Daniel Hickin MA and PhD Film Studies

Hi, I'm Daniel Hickin and I studied MA and PhD Film Studies within Humanities at the University of Southampton.

I knew Southampton has a great reputation for the subject, it’s easily one of the best universities in the country with amazing staff such as Tim Bergfelder, Lucy Mazdon and Michael Williams and I’ve never regretted my choice

Embarking on a PhD in Film Studies at Southampton has enabled Daniel to combine his twin passions of researching and writing about movies. He took his first degree at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent which covered both the practical and theoretical elements of film production. He says: "At first I thought I’d be more interested in actually making films but I soon discovered I was far better at academic study."

Growing up near Southampton at Chandlers Ford, where he took A levels in film, English literature and business studies, Daniel chose to stay closer to home for his higher degrees. He says: "I knew Southampton has a great reputation for the subject, it’s easily one of the best universities in the country with amazing staff such as Tim Bergfelder, Lucy Mazdon and Michael Williams and I’ve never regretted my choice."

Daniel gained a distinction in his masters and opted to stay on for higher study, subsidising his academic work with part-time jobs in NHS administration.

His PhD research centres around censorship, cult movies and foreign cinema. "My favourite film has to be Performance, a controversial yet classic British work of the 1960s starring Mick Jagger and including the music of the Rolling Stones; you could describe it as a pop art movie."

Despite his studies, Daniel says he can still enjoy a night out at the movies. He says: "My tastes have changed over the years and I can appreciate a wide range of films. My 'day job' is researching and writing about film but I still like going to the cinema in my leisure time too."