excellence Award
2012 Creative and Scholarly Award for Outstanding Staff: SAE Institute Staff Excellence Award
2011 Nomination: Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence, University of Melbourne
2010 Creative and Scholarly Award for Outstanding Staff: SAE Institute Staff Excellence Award
2006 RMIT PhD Scholarship
2006–2010 APA PhD scholarship, The University of Melbourne
2003–2005 APA Master’s Scholarship (rolled over to PhD), University of Melbourne
2001 44th San Francisco Film Festival Certificate of Merit Winner: Wee Jimmy for SBSi
2017 Best Academic Paper: CMCS at University of Southern California
2015 Teamwork Award: SAE Institute Staff Excellence Award
2012 Creative and Scholarly Award for Outstanding Staff: SAE Institute Staff Excellence Award
2011 Nomination: Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence, University of Melbourne
2010 Creative and Scholarly Award for Outstanding Staff: SAE Institute Staff Excellence Award
2006 RMIT PhD Scholarship
2006–2010 APA PhD scholarship, The University of Melbourne
2003–2005 APA Master’s Scholarship (rolled over to PhD), University of Melbourne
2001 44th San Francisco Film Festival Certificate of Merit Winner: Wee Jimmy for SBSi
Fellowships & Other Recognition
2021 – Present Editorial Board Asian Celebrity and Fandom Studies – Asia, for Bloomsbury Press (Asian Studies).
2022 Publication Reviewer, CEA Critic (Johns Hopkins), USA
2021 – Present Screenwriters Association Singapore
2020 – Present ACBC Asian Cinema Cluster, WKWSCI Singapore
2019 – Present Persona Studies, editorial committee Australia
2017 – Present Centre for Media and Celebrity Studies Portugal/Canada/USA
2015 – Present IABA Asia-Pacific Scholarly Network Australia
2013 – Present Celebrity Studies Network UK
2013 – Present College English Association USA
2013 – Present Conference Selector, College English Association, USA
2010 – Present Australian Directors’ Guild Australia
2010 – Present Game Developers’ Association Australia
2008 – Present Australian Writers’ Guild Australia
1989 – Present Media Arts & Entertainment Alliance Australia
2022 Publication Reviewer, CEA Critic (Johns Hopkins), USA
2021 – Present Screenwriters Association Singapore
2020 – Present ACBC Asian Cinema Cluster, WKWSCI Singapore
2019 – Present Persona Studies, editorial committee Australia
2017 – Present Centre for Media and Celebrity Studies Portugal/Canada/USA
2015 – Present IABA Asia-Pacific Scholarly Network Australia
2013 – Present Celebrity Studies Network UK
2013 – Present College English Association USA
2013 – Present Conference Selector, College English Association, USA
2010 – Present Australian Directors’ Guild Australia
2010 – Present Game Developers’ Association Australia
2008 – Present Australian Writers’ Guild Australia
1989 – Present Media Arts & Entertainment Alliance Australia
Courses Taught
CS2300 Acting & Directing in TV and Film
CS4319 Transmedia Storytelling
CS4024 Writing for Cinema & Television
A901 Speaking Academia
CS4316 Story in Advertising
CS4055 Television Studies: Critical Approaches
CS4319 Transmedia Storytelling
CS4024 Writing for Cinema & Television
A901 Speaking Academia
CS4316 Story in Advertising
CS4055 Television Studies: Critical Approaches
Supervision of PhD Students
Deng Bingying (current)