When we think of “research,” most of us imagine laboratories, archives, or data analysis. We picture scholars testing hypotheses, collecting evidence, and publishing findings in journals. But what if research could also be through making and distributing a commercial feature film? What if storytelling, carefully crafted, collaboratively produced, and publicly shared via cinema and streaming platforms, could itself generate knowledge?
This is the question at the heart of Fictsearch, a framework that reimagines fiction filmmaking as a structured mode of research.
At first glance, fiction and research seem like opposites: one thrives on imagination and creativity, whereas the other on rigour, evidence, and truth. But this divide is more fragile than it appears. Stories shape how we understand the world, especially when it comes to experiences we may never encounter directly. In that sense, fiction doesn’t just reflect reality; it actively participates in constructing it.
The problem is that we rarely treat fiction filmmaking as a serious form of inquiry. Films are judged on artistic or commercial terms, but not often as contributions to knowledge. At the same time, traditional academic research can struggle to capture the emotional, social, and lived dimensions of human experience, particularly for marginalised communities, whose stories are often simplified, misrepresented, or ignored.
Fictsearch begins from the idea that fiction filmmaking can bridge this gap. Instead of seeing a film as the final “output,” the framework treats the entire filmmaking process as research. From idea development to public release, each step becomes part of a cycle of investigation, reflection, and knowledge production. In this model, making a film is not just creative work, it is also a way of asking questions, testing ideas, and learning from the world.
Fictsearch is structured around five interconnected stages:
The first stage, Study, begins much like traditional research. It involves engaging with scholarship, consulting experts, and listening to those whose experiences are represented. Instead of ending in an academic paper, this knowledge is translated into a screenplay. Writing the script becomes the first act of inquiry, exploring ideas through characters, narrative, and dialogue.
The second stage, Production and Reflection, moves from page to screen. Collaboration becomes central, with the director, actors, and crew shaping the film. The process itself generates insight, as decisions about casting, performance, visual style, and storytelling connect directly to meaning and representation. Reflection on these choices becomes part of the research.
The third stage, Industry Feedback, introduces a different kind of evaluation. The work is assessed by sales agents, distributors, and industry professionals. Their responses, whether enthusiastic or critical, provide valuable data: what gets accepted or rejected, and why.
The fourth stage, Festivals, expands this process further. Film festivals function as a form of public and professional review. Selections, awards, and rejections offer insight into how the film resonates across contexts.
Finally, the fifth stage, Public Release and Legacy, brings the film into wider circulation. Screenings, streaming platforms, reviews, and audience reactions all become part of the research evidence. The knowledge generated doesn’t remain abstract, instead shaping the film’s impacts.
Crucially, this process is not linear. It is iterative. Feedback at any stage can lead to revisions, rethinking, and new directions. Fictsearch resembles other forms of research, but with one key difference: its “data” includes creative practice, industry interaction, and audience engagement.
In Fiction Feature Filmmaking, I use the Fictsearch framework to examine fiction filmmaking as a mode of research through the case study of Only Love Matters, the first British feature film to centre intersex characters. The film was not only screened in cinemas but also screened and discussed at the UK Parliament and universities, and is now available on Apple TV and Amazon.
Intersex people are born with variations in sex characteristics, have historically been underrepresented or misrepresented in cinema. Creating a film about intersex people that aimed for respectful, complex representation raised a series of research questions. How can intersex lives be portrayed ethically and authentically? What challenges arise when bringing such stories into mainstream filmmaking? How do industry structures respond to narratives that fall outside of familiar categories?
These questions could not be answered through theory alone. They had to be explored through practice, and through writing, filming, editing, distributing, and exhibiting the work. Each stage revealed new insights, from the difficulties of securing funding to the realities of festival selection and audience reception.
For example, early versions of the film struggled to gain traction in festivals. It was only after incorporating feedback, re-editing scenes, refining pacing, and improving sound design, that the film began to achieve wider recognition. This process of revision was not just technical; it was analytical. It demonstrated how creative decisions shape meaning, and how external responses can guide the development of both the film and the research. What emerges from this approach is a broader understanding of what research can be.
Fictsearch suggests that knowledge is not produced only through written analysis, but also through making, sharing, and experiencing creative work. It highlights the importance of collaboration, not only between researchers, but between artists, industry professionals, and audiences. And it shows how storytelling can open up new ways of thinking about complex social issues.
Fictsearch demonstrates that creative practice is not separate from research but deeply connected to it. Films can do more than entertain; they can challenge assumptions, foster empathy, and bring overlooked experiences into public conversation.
Importantly, Fictsearch offers a way forward for those who want to use creative practice as a tool for change. By treating filmmaking as a form of inquiry, it enables scholars and practitioners to engage with difficult, underrepresented, or “taboo” subjects in ways that are both rigorous and accessible.
So, can fiction films do research?
If we are willing to rethink what research looks like, the answer is yes. And in doing so, we may also discover that some of the most powerful forms of knowledge are not just written, but watched, felt, and shared.