Faces on Screen

Whether we consider the digitally created and manipulated faces of Hollywood cinema or the social media filters, face apps, and surveillance software of everyday life, reading face language has become the seemingly endless task of humans and machines alike. Recent facial controversies – from politicians in blackface to "deep fakes," casting debates, and facial data collection-- have made clear the need for a broader understanding of the face on screen and its varied techniques and effects. This book will consider the screen face from a variety of perspectives, across time periods and media, bringing together essays on topics ranging from early cinema to contemporary digital media – from photogénie to facial recognition, celebrity culture to digital creatures. It explores how screen culture builds on and complicates our urge to search the face for answers to our most intractable questions.