Science cluster
Summary
The exploration of audiovisual materials represents an expanding area of scientific research. Film analysis has been prevalent and institutionalised within film studies and history for numerous decades; they now engage a diverse array of academic disciplines, including sociology, media studies, educational sciences, political science, or theatre studies. The OASIS project - Open Audiovisual Science Innovation Scheme - focuses on the analysis, enhancement, archiving, and dissemination of video corpora for research within the Humanities and Social Sciences. The project promotes Open Science methodologies and facilitates the development of innovative tools tailored for video research, ultimately enriching the research landscape.
Challenge
Open Science project, Open Science Service
Leading research in Humanities and Social Sciences on audiovisual corpora entails confronting significant challenges related to FAIR principles and openness. These challenges include devising methods for hosting and archiving audiovisual materials, mastering tools for qualitative and quantitative data mining and analysis, including AI technologies, and formulating strategies for the dissemination and valorisation of video data, both within and beyond the academic sphere, all while addressing the particular format and copyright concerns associated with images and videos.
Solution
To meet these challenges, OASIS will develop an active network that brings together researchers from different European countries who are managing and working on online video corpora. This network, gathering over 200 researchers, will build upon the established experience of the Huma-Num CANEVAS consortium. In partnership with CANEVAS and other entities across Europe, OASIS broadens these collaborative efforts, with the aim of developing open-source and interoperable tools tailored for audiovisual corpora, and fully integrating the Science Cluster model and the EOSC ecosystem.
Specifically, the OASIS project will facilitate the translation and customisation of these free and open-source tools to suit the needs of new European communities.
- Collaborative video annotation tools hosted by Huma-Num - https://celluloid.huma-num.fr/ - https://espectateur.huma-num.fr/
- An open video sharing platform managed by MSH Paris-Nord - https://video.mshparisnord.fr/ using the open-source PeerTube technology.
Building upon these initial steps, OASIS will develop educational resources in four languages - French, English, Croatian, and Romanian. Training courses and events will be organised, addressing researchers and doctoral candidates who aspire to undertake research involving audiovisual corpora. They will be designed to empower new research communities and to help them assimilate open tools, standards, and best practices for conducting research on audiovisual corpora in SSH domains.
Scientific Impact
The development of a European research community on audiovisual corpora in the Humanities will be undertaken in collaboration with several key partners, including the IHECS school of media, communication, and journalism in Belgium, the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Research in Croatia, the University of Craiova in Romania, and the Catholic University of Paris in France. Each of these partners will be working to develop the use of audiovisual corpora in a local community, but also in a given discipline, such as Media Studies, Performing Arts Studies, Political Sciences and Education. Additionally, OASIS will benefit from the expertise of DARIAH Working Groups, enhancing the dissemination of project results to already active transnational communities, thereby significantly contributing to the advancement of Open Science practices.
Principal investigator
Laurent Tessier is Professor of Sociology at the Faculty of Education, Institut Catholique de Paris. His research focuses on the use of digital videos in research and teaching. He is involved in developing the Celluloid video annotation tool and co-leads the Huma-Num Canevas consortium.
