GEECT Thematic Meeting
Art & Pedagogy of the Video Essay, Bilkent University, Turkey, December 8-9, 2026
As videographic criticism has become an important form of creative expression as well as academic discussion and publication, the Art & Pedagogy of the Video Essay thematic meeting aims to help students and faculty understand and use the inherent potential of the videographic form as a tool for moving image analysis. Video essays intrinsically allow for a more creative and innovative approach to critiquing, analyzing, and comparing film and other media forms.
This thematic meeting would consist of talks, seminars, and workshops led by prominent video essayists from within GEECT schools as well as Bilkent faculty with experience in creating video essays. Johannes Binotto, a video essayist and artist who teaches at the Lucerne School of Design, Film and Art, has agreed to participate as a keynote speaker. The workshops will focus on how formal techniques, constraints, and content prompts can facilitate meaningful videographic arguments.
Preliminary Program
OVERVIEW
Day 1 will be devoted to an initial roundtable with Johannes Binotto’s talks, and a screening of some of his or others video essay work. These day 1 talks will be open to people attending online.
Day 2 will be workshop based and in person. This workshop can be based on a variety of concepts, such as embodiment within videographic research and/or “poor” techniques. Following the workshop, there will be a wrap-up discussion regarding the participants’ process.
Evening screenings: day 1 will feature a curated program of video essays with commentary from faculty and guests; day 2 will feature a selection of works-in-progress with commentary from workshop participants as well as feedback from faculty and guests.
BEFORE THE EVENT (December 7th)
Arrivals
Dinner w/ Bilkent FADA faculty
DAY ONE (December 8th):
9:00 - 10:00 Morning Meet and Greet Brunch
10:15 General welcome/remarks.
10:30 - 12:00 Roundtable hosted by COMD faculty and Johannes
Possible topic: Creative Practice and Pedagogy
12:00 - 13:15 Lunch [Provided]
13:30-15:00 Johannes Binotto Lecture [Online attendees welcome]
BREAK / REFRESHMENTS [Provided]
15:30-17:00 Johannes Binotto Lecture [Online attendees welcome]
17:15-18:45 Screening of video essay selection & discussion: Curated program w/ commentary
19:00 Dinner [Provided]
DAY TWO (December 9th):
9:00-11:45 Workshop ( ~20 vetted participants)
12:00 Lunch [Provided]
13:30-15:00 Workshop Continued
BREAK / REFRESHMENTS [Provided]
15:30-17:00 Workshop Wrap-Up
17:00-18:30 Screening: Workshop WiPs w/ participant commentary
18:30 Concluding remarks
Organizers: Wickham Flannagan, Colleen Kennedy-Karpat, Andreas Treske, Communication and Design Department and the Faculty of Art, Design, and Architecture at Bilkent University
Registration TBA.